Latest news with #governmentcuts
Washington Post
a day ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Trump asks the Supreme Court to clear the way for federal downsizing plans
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's administration on Monday renewed its request for the Supreme Court to clear the way for plans to downsize the federal workforce , while a lawsuit filed by labor unions and cities proceeds. The high court filing came after an appeals court refused to freeze a California-based judge's order halting the cuts, which have been led by the Department of Government Efficiency .
Associated Press
a day ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Trump asks the Supreme Court to clear the way for federal downsizing plans
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's administration on Monday renewed its request for the Supreme Court to clear the way for plans to downsize the federal workforce, while a lawsuit filed by labor unions and cities proceeds. The high court filing came after an appeals court refused to freeze a California-based judge's order halting the cuts, which have been led by the Department of Government Efficiency. By a 2-1 vote, a panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found that the downsizing could have broader effects, including on the nation's food-safety system and health care for veterans. In her ruling last month, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston found that Trump's administration congressional approval to make sizable reductions to the federal workforce. The administration initially asked the justices to step in last month, but withdrew its appeal for technical, legal reasons. The latest filing is one in a series of emergency appeals arguing federal judges had overstepped their authority. Illston's order 'rests on the indefensible premise that the President needs explicit statutory authorization from Congress to exercise his core Article II authority to superintend the internal personnel decisions of the Executive Branch,' Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote in the new appeal. Trump has repeatedly said voters gave him a mandate to remake the federal government, and he tapped billionaire ally Elon Musk to lead the charge through DOGE. Musk left his role last week. Tens of thousands of federal workers have been fired, have left their jobs via deferred resignation programs, or have been placed on leave. There is no official figure for the job cuts, but at least 75,000 federal employees took deferred resignation, and thousands of probationary workers have already been let go. Illston's order directs numerous federal agencies to halt acting on the president's workforce executive order signed in February and a subsequent memo issued by DOGE and the Office of Personnel Management. Illston was nominated by former Democratic President Bill Clinton. Among the agencies affected by the order are the departments of Agriculture, Energy, Labor, the Interior, State, the Treasury and Veterans Affairs. It also applies to the National Science Foundation, Small Business Association, Social Security Administration and Environmental Protection Agency. The Supreme Court set a deadline of next Monday for a response from the unions and cities, including Baltimore, Chicago and San Francisco. Some of the labor unions and nonprofit groups are also plaintiffs in another lawsuit before a San Francisco judge challenging the mass firings of probationary workers. In that case, Judge William Alsup ordered the government in March to reinstate those workers, but the U.S. Supreme Court later blocked his order.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Trump Questioned Extent Of Musk's DOGE Cuts, Report Says
President Donald Trump questioned the extent of the federal cuts made by billionaire adviser Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, the The Wall Street Journal reported, bringing the savings into doubt as Musk ended his short stint as special government employee this week after making controversial cuts and layoffs within the federal government. DOGE claims it has saved an estimated $175 billion through workforce reductions, grant ... More cancellations, contract cancellations. (Photo by) Trump asked, 'Was it all bull****?' according to unnamed administration officials cited by the Journal on Friday, referring to Musk's vow to cut $1 trillion in government spending. Musk reiterated the promise during an Oval Office press conference with Trump on Friday, saying he was confident DOGE will produce '$1 trillion dollars of waste and fraud reduction' over time. Musk has seemingly pushed back the deadline for the $1 trillion in savings, as the billionaire Tesla chief said in March the ambitious cuts would be completed in roughly two months. Trump's purported doubt came as Musk's time as a special government employee came to an end Friday, though he and the president have maintained he will continue visiting the White House and acting as a friend and adviser. Forbes asked for comment from the White House and Musk, the latter of whom did not respond to the Journal's request for comment Friday. Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text 'Alerts' to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here. The Musk-led department says it has saved an estimated $175 billion through workforce reductions, grant cancellations, contract cancellations and more. It also claims it has saved $1,086 per taxpayer. DOGE's claims of savings have been rife with inconsistencies and errors, according to multiple reports, suggesting the true savings figures are lower than what the agency has reported. For example, DOGE once claimed it saved $8 billion by cancelling an immigration contract that actually had a value of $8 million. A BBC analysis from April found that only about half of the itemized savings published by DOGE were linked to receipts or other forms of evidence. DOGE lists some receipts as being 'unavailable for legal reasons.' Prior to Trump's election and his time in government, Musk pledged to erase $2 trillion from federal spending—a vow that has since been reduced to $1 trillion. Many of the DOGE-directed cuts have been contested, with federal layoffs in particular seeing challenges in court. Some 216,000 federal employees were laid off in March, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Agencies hit or expected to be targeted by the layoffs include the Department of Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Education and several others. The firings have been contested in court, going as far as the Supreme Court last month, when the high court blocked a judge's order requiring employees at six federal agencies to be rehired. Inside Trump and Musk's Complicated Relationship (WSJ) How much has Elon Musk's Doge cut from US government spending? (Forbes) Supreme Court Blocks Judge's Order Requiring Employees At Six Federal Agencies To Be Rehired—For Now (Forbes)
E&E News
4 days ago
- Business
- E&E News
Elon Musk says goodbye. Sort of.
President Donald Trump held a news conference in the Oval Office on Friday to thank Elon Musk for his service leading the administration's government-slashing 'Department of Government Efficiency' operation. 'Americans owe him a great debt of gratitude,' Trump said as he praised the cuts made so far by the DOGE team. Musk and DOGE 'delivered a colossal change in the old ways of doing business in Washington,' Trump said. Musk 'had to go through the slings and the arrows, which is a shame, because he's an incredible patriot,' Trump said. 'The good news is that 90 percent of the country knows that, and they appreciate it, and they really appreciate what he did.' Advertisement Musk's time as a temporary special government employee has come to an end, the DOGE leader said as he stood behind the president for the nearly hourlong press conference.
CNN
4 days ago
- Business
- CNN
‘It's like a way of life': Elon Musk says DOGE work will continue as he exits role
Elon Musk ensured he will remain 'a friend and an advisor" to the Trump administration as he announced the end of his time as a special government employee, during which Musk oversaw DOGE's sweeping cuts to the federal workforce as part of efforts to slash US federal spending. Musk delivered a farewell speech in the Oval Office where President Donald Trump thanked Musk with a token of gratitude on behalf of the United States.
