Added Day 1486

_posts/2025-02-13-day-1486.markdown

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+---
+title: Day 1486
+date: 2025-02-13 14:40:00 -08:00
+description: '"How much democracy have they achieved lately?"'
+image: "/uploads/day-1486-trump.jpg"
+todayInOneSentence: Senate Republicans confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary,
+  putting the prominent anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist in control of nearly $2 trillion
+  in health spending and 13 federal agencies, including the CDC, FDA, and National
+  Institutes of Health, as well as Medicare and Medicaid, which provide health insurance
+  to more than 150 million Americans; the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance
+  Kash Patel’s nomination for FBI director; a federal judge allowed Trump’s "deferred
+  resignation" buyout program to proceed; Elon Musk called on Trump "to delete entire
+  agencies"; federal agencies began mass firings, issuing termination notices to employees
+  at the Education Department, Small Business Administration, Consumer Financial Protection
+  Bureau, General Services Administration, and the Energy Department; Trump directed
+  his administration to assess and impose "reciprocal" tariffs on trading partners,
+  including longtime allies; and a federal judge temporarily blocked Trump’s executive
+  order restricting gender-affirming health care for transgender people under age
+  19.
+---
+
+1/ **Senate Republicans confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary**, putting the prominent anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist in control of nearly $2 trillion in health spending and 13 federal agencies, including the CDC, FDA, and National Institutes of Health, as well as Medicare and Medicaid, which provide health insurance to more than 150 million Americans. The 52-48 vote was largely along party lines, though Mitch McConnell, a polio survivor, was the lone Republican to oppose Kennedy. “I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures, and neither will millions of Americans who credit their survival and quality of life to scientific miracles,” McConnell said, criticizing Kennedy’s “record of trafficking in dangerous conspiracy theories." ([New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/us/rfk-jr-hhs-senate-confirmation.html) / [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/02/13/robert-kennedy-hhs-secretary-confirmation-vote/) / [NPR](https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/13/nx-s1-5294591/rfk-jr-trump-health-human-services-hhs-vaccines) / [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/rfk-trump-health-secretary-vote-5dbefeef0537dc241e6fb33b8f2a748b) / [Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-13/rfk-jr-confirmed-as-head-of-health-and-human-services) / [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-votes-confirm-robert-f-kennedy-jr-health-secretary-rcna191856) / [Politico](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/13/rfk-jr-now-runs-americas-health-agencies-00204063) / [CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/13/politics/rfk-jr-senate-confirmation-vote))
+
+2/ **The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance Kash Patel’s nomination for FBI director**. Patel, a longtime Trump loyalist, previously vowed to overhaul the FBI, turn its headquarters into a museum, and punish members of the so-called "deep state." At his confirmation hearing, Patel pledged to protect agents from political retribution despite the Justice Department compiling lists of agents involved in past Trump-related investigations as part of an effort to fire personnel who worked on the Jan. 6 and classified documents cases as “retribution.” A final Senate vote is expected in the coming weeks. ([Politico](https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/02/13/congress/kash-patel-trump-fbi-00204035) / [Axios](https://www.axios.com/2025/02/13/kash-patel-judiciary-vote-hhs) / [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/us/politics/kash-patel-fbi-senate-judiciary-confirmation-trump.html) / [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-kash-patel-61610c5384536667eb112734465b0a19))
+
+3/ **A federal judge allowed Trump’s "deferred resignation" buyout program to proceed**, ruling that the labor unions lacked legal standing to block the program. The decision lifts a temporary freeze on the program, which offered financial incentives for millions of federal employees to resign while continuing to receive pay through September. About 75,000 workers accepted the buyout before the offer expired – roughly 3.3% of the 2.3 million federal workforce, falling short of the White House’s goal of 5% to 10%. ([Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-buyouts-e8cd4f40ac16220bd0a399a00c5b9f63) / [Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-12/us-judge-allows-trump-s-federal-worker-buyout-offer-to-go-ahead) / [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/12/us/politics/trump-federal-workers-buyout.html) / [Semafor](https://www.semafor.com/article/02/12/2025/75000-workers-accept-trump-buyout-program) / [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/judge-rules-trumps-sweeping-plan-persuade-federal-workers-resign-can-m-rcna191947) / [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/02/12/trump-federal-worker-buyout-court-hearing/) / [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/white-house-says-75000-accepted-federal-buyout-trump-rcna191971) / [USA Today](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/12/75000-federal-workers-accept-president-trumps-buyouts-as-offer-ends/78487932007/))
+
+4/ **Elon Musk called on Trump "to delete entire agencies,"** comparing the effort to removing weeds and saying, “If we don’t remove the roots, it’s easy for the weed to grow back.” Musk singled out the U.S. Agency for International Development, questioning its effectiveness and overseeing its planned closure. “How much democracy have they achieved lately?” Musk said. “I don’t know, not much.” ([Politico](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/13/elon-musk-target-federal-agencies-017563) / [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-us-uae-6f7c0e5b43adfb4ec3c1f14a964f573c))
+
+5/ **Federal agencies began mass firings, issuing termination notices to employees at the Education Department, Small Business Administration, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, General Services Administration, the Energy Department, and more**. The terminations were primarily sent to newer probationary employees hired within the last year. A form letter sent to Education Department employees said, “The Agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the Agency would be in the public interest.” At the SBA, at least 45 probationary employees received letters saying their “ability, knowledge and skills do not fit the current needs.” About 160 new hires at the Education Department were similarly told their employment “would not be in the public interest.” At the GSA, which oversees federal real estate, about 100 probationary employees were fired, and dozens of Energy Department employees were also dismissed. The CFPB, meanwhile, sent termination emails to probationary employees, but some messages contained errors, addressing workers as “\[EmployeeFirstName\] \[EmployeeLastName\].” ([CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/12/politics/scores-of-firings-federal-agencies/index.html) / [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/02/12/musk-trump-federal-layoffs/) / [USA Today](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/13/trump-musk-federal-workforce-mass-firings/78524273007/) / [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/mass-firings-federal-workers-begin-trump-musk-purge-us-government-2025-02-13/) / [NPR](https://www.npr.org/2025/02/12/nx-s1-5294479/cfpb-workers-fired-trump-doge) / [Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-12/trump-sba-tells-staff-it-didn-t-mean-to-fire-them-then-fires-them-the-next-day) / [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/us/politics/trump-fires-government-employees.html) / [CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-employee-layoffs-begin-at-department-of-education/))
+
+* **A judge extended a pause on Trump’s plan to place 2,100 USAID employees on leave**. The administration says it’s reviewing the agency’s mission, while unions argue the move disrupts aid programs. ([Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/02/13/usaid-workers-trump-leave-ruling/) / [NPR](https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/02/13/nx-s1-5296660/usaid-judge-ruling))
+
+6/ **Trump directed his administration to assess and impose "reciprocal" tariffs on trading partners, including longtime allies**. The measure instructs Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to submit country-specific reports by April 1, outlining tariff and non-tariff barriers that impact U.S. exports. Trump argued that other nations charge higher tariffs on American goods and vowed to match those rates, saying, "those days are over." The plan also includes additional levies on cars, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals. The tariffs will not take effect immediately. ([Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-13/trump-moves-to-impose-reciprocal-tariffs-but-not-right-away) / [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-reciprocal-imports-tax-trade-economy-54c0a26687dc96157d96229068894720) / [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/trump-reciprocal-tariffs-what-products-countries-how-much-rcna192075) / [Politico](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/13/trump-trade-reciprocal-tariffs-00204098) / [NPR](https://www.npr.org/2025/02/13/nx-s1-5296521/trump-retaliatory-reciprocal-tariffs-inflation-trade-war) / [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/02/13/trump-reciprocal-tariffs/) / [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/02/13/us/trump-news/trump-tariffs))
+
+* **Trump called for lower interest rates, saying they should align with his planned tariffs**. In a Truth Social post, he wrote, “Interest Rates should be lowered, something which would go hand in hand with upcoming Tariffs!!!” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, however, reiterated that the central bank makes decisions based on economic data, not political pressure. After January’s inflation report showed prices rising more than anticipated, Trump blamed the inflation data on Biden, posting “BIDEN INFLATION UP!” ([CNBC](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/12/trump-says-interest-rates-should-be-lowered-to-go-hand-in-hand-with-his-tariffs.html) / [HuffPost](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-mocked-for-blaming-bad-inflation-report-on-biden_n_67ace219e4b0239406decef9))
+
+7/ **A federal judge temporarily blocked Trump’s executive order restricting gender-affirming health care for transgender people under age 19**. Judge Brendan Hurson ruled that the order caused immediate harm, saying that forcing hospitals to stop treatments "would be horribly dangerous for this extremely vulnerable population." The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by transgender minors and advocacy groups, who argued the policy was unconstitutional and discriminatory. The decision is temporary, and legal challenges are expected to continue, potentially reaching the Supreme Court. ([Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/02/13/trump-transgender-health-care-youth-lawsuit/) / [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/judge-restraining-order-trump-transgender-health-care-8f8d935a3e757a1700dfb7363a67b07b) / [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/us/trump-trans-youth-health-providers.html) / [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/federal-judge-temporarily-blocks-trump-order-restricting-trans-care-yo-rcna192106))
+
+*The midterm elections are in 628 days.*
+
+---
+
+### 🧐 WTF is Elon Musk doing?
+
+**Trump and Musk claim they are rooting out widespread fraud in the federal government, but they have struggled to provide concrete evidence**. In an Oval Office appearance, Trump said that “We have massive amounts of fraud that we’ve caught,” while Musk claimed that federal bureaucrats had secretly amassed tens of millions of dollars in unexplained wealth. When pressed for specifics, however, they pointed to government spending they disagreed with rather than proving any illegal or fraudulent activity. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended their claims by citing various expenditures and arguing without evidence that "all of these things are fraudulent, they are wasteful, and they are an abuse of the American taxpayers’ dollar.”
+
+Two separate federal judges have rejected the Trump administration’s justification for freezing grants and placing thousands of USAID employees on leave. U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr. wrote that “The Defendants now plea that they are just trying to root out fraud. But the freezes in effect now were a result of the broad categorical order, not a specific finding of possible fraud.” Another judge, Trump appointee Carl Nichols, blocked the administration’s attempts to overhaul USAID, noting that when asked what harm would come from delaying the move, “the administration had no response – beyond asserting without any record support that USAID writ large was possibly engaging in ‘corruption and fraud.’”
+
+Musk insisted his so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” team had "found fraud and abuse, I would use those two words,” and suggested that “people in the bureaucracy who have ostensibly a salary of a few hundred thousand dollars \[...\] somehow managed to accrue tens of millions of dollars in net worth.” However, he offered no documentation or names to support the claim. The White House attempted to justify the fraud allegations by citing a Government Accountability Office estimate that between $233 billion and $521 billion is lost annually to fraud across federal agencies. This estimate, however, largely reflects previously documented fraud in programs like Medicare and unemployment assistance rather than Musk’s unverified claims about government employees and agencies.
+
+Despite growing legal and media scrutiny, Trump has doubled down, insisting that entire agencies – particularly USAID – are fraudulent. “Here’s something where you look at that, and they’re all fraudulent,” he said, claiming that any spending he disagrees with should be treated as fraud. Meanwhile, Musk continues to oversee multiple companies that receive billions in government contracts, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest.
+
+*Sources: [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/13/fraud-trump-musk-doge-fail/) / [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/12/us/politics/trump-musk-corruption.html) / [NPR](https://www.npr.org/2025/02/11/nx-s1-5290288/doge-savings-billions-contracts-musk-trump) / [Paul Krugman](https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/elon-musk-thinks-americans-are-stupid)*
+
+---
+
+### ✏️ Notables.
+
+1. **A top federal prosecutor in New York and two senior Justice Department officials resigned after refusing an order to drop the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams**. Acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon rejected the directive from Emil Bove, the acting deputy attorney general, who argued the case impeded Adams’ ability to assist the Trump administration’s priorities. After Sassoon’s resignation, the case was reassigned to the DOJ’s Public Integrity Section, where both acting chief John Keller and acting criminal division chief Kevin Driscoll also resigned. Sassoon accused Adams’ attorneys of proposing a quid pro quo, suggesting Adams could assist the DOJ only if his charges were dismissed. ([NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/top-federal-prosecutor-ny-resigns-told-drop-adams-charges-rcna192030) / [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/new-york-city-us-attorney-0395055315864924a3a5cc9a808f76fd) / [CNBC](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/13/top-federal-prosecutor-quits-after-doj-moves-to-toss-nyc-mayor-adams-case.html) / [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/nyregion/danielle-sassoon-quit-eric-adams.html) / [Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-13/manhattan-us-attorney-ordered-to-drop-adams-case-resigns) / [CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-attorney-manhattan-danielle-sassoon-quits-justice-dept-drops-eric-adams-case/))
+
+2. **The State Department suspended plans to purchase $400 million worth of armored electric vehicles after reports suggested the order would go to Elon Musk’s Tesla**. The department removed Tesla’s name from its procurement forecast, updating the listing to "armored electric vehicles" instead. The agency clarified that the contract originated under the Biden administration and was never finalized. ([New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/us/politics/state-dept-armored-teslas.html) / [Axios](https://www.axios.com/2025/02/13/musk-contract-armored-tesla) / [Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-13/plans-to-buy-armored-teslas-disappear-from-us-procurement-list) / [NPR](https://www.npr.org/2025/02/13/g-s1-48571/trump-administration-order-400-million-worth-of-armored-teslas) / [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/feb/13/us-department-of-state-plans-to-spend-400m-on-tesla-armoured-vehicles-elon-musk) / [The Hill](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5143030-state-department-armored-electric-vehicle-contract-paused/))
+
+3. **Elon Musk’s \~\~Twitter\~\~ X will pay about $10 million to settle Trump’s lawsuit over his 2021 Twitter ban**. Trump sued after Twitter, now X, cited risks of inciting violence post-Jan. 6. The settlement follows Meta’s $25 million payout over Trump’s Facebook suspension. ([Wall Street Journal](https://www.wsj.com/tech/musks-x-agrees-to-pay-about-10-million-to-settle-trump-lawsuit-a38348f8) / [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/trump-twitter-x-elon-musk-google-9dcb52b84061efdd2cdd102678dc8fea) / [CNBC](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/12/elon-musk-x-settle-trump-lawsuit-capitol-riot-doge.html))