Latest news with #U.S.InstituteofPeace
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Maddow Lays Bare Elon Musk's Real Legacy in Scathing Segment
Rachel Maddow found what she called a fitting 'metaphor' for Elon Musk's work with the federal government. The MSNBC host devoted a segment on Monday to the Department of Government Efficiency's takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace headquarters in Washington, D.C. After a judge ruled the takeover illegal last month, USIP staff reportedly returned to find the building in disrepair, complete with water leaks, damaged property, and evidence of rodents and cockroaches. According to a report in The Economist, when cleaners re-entered the building they also found marijuana that had apparently been thrown out by DOGE staffers. Maddow said the fiasco summed up DOGE's activities. 'So, maximum destruction, leaving everything soiled and in disrepair and littered with drugs, and now, because all of that was totally illegal, the folks at the U.S. Institute of Peace will have to, like, repair everything and stand everything back up in order to even start to get back to where they were before this whole thing started,' she said on The Rachel Maddow Show. On his last day as a 'special government employee' on Friday, Musk turned up to the White House with a black eye, which some in the media called a metaphor for his battered public image. But Maddow said her example was more 'on the nose.' 'It's just pure pointlessness and waste,' she said. 'Yes, the black eye was cute, but may I suggest that this is perhaps more on the nose as the legacy of what the Trump administration has done through Trump's top campaign donor, Elon Musk, as Elon Musk leaves Washington.' 'A building seized pointlessly. Shut down pointlessly. Left to be infested by vermin,' she went on. 'All so its rightful owners can eventually come back and have to put it all back together again—for no reason at all. I think that's a better metaphor.' Members of the board of the U.S. Institute of Peace, a congressionally funded independent nonprofit focused on global conflict resolution, were abruptly dismissed in March after President Donald Trump targeted it in his and Musk's heavy-handed effort to slash federal spending. DOGE officials took over the building and most of the institute's employees were subsequently laid off. The organization's leadership sued, and U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled last month that the think tank had been taken over illegally by 'blunt force, backed up by law enforcement officers from three separate local and federal agencies.' Judge Howell found that because the administration unlawfully removed USIP's board, all actions that followed—including the dismissal of staff—were void. Musk originally pledged to cut $2 trillion from federal spending, but fell far short. DOGE estimates it's found $175 billion in savings—a figure that remains highly contested. The billionaire has now stepped back from his controversial and chaotic work with the government with his businesses and reputation suffering.
Axios
29-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Musk's real DOGE legacy will be decided by courts long after his departure
Elon Musk's DOGE days are over — but the bruise on his reputation and a legacy wrapped in ongoing litigation remain. The big picture: DOGE-driven cuts wreaked havoc on federal workers, prompting a litany of lawsuits seeking to rein in Musk's chainsaw. As the billionaire departs, judges across the country could still unravel key parts of the effort for which he became the face. Musk, who arrived in D.C. as a political outsider with unprecedented power, will depart the capital with his boasts of government savings contested, his favorability ratings deflated and his brands battered, Axios' Zachary Basu writes. How history remembers his turbulent tenure could in part be determined by the courts. The White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment. Driving the news: Ongoing legal battles over record transparency, firings at the U.S. Institute of Peace and various federal agencies, budget cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities, and access to sensitive personal information — among others — could hobble DOGE's reach long after Musk's departure. The latest: On Tuesday, a federal judge allowed a lawsuit filed by more than a dozen Democratic state attorneys general accusing Musk and DOGE of illegally exerting power over government operations to move forward. The states alleged Musk holds "virtually unchecked power" over the executive branch. As he closes the door on his time at DOGE, the remnants of that power remain — though not everything went to plan during Musk's roughly four-month tenure. By the numbers: Musk started with an audacious goal to find $2 trillion in savings through DOGE, which was originally set to sunset July 4, 2026. According to the most recent update to DOGE's website, the cost-cutting initiative claims only $175 billion in savings — though it's backtracked on its claims in the past. That estimate includes workforce reductions, which have seen more than 120,000 federal employees laid off or targeted for layoffs, per CNN's count. Those cuts have rocked D.C.'s economy and massively stressed the bureaucracy. Some workers have been caught in cycles of being fired and re-hired with no guarantee their job will stick. Catch up quick: Musk on Wednesday thanked President Trump for "the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending" as his time as a special government employee comes to its end. The mission of DOGE, he wrote, "will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government." What we're watching: The White House plans to send a $9.4 billion rescissions package to Congress next week, an administration official told Axios' Hans Nichols, to give lawmakers the chance to codify some of the cuts identified by DOGE.
Miami Herald
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Donald Trump Suffers Triple Legal Blow Within Hours
The Trump administration suffered three legal defeats within hours on Friday as opposition to its policies continues to be channeled through the courts. In Washington, D.C., a federal judge rejected the administration's attempt to overturn her initial May 19 ruling that the U.S. Institute of Peace must be returned to the control of its original board, while an executive order targeting law firm Jenner & Block was ruled unconstitutional. Simultaneously, in Massachusetts, a judge ruled that the removal of articles from a federal government hosted patient-safety resource in response to Trump's executive order on "gender ideology" violated the First Amendment and must be reversed. Newsweek contacted the White House for comment on Saturday via email outside of regular office hours. With Republicans enjoying a slim majority in both the House and Senate the courts have emerged as one of the main impediments to policies pursued by the second Donald Trump administration. Since Trump's return to the White House in January the government has suffered legal defeats on a range of issues including the deportation of illegal migrants to countries other than their own, the freezing of billions in foreign aid and a ban on transgender personnel serving in the military. On Friday U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell rejected the Trump administration's request that she suspend her May 19 ruling in which she concluded its decision to fire the board of the U.S. Institute of Peace was illegal and thus "null and void." Howell said the government had failed to provide a "strong showing" indicating its case could succeed on its own merits. In May she concluded the Institute of Peace was not part of the executive branch and thus the firing of its board in March, following a takeover by the Elon Musk-run Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), was unlawful. District Court Judge John Bates, a George W. Bush appointee, ruled that President Trump's executive order targeting the Jenner & Block law firm was likely unconstitutional and thus blocked in full. Bates concluded the order "seeks to chill legal representation the administration doesn't like, thereby insulating the Executive Branch from the judicial check fundamental to the separation of powers. It thus violates the Constitution and the Court will enjoin its operation in full." Following his second presidential inauguration in January Trump signed a number of executive orders targeting law firms that had either been involved in civil or criminal cases against him or had represented his political opponents. The orders stripped security clearance from the relevant firms' employees and blocked them from accessing federal buildings. Massachusetts District Judge Leo T. Sorokin, an Obama appointee, on Friday granted in part a preliminary injunction requiring articles to be restored to patient-safety resource services that were removed in response to Trump's January 20 executive order targeting "gender ideology." Sorokin granted the preliminary injunction on the basis that "the plaintiffs are likely to succeed in proving that the removal of their articles was a textbook example of viewpoint discrimination by the defendants in violation of the First Amendment." Consequently he said: "The defendants must restore the patient-safety articles they removed from the online resource at issue." The Trump administration is likely to continue to find its policy agenda frustrated by legal challenges from critics who argue some of its actions are illegal or unconstitutional. Trump has hit back at judges involved in some of the decisions against his government raising the prospect of a prolonged confrontation between the executive and legal system. Related Articles Why Unions Won't Be Participating in the U.S. Manufacturing BoomWhy Dual Citizenship Is The New American DreamTrump Admin Doing "Opposite of Making America Great": WSJ Editorial BoardTop Democratic Lawyer, 3 Others Leave Paul Weiss To Start New Firm: Reports 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
24-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Suffers Triple Legal Blow Within Hours
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Trump administration suffered three legal defeats within hours on Friday as opposition to its policies continues to be channeled through the courts. In Washington, D.C., a federal judge rejected the administration's attempt to overturn her initial May 19 ruling that the U.S. Institute of Peace must be returned to the control of its original board, while an executive order targeting law firm Jenner & Block was ruled unconstitutional. Simultaneously, in Massachusetts, a judge ruled that the removal of articles from a federal government hosted patient-safety resource in response to Trump's executive order on "gender ideology" violated the First Amendment and must be reversed. Newsweek contacted the White House for comment on Saturday via email outside of regular office hours. Why It Matters With Republicans enjoying a slim majority in both the House and Senate the courts have emerged as one of the main impediments to policies pursued by the second Donald Trump administration. Since Trump's return to the White House in January the government has suffered legal defeats on a range of issues including the deportation of illegal migrants to countries other than their own, the freezing of billions in foreign aid and a ban on transgender personnel serving in the military. U.S. Institute of Peace Ruling On Friday U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell rejected the Trump administration's request that she suspend her May 19 ruling in which she concluded its decision to fire the board of the U.S. Institute of Peace was illegal and thus "null and void." Howell said the government had failed to provide a "strong showing" indicating its case could succeed on its own merits. In May she concluded the Institute of Peace was not part of the executive branch and thus the firing of its board in March, following a takeover by the Elon Musk-run Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), was unlawful. Jenner & Block Ruling District Court Judge John Bates, a George W. Bush appointee, ruled that President Trump's executive order targeting the Jenner & Block law firm was likely unconstitutional and thus blocked in full. Bates concluded the order "seeks to chill legal representation the administration doesn't like, thereby insulating the Executive Branch from the judicial check fundamental to the separation of powers. It thus violates the Constitution and the Court will enjoin its operation in full." President Donald Trump speaks after signing executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 23, 2025. President Donald Trump speaks after signing executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 23, 2025. Win McNamee/GETTY Following his second presidential inauguration in January Trump signed a number of executive orders targeting law firms that had either been involved in civil or criminal cases against him or had represented his political opponents. The orders stripped security clearance from the relevant firms' employees and blocked them from accessing federal buildings. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Massachusetts District Judge Leo T. Sorokin, an Obama appointee, on Friday granted in part a preliminary injunction requiring articles to be restored to patient-safety resource services that were removed in response to Trump's January 20 executive order targeting "gender ideology." Sorokin granted the preliminary injunction on the basis that "the plaintiffs are likely to succeed in proving that the removal of their articles was a textbook example of viewpoint discrimination by the defendants in violation of the First Amendment." Consequently he said: "The defendants must restore the patient-safety articles they removed from the online resource at issue." What Happens Next The Trump administration is likely to continue to find its policy agenda frustrated by legal challenges from critics who argue some of its actions are illegal or unconstitutional. Trump has hit back at judges involved in some of the decisions against his government raising the prospect of a prolonged confrontation between the executive and legal system.
22-05-2025
- Business
Institute of Peace reclaims its headquarters after court win over Musk's cost-cutting team
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Institute of Peace retook control of its headquarters Wednesday, two days after a federal judge said the firing of its board and employees by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency was illegal. The institute's acting president, George Moose, entered the organization's headquarters with private security and the institute's outside attorney for the first time since being escorted off the premises during the DOGE takeover. Moose and most of the institute's board were fired in March, part of the mass slashing of the federal workforce spearheaded by Musk. The institute and many of its board members filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration soon after, seeking to prevent their removal and stop DOGE from taking over its operations. U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell's opinion on Monday reversed DOGE's actions. Speaking after a short examination of the headquarters, Moose said all appeared to be in order. 'We just did a quick walk-through — externally, visibly, things look to be in pretty good shape,' he said. 'I didn't see anything, any destruction, if you will, no damage that I can see that is visible.' Moose, a former ambassador and career member of the U.S. Foreign Service, said a team of employees from human resources, technology and finance would be in the building Thursday getting the nonprofit ready to welcome back its workforce. He expected to bring back all the staff who want to return. In an email Wednesday, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly did not comment on workers returning to the building, but signaled that the administration may challenge the decision. 'President Trump is right to reduce failed, useless entities like USIP to their statutory minimum, and the rogue judge's attempt to impede on the separation of powers will not be the last say on the matter,' she said. The administration filed a motion of appeal Wednesday evening and requested a stay of the judge's ruling while that appeal is considered, arguing in part that Howell 'erred' in concluding that the institution's functions were not executive functions. Agencies across the federal government have been slashed or dismantled by Musk's DOGE team. Wednesday's low-key scene at the institute's headquarters marked a rare moment when a DOGE-targeted agency or organization has been able to begin reestablishing itself. The judge's ruling said the Trump administration did not have authority to unilaterally dismantle the institute, which was established by Congress in 1984 as an independent organization that would promote peace and seek to end conflicts around the world. It was operating in more than two dozen conflict zones at the time Musk's team took it over and shut it down. The saga began when Trump issued an executive order in February that targeted the institute and three other agencies for closure in an effort to deliver on campaign promises to shrink the size of the government. The first attempt by DOGE to take over the headquarters led to a standoff. Members of Musk's DOGE group returned days later with the FBI and District of Columbia Metropolitan Police to help them gain entry. DOGE installed new leadership, ordered a mass firing of nearly all the staff through their private emails, and handed over the institute's headquarters to the General Services Administration. The institute, concerned about liability and security of the building in the aftermath of the judge's ruling, reached out to the government attorneys earlier this week and again on Wednesday. George Foote, the institute's outside attorney, said the exchange was very smooth and orderly. Moose said the goal now is to get back to the work the institute was created to do 40 years ago and 'projects, ideas that are, we believe, of interest to the American people.'
