An art deco design with the word "The Coup" in the middle.

February 25th – this is still a coup.

A new document undercuts Trump admin's denials about $400 million Tesla deal

The controversy started in a very Washington way: as a line item in a government spreadsheet buried on the State Department’s website.
By Bobby Allyn for WBEZ, 2-24-2025

Feels like we are entering an era where the hushed conversation in a lot of (all-white) media boardrooms is, in careful euphemism, “we’re not hiring black people in major roles anymore” www.nytimes.com/2025/02/23/b...

[image or embed]

— Adam Serwer (@adamserwer.bsky.social) February 24, 2025 at 10:06 AM

They Worked to Prevent Death. The Trump Administration Fired Them.

Public health teams are being gutted, imperiling efforts to safeguard organ donation and prevent maternal and infant death. Many workers expressed fear at what would happen to the work they left behind.
By Annie Waldman and Duaa Eldeib for the ProPublica, 2-22-2025

Leland Dudek, Social Security Administration acting commissioner, responded to Musk's email w/ 5 agency accomplishments—and proudly added 5 of his own. "This past week I have personally led SSA to terminate 14 employees & reassign other SSA probationary employees to focus on mission-critical work"

[image or embed]

— Marisa Kabas (@marisakabas.bsky.social) February 25, 2025 at 10:15 AM

DOGE Is Inside the National Institutes of Health’s Finance System

At least three people linked to Elon Musk’s DOGE task force have access to NIH systems that control budgets, procurement, and more, according to records and internal documents viewed by WIRED.
By Matt Reynolds for the ProPublica, 2-24-2025

Move fast and break people

For Elon Musk’s government, the psychological warfare is the point.
By Marisa Kabas for the Handbasket, 2-23-2025

REPORTER: Can you say unequivocally that down the line, there won't be cuts to Medicaid programs? MIKE JOHNSON: Medicaid is hugely problematic because it has a lot of fraud, waste, and abuse.

[image or embed]

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) February 25, 2025 at 9:58 AM

They Worked to Prevent Death. The Trump Administration Fired Them.

Public health teams are being gutted, imperiling efforts to safeguard organ donation and prevent maternal and infant death. Many workers expressed fear at what would happen to the work they left behind.
By Annie Waldman and Duaa Eldeib for the ProPublica, 2-22-2025