Trump / Musk (other than DOGE)

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There is so little thought to these layoffs it’s breathtaking — they are firing all probationary period workers first because they have fewer protections, but doing so en masse with little to no view as to whether those workers fill a difficult to replace skill set or a specific area of need or are replacements for folks about to or that have retired.

“… Musk’s team has begun cutting staff by dismissing workers in their probationary periods, which, depending on the agency, can last one or two years. These workers typically have little protection from being fired without cause, and they amount to about 7 percent of the government’s civilian workforce of more than 2 million.

About 10 percent of the FBI’s workforce is in its probationary period, for instance, as is 6.5 percent of the Internal Revenue Service.

Some agencies have submitted to OPM lists of probationary employees that exceed 45 percent of their entire workforces, said one person familiar with the issue, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss matters not yet made public. …”

And it isn’t really about cost savings, it is about control:

“… Even cutting 1 in every 4 government workers would only reduce federal spending by about 1 percent. But if it makes it easier for the Trump administration to implement other changes without resistance, the layoffs could provide the basis for much bigger unilateral spending cuts, said Jessica Riedl, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a right-leaning think tank. …”
 
“… Probationary workers at the Technology Transformation Services arm of the General Services Administration were also laid off Wednesday afternoon, according to multiple people familiar with the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel.

The unit is a software-focused arm of the GSA headed by a Tesla alumnus, Thomas Shedd, who has described it as one of “two pillars of technical talent.”

Many workers had been reinterviewed about keeping their jobs in recent days. Workers were told they had a final chance to accept the deferred resignation offer, according to one person familiar with the discussion. Those who didn’t accept would lose their positions. …”
 
Continued — https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/02/12/musk-trump-federal-layoffs/

“… Employees at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, for instance, received an email Tuesday saying they were being terminated while on their probationary period.

But the email, signed by HR representative Adam Martinez, included unfinished placeholders, addressing the memo to “[EmployeeFirstName] [EmployeeLastName]” and noting, “I am removing you from your position of [JobTitle],” according to a copy obtained by The Post.

Similarly, probationary employees at the Small Business Administration received emails Friday and Monday notifying them of their termination — before receiving a second email Monday revoking the dismissal, according to copies obtained by The Post. The Monday email said the notification was “sent in error — and as such, is not currently in effect.”

“If you are in receipt of the initial notice,” the email read, “your employment has not been terminated as was erroneously indicated in the initial notice.”

On Tuesday, the employees received a third email: Once again, they were let go. …”
 

Hegseth's Ukraine bombshell and Trump's Putin call leave NATO reeling​



“… State of play: Hegseth, who is attending his first meeting of NATO's defense ministers, made clear Wednesday that the following chips will now be "off the table" in peace talks, as a senior U.S. defense official stressed to Axios.

  1. NATO membership for Ukraine — a central source of tension with Russia promised by the alliance in 2008 — is not a "realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement," Hegseth said.
  2. U.S. troops will not be deployed to Ukraine to enforce postwar security guarantees.
  3. Any European peacekeepers sent to Ukraine should be deployed as part of a "non-NATO mission," meaning Article 5 — the alliance's bedrock principle of collective defense — should not protect them.

  • In the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump demurred when asked whether Ukraine was "an equal member" of the peace process: "I think they have to make peace," he said after a pause. "That was not a good war to go into."
Friction point: Most NATO allies vehemently reject the idea that Ukraine chose war with Russia, and have argued for years that peace talks should happen at a time and place of Ukraine's choosing.

The intrigue: The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas, who is attending Thursday's meetings along with Ukrainian defense minister Rustem Umerov, said the EU would continue supporting Ukraine if Kyiv refused to accept Trump's conditions….”
 

Trump Layoffs Push Federal Workers Into Tough Job Hunt​

Companies have pulled back on white-collar hiring, limiting options for government workers​



“… Federal workers are more likely than the American public to have college and graduate degrees, and most have white-collar roles. But hiring for such professional positions, which can range from project management to information technology to accounting, has slumped in recent years, hitting college graduates especially hard.

A few years ago, as companies sought to fill pandemic-induced labor shortages, displaced federal workers would have readily nabbed jobs, often with pay raises, said Julia Pollak, chief economist at jobs website ZipRecruiter.

In recent months, companies have trimmed ranks and reduced white-collar hiring, hitting fields such as professional and business services. Government data show 4.9% of such workers are now unemployed, up from 4.3% a year earlier. …”
 

State Dept. Plans $400 Million Purchase of Armored Tesla Cybertrucks​

The department plans to buy armored Tesla vehicles. Elon Musk, who is leading efforts to cut government spending, has won more than $13 billion in government contracts in the past five years.


“… The purchase of Cybertrucks, an atypical choice for government armored transport, is likely to raise conflict of interest issues, especially as Mr. Musk trumpets his own efforts to root out what he regards as unnecessary spending.


Mr. Musk is already a major government contractor. Companies he owns or controls have secured $13 billion in federal contracts over the past five years. SpaceX, the rocket company he founded, collects most of that money and is one of the biggest government contractors.

The State Department procurement forecast was published in December, after Mr. Trump won the election but before he took office. Plans to purchase Cybertrucks were reported earlier on Wednesday by Drop Site News.

Sales of the Cybertruck have been modest since its introduction in late 2023. Tesla sold 39,000 last year, according to estimates by Cox Automotive. With a starting price of $80,000, the vehicle is too expensive for many buyers. …”
Some Teslas are reasonable options for EVs. The Cybertruck is well known as garbage and makes absolutely no sense as a VIP transport vehicle. Even the 3 motor version can only carry 2500 pounds and has a real world range of around 200 miles. Throw 1200 pounds of armor on that and it will barely have the capacity to transport 4 guys and some gear 150 miles before needing to spend an hour or two charging the battery.
 
Some Teslas are reasonable options for EVs. The Cybertruck is well known as garbage and makes absolutely no sense as a VIP transport vehicle. Even the 3 motor version can only carry 2500 pounds and has a real world range of around 200 miles. Throw 1200 pounds of armor on that and it will barely have the capacity to transport 4 guys and some gear 150 miles before needing to spend an hour or two charging the battery.
Does that 400 million include charging stations? If it doesn't, it's really stupid since Trump is trying to hinder the further development of anything EV except what Musk tells him to do.
 

State Dept. Plans $400 Million Purchase of Armored Tesla Cybertrucks​

The department plans to buy armored Tesla vehicles. Elon Musk, who is leading efforts to cut government spending, has won more than $13 billion in government contracts in the past five years.


“… The purchase of Cybertrucks, an atypical choice for government armored transport, is likely to raise conflict of interest issues, especially as Mr. Musk trumpets his own efforts to root out what he regards as unnecessary spending.


Mr. Musk is already a major government contractor. Companies he owns or controls have secured $13 billion in federal contracts over the past five years. SpaceX, the rocket company he founded, collects most of that money and is one of the biggest government contractors.

The State Department procurement forecast was published in December, after Mr. Trump won the election but before he took office. Plans to purchase Cybertrucks were reported earlier on Wednesday by Drop Site News.

Sales of the Cybertruck have been modest since its introduction in late 2023. Tesla sold 39,000 last year, according to estimates by Cox Automotive. With a starting price of $80,000, the vehicle is too expensive for many buyers. …”
Armored trucks that can't tolerate salt water without turning into lithium pires.
 
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