Latest news with #InaugurationDay
Kiwiblog
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Kiwiblog
Pay the donation and get out of jail
The NYT reports: As Paul Walczak awaited sentencing early this year, his best hope for avoiding prison time rested with the newly inaugurated president. Mr. Walczak, a former nursing home executive who had pleaded guilty to tax crimes days after the 2024 election, submitted a pardon application to President Trump around Inauguration Day. The application focused not solely on Mr. Walczak's offenses but also on the political activity of his mother, Elizabeth Fago. Ms. Fago had raised millions of dollars for Mr. Trump's campaigns and those of other Republicans, the application said. It also highlighted her connections to an effort to sabotage Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s 2020 campaign by publicizing the addiction diary of his daughter Ashley Biden — an episode that drew law enforcement scrutiny. … Still, weeks went by and no pardon was forthcoming, even as Mr. Trump issued clemency grants to hundreds of other allies. Then, Ms. Fago was invited to a $1-million-per-person fund-raising dinner last month that promised face-to-face access to Mr. Trump at his private Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla. Less than three weeks after she attended the dinner, Mr. Trump signed a full and unconditional pardon. Many Presidents have made bad or dubious pardons, but giving one three weeks after someone's mother donates $1 million is a new low.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Who will be Elon's successor? The top names in line for DOGE chief
With Elon Musk leaving his role at the White House as head of the Department of Government Efficiency and President Donald Trump saying DOGE's work will continue, the question now in Washington is who will take the reins to become Musk's successor. Musk, who has led Trump's waste-cutting task force from Inauguration Day until now, announced his departure in an X post this week, saying: "As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending," Musk said the DOGE mission "will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government." So, who will take Musk's place? Right now, no one. A senior White House official previously told Fox News Digital that "the DOGE employees at their respective agency or department will be reporting to and executing the agenda of the president through the leadership of each agency or department head." 'American Hero' Or 'Failure': Elon Musk's Doge Departure Divides Capitol Hill Read On The Fox News App The official said DOGE is now part of the "DNA" of the federal government, and that it will keep operating as it already has. Speaking with reporters on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that "the DOGE leaders are each and every member of the president's cabinet and the president himself, who is wholeheartedly committed to cutting waste, fraud and abuse from our government." These statements cast doubt on whether any singular individual will succeed Musk as the DOGE chief. However, if Trump finds a DOGE successor necessary and decides to shift gears, who could fill Musk's shoes? While Musk was never an official federal employee, Amy Gleason, a little-known government employee who also worked in the first Trump administration, has been serving as the official acting chief of the United States DOGE Service (USDS) since February. Doge Staffing Shakeup As Elon Musk Hangs Up His Hat, White House Confirms If the president decides to steer clear of any public-facing DOGE chief, it seems likely that he will keep Gleason on as a more behind-the-scenes DOGE leader at USDS. Gleason, 53, is a career official who was recognized by the Obama administration as a "champion of change" for her work with several nonprofits researching and raising awareness about a rare autoimmune disorder known as Juvenile Myositis. Gleason previously worked in the first Trump administration in what was then called the U.S. Digital Service before leaving to work at Russell Street Ventures, which was founded by Brad Smith, another DOGE leader. Keeping Gleason on as DOGE chief would allow the president to keep the agency's efforts alive while following the structure of each cabinet head leading their own waste-cutting programs. As director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought has already been a central figure in DOGE's waste-cutting efforts. State Dept Says Doge's Changes Will Be Permanent Amid Musk's Departure The Wall Street Journal reported that Vought already has plans to continue Musk's efforts, even in his current role as OMB head. Vought is a close ally of Trump and a much more subdued personality than Musk, making him appear as a likely pick to take over DOGE. However, Vought does come with his own political baggage, with many on the left labeling him a "Christian nationalist" and criticizing his role as a co-author of Project 2025. Still, he was successfully confirmed by the Senate in his current role as OMB director. A one-time GOP presidential candidate-turned key Trump ally, Vivek Ramaswamy, has been widely reported as a top contender to replace Musk at the helm of DOGE. Ramaswamy co-led DOGE alongside Musk for a short period at the start of Trump's second term. However, he stepped down from his DOGE leadership role in February to begin his run for Ohio governor. Though Ramaswamy shares Musk's and Trump's vision for cutting government waste, it would seem unlikely he would rejoin the DOGE team any time soon with his eyes on winning the keys to the Ohio governor's mansion in article source: Who will be Elon's successor? The top names in line for DOGE chief
New York Post
21 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Donald Trump fires National Portrait Gallery director for being ‘strong supporter' of DEI
President Donald Trump fired the director of the National Portrait Gallery, Kim Sajet, for being a 'strong supporter' of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Trump announced the termination in a post on Truth Social on Friday afternoon. 'Upon the request and recommendation of many people, I am hereby terminating the employment of Kim Sajet as Director of the National Portrait Gallery,' the president wrote. 'She is a highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI, which is totally inappropriate for her position. Her replacement will be named shortly. Thank you for your attention to this matter!' A White House official told Fox News Digital that Sajet had donated $3,982 to Democrats, including presidential campaigns for former President Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. Sajet also reportedly donated to other Democrats, including former Vice President Kamala Harris. The White House also pointed to the gallery's photo of Trump, which was curated by Sajet. The caption of the photo reads, 'Impeached twice, on charges of abuse of power and incitement of insurrection after supporters attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, he was acquitted by the Senate in both trials. After losing to Joe Biden in 2020, Trump mounted a historic comeback in the 2024 election. He is the only president aside from Grover Cleveland (1837-1908) to have won a nonconsecutive second term.' 3 A White House official said that Sajet had donated $3,982 to Democrats. Getty Images for Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery The White House official also said it was ironic that Sajet said, 'We try very much not to editorialise. I don't want by reading the label to get a sense of what the curator's opinion is about that person. I want someone reading the label to understand that it's based on historical fact.' The National Portrait Gallery did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on the matter. According to the National Portrait Gallery website, Sajet was the first woman to serve as the director of the National Portrait Gallery, and she spent time in the role looking for ways to put her experience and creativity at the center of learning and civic awareness. Prior to taking the position, Sajet was the president and CEO of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and held other positions at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. 3 President Donald Trump, joined by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, speaks to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. Getty Images Her biography notes that she was born in Nigeria, was raised in Australia and is a citizen of the Netherlands. She came to the U.S. with her family in 1997. Hours after taking the Oath of Office on Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, Trump signed an executive order to eliminate all DEI programs from the federal government. A day later, the president directed the Office of Personnel Management to notify heads of agencies and departments to close all DEI offices and place those government workers in those offices on paid leave. 3 Kim Sajet, Rhea L. Combs, Lonnie G. Bunch III, Oprah Winfrey and artist Shawn Michael Warren pose in front of the portrait during the unveiling of Oprah Winfrey's portrait on December 13, 2023 in Washington, DC. Getty Images for Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery Earlier this month, Trump fired Shira Perlmutter, who was in charge of the U.S. Copyright Office, which came just days after terminating the Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden. The termination was part of the administration's ongoing purge of government officials who are perceived to be opposed to Trump and his agenda. Both women were notified of their termination by email, The Associated Press previously reported. Hayden tapped Perlmutter to lead the Copyright Office in October 2020.
New York Post
a day ago
- Business
- New York Post
Watch live: Donald Trump and Elon Musk hold press briefing amid DOGE exit
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk are scheduled to hold a press conference in the Oval Office at 1:30 p.m. EST. This comes as Musk's government service will end today, May 30, the legal 130-day limit for his 'special government employee' designation. He was appointed in January to head the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), created by executive order on Inauguration Day.
USA Today
a day ago
- Business
- USA Today
Former federal worker elected to New Jersey local office after leaving DOGE agency
Former federal worker elected to New Jersey local office after leaving DOGE agency About four months after resigning from the federal agency Trump rebranded as the U.S. DOGE Service, this NJ resident won local office by 49 votes. Show Caption Hide Caption How did Elon Musk become so powerful in Washington? As leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Elon Musk has made major changes, but who is Elon Musk and how did he rise in Washington? Itir Cole tried to take some time off after quitting her job with the federal government early in the Trump administration. "I tried to read books, I tried to watch Netflix. But a day or two of that, and I was like, okay, I'm good. Now, what?" Cole, 40, told USA TODAY. Then her husband mentioned offhand that there was an open seat on her New Jersey town's governing body. No one her age or with her life experience was planning to make a bid for the nonpartisan Haddonfield Borough Commission. So she did. Cole won her mid-May race by 49 votes, about four months after resigning from the U.S. Digital Service ‒ the federal agency President Donald Trump and entrepreneur Elon Musk rebranded as the United States DOGE Service. A ceremonial swearing in was held May 27. Her victory places her at the forefront of a flood of federal workers looking to run for public office. Many say they want to continue serving Americans after leaving the government either voluntarily or through mass layoffs, as Trump dramatically downsizes the federal workforce. Why she left her government job Cole said her year-and-a-half in the federal government was a pivot point in her life. She had spent most of her career working in product management and building health care software for private companies. "The federal government felt like it hit all my check boxes," she said. "I can make a living. I feel good about what I'm doing every day. I'm contributing to the wellness of my community, my nation, and it's something when I look back on, I'm going to feel really proud of having contributed to even as a small part of it." U.S. Digital Service employees were detailed to other agencies to help fix or monitor high priority tech projects. Cole worked with the Centers for Disease Control to improve a cross state infectious disease surveillance system after the COVID-19 pandemic. But the arrival of DOGE employees on Inauguration Day transformed the nonpartisan tech agency, Cole said. "The job changed pretty much overnight," she said. All employees were interviewed with questions she said felt like were asking about loyalty to the new administration. She had been hired as a remote employee, but there was talk of requiring a return to the office. The "fork in the road" email that told federal employees to either get on board with the sweeping changes or leave was the last straw, she said. The White House press office did not respond to a request for comment. Cole quickly chose to resign, as did others. On Feb. 14, her last day, the remaining 40 or so members of her team were fired, she said. 'Okay, I will do it' When she first looked at the Haddonfield Borough Commission race, Cole said she was alarmed that none of the candidates represented the so-called sandwich generation: people with both young kids at home and elderly parents to take care of. She implored friends to run, offering to act as their campaign manager and organize their campaign events, but no one had the time. "I couldn't let go of the fact that … there's no woman with a young family juggling responsibilities of professional life and family life. No one from our phase is going to be there, and there are going to be decisions made that are not in the best interest of the entire community," Cole said. "So I thought, Okay, I will do it." Cole had to move quickly to get on the ballot in her suburban town of 12,500, not far from Philadelphia. She pulled together 100 signed petitions in 3 days ‒ twice the number she needed. There was no time to build a coalition of supporters or get backing from candidate recruitment groups that mentor new candidates and that are getting inundated with requests for help from former federal employees. She had to just wing it. Cole said she started with a handful of regulars she knew at her local coffee shop, then a dozen or so moms she knew from school drop off. The former head of the local soccer leagues sat down with her and made introductions to the Lions Club, the Rotary Club and various nonprofits. Soon people offered to host house parties to introduce her to their neighborhood. "I accepted every invite, and I put myself out there as much as I could," she said. Campaigning as an introvert was painful, Cole said. It helped that the position is non-partisan and she could focus on local issues like affordable housing, crowded schools and new soccer fields. The part-time commissioner job pays $6,000 a year, which Cole said she expects to mostly go toward expenses related to the role. She's still looking for a full time job. Cole said she hasn't given much thought to a political future. She doesn't intend to hold the position past a single four-year term, saying she thinks the post should rotate among community members. "What I'm going to spend the next four years doing is making sure that people see this as a very doable job, that it hopefully encourages others to be like, Oh, she can do it. I can probably do it too," she said.
