Critics decry Trump's purge of federal watchdogs

President Trump is purging the government of investigators. Some prosecute criminals while others are watchdogs who make sure our food, veteran hospitals, highways and more are safe. The Trump administration says they can't be trusted, but critics of the president say he's gutting the very offices that weed out people who shouldn't be trusted. Scott MacFarlane has more.

Topics

White House terminates top federal prosecutors amid DOJ, FBI purge

The White House terminated multiple U.S. attorneys on Wednesday amid a period of upheaval at the Justice Department initiated by President Donald Trump.
NBC News - 14m
Judge allows Trump to proceed with federal buyout

A federal judge says he will continue to pause the Trump administration's federal employee buyout offer until he issues a ruling on a preliminary injunction.
ABC News - 5h
How Ukraine Pitched Trump on a Deal for Critical Minerals

President Trump says he wants to make a deal for minerals from Ukraine in exchange for aid. That followed a long effort by Ukrainian officials to appeal to Mr. Trump’s transactional nature.
The New York Times - 23h
Trump fires USAID watchdog who released report on impact of agency cuts

President Trump fired the USAID inspector general one day after he released a report detailing the impact of the administration's cuts to the agency.
CBS News - 1d
Federal watchdogs fired by Trump urge court to reinstate them

A new lawsuit alleges that Trump's firing of inspectors general violated federal law.
Politico - 1d
Critics decry Trump's purge of federal watchdogs

President Trump is purging the government of investigators. Some prosecute criminals while others are watchdogs who make sure our food, veteran hospitals, highways and more are safe. The Trump ...
CBS News - 17h
Trump Deputy Attorney General Nominee Decries Treatment of His Client

Mr. Blanche made clear that his prior work as a personal lawyer for the president informed his approach to the job of deputy attorney general.
The New York Times - 20h
8 fired government watchdogs sue Trump administration

Eight federal watchdogs ousted by President Trump last month are suing to get their jobs back on the basis that their dismissals were unlawful. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, asserts Congress was ...
The Hill - 1d
Trump fires USAID watchdog who released report on impact of agency cuts

President Trump fired the USAID inspector general one day after he released a report detailing the impact of the administration's cuts to the agency.
CBS News - 1d
Trump’s Plan to Remake the Federal Work Force

One of President Trump’s first executive orders claims the power to fire, and hire, tens of thousands of career civil servants across the government. Astead W. Herndon, a national politics reporter ...
The New York Times - 1d
Trump fires USAID's inspector general after his office released a report critical of the administration

Paul Martin's office put out a report Monday detailing the negative impact of the Trump administration’s push for drastic cuts at the agency.
NBC News - 1d
Justice Sotomayor defends courts amid criticism from Trump and his allies

Liberal Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor said that courts must use their “soft power” to persuade people to comply with rulings on contentious issues.
NBC News - 1d
Trump reportedly fires watchdog who oversees USAid after damning report

Paul Martin, an independent inspector general and Biden appointee, warned of drastic effects of shuttering USAid. Donald Trump reportedly fired the federal watchdog responsible for overseeing the ...
The Guardian - 1d
Trump FBI pick Kash Patel accused of directing staff purge while still a nominee

Sen. Dick Durbin alleged that Kash Patel's orders are being carried out by officials including Trump aide Stephen Miller and acting deputy AG Emil Bove.
CNBC - 1d
Pope Criticizes Trump’s Deportation of Migrants, Calling It a Violation of Dignity

In a letter to American bishops, Francis leveled unusually direct criticism at the administration on an issue he has made central to his papacy.
The New York Times - 2d
How to ensure Trump's new inspectors general are watchdogs, not lapdogs

It is critical that President Trump nominate qualified individuals to those positions — not just in the sense of technical competence, but also in their willingness to conduct fair, objective and ...
The Hill - 2d
Trump border czar knocks Pope Francis's criticism: 'Fix the Catholic Church'

"Border czar" Tom Homan, who oversees President Trump’s mass deportation program, shot back at Pope Francis after he chastised the administration’s approach to immigration enforcement. “I’ve got ...
The Hill - 2d
Pope criticizes Trump administration's immigration policies

Pope Francis criticized President Trump’s mass deportation plans in a letter urging compassion and the preservation of dignity for migrants in the U.S. The pope, in his letter, recognized “the ...
The Hill - 2d
Trump's proposed buyout plan for federal workers in limbo

A federal judge is weighing extending the pause on President Trump's "deferred resignations" for federal workers. Weijia Jiang is following the latest developments at the White House.
CBS News - 2d
Eric Adams Urges N.Y.C. Officials to Avoid Criticizing Trump Administration

In response to concerns about his cooperation with the Trump administration, Mayor Eric Adams on Monday told top aides that being confrontational could hurt New York City.
The New York Times - 2d
As Musk, Trump administration target CFPB, Democrats defend consumer watchdog

The agency is at a virtual standstill as Elon Musk's DOGE and the White House's Russell Vought take over.
ABC News - 2d
Judge extends freeze on Trump's plan to get millions of federal workers to resign

A federal judge in Boston on Monday continued his pause of the Trump administration's unprecedented plan to get millions of federal workers to resign until he responds "to the issues presented."
NBC News - 2d
Judge directs Trump administration to comply with order to unfreeze federal grants

A federal judge in Rhode Island on Monday ordered the Trump administration to comply with his order to unfreeze federal grants, after attorneys general for several Democratic states claimed the ...
The Hill - 2d
A Third Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order

The judge in New Hampshire said an injunction would be issued immediately, with an explanation of his reasoning to follow on Tuesday.
The New York Times - 3d
Third federal judge blocks Trump's birthright citizenship executive order

U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante agreed to grant a preliminary injunction sought by immigrant-rights groups.
CBS News - 3d
Trump ramps up NFL kickoff criticism after Super Bowl

President Trump ramped up his criticism of this season's new NFL kickoff rules in the wake of the Super Bowl late Sunday night. The NFL, to protect player safety, instituted new rules this year ...
The Hill - 3d
Federal Courts Are the Frontline for Those Opposing Trump Executive Orders

With a compliant Congress and mostly quiet streets, the president’s opponents are turning to the judicial branch with a flurry of legal actions. But can the courts keep up?
The New York Times - 3d
Trump’s acting chief of federal financial watchdog orders staff to pause activity

Russell Vought is now acting head of CFPB, created in wake of 2008 financial crash to supervise financial companies. Russell Vought, Donald Trump’s newly installed acting head of the US Consumer ...
The Guardian - 4d
Trump faces pushback as he works to reshape federal government

Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker joins Joe Fryer on Sunday TODAY to discuss the two dozen lawsuits against President Donald Trump that are aimed at slowing down his attempts to reshape the ...
NBC News - 4d
Scientists, researchers work to archive federal health data purged by Trump administration

Scientists, researchers and private health organizations scrambled to preserve as much federal public health data and guidelines as possible last week after news reached them that the Trump ...
The Hill - 4d
Musk Wields Scythe on Federal Work Force, With Trump’s Full Blessing

The president defended Elon Musk’s role in seeking to slash budgets and cut payrolls as the young aides burrowing into federal agencies came under scrutiny.
The New York Times - 5d
Trump says Musk will review "just about" every federal agency

In a press conference with the Japanese prime minister, President Trump indicated Elon Musk has wide latitude to review nearly every federal agency.
CBS News - 5d
Small Businesses and Contractors Also Get Hit by Trump’s Federal Funding Cuts

Reports suggest several thousand private sector jobs have been lost in the last two weeks, as federal funding freezes start having knock-on effects.
Inc. - 5d
Judge temporarily blocks Trump's federal employee buyout program

A federal judge in Boston has temporarily halted President Trump's federal employee buyout program proposal. NBC News' Aaron Gilchrist and Danny Cevallos reports on legal aspects surrounding the ...
NBC News - 6d
Trump promotes misleading claims about federal government’s media subscriptions

Federal government payments for subscriptions to media outlets have become the latest target of President Donald Trump's spending hawks
ABC News - 6d
Judge temporarily blocks Trump's federal government employee buyout

Just hours before the deadline for federal employees to accept the Trump administration's deferred resignation offer, a judge has temporarily blocked the buyout offer.
ABC News - 6d
Federal Employees Push Back on Trump’s Job Slashing Drive

Civil servants, officials, and outside groups are challenging Trump’s frenzied orders to slash federal agencies and headcounts, often denouncing them as illegal.
Inc. - 6d
Virginia Legislature Says It Will Study Trump’s Attack on Federal Jobs

The state has one of the highest numbers of residents employed by the federal government.
Inc. - Feb. 6