The National Science Foundation (NSF) has terminated the employment of 170 staff members following President Donald Trump's directive to reduce the federal workforce. This decision aligns with the Trump administration's broader agenda to streamline government operations. In an unrelated move, the administration also barred a news outlet for referring to the Gulf of Mexico by its original name after President Trump renamed it the "Gulf of America."
Meanwhile, President Trump has pledged that significant "major economic development transactions with Russia" are on the horizon. This announcement comes amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and complex international relations. In the private sector, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, issued an ultimatum to government workers to submit a list of their recent accomplishments or face job termination. However, the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) later clarified that responding to Musk's email was not mandatory.
A federal judge intervened to block the government downsizing team from accessing sensitive data maintained by the US education department and the OPM. The same judge also halted an executive order that would have transferred three incarcerated trans women into men's facilities, highlighting ongoing judicial checks on executive actions.
In a separate humanitarian crisis, one of Europe's largest organizations, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), announced it would suspend "lifesaving" US-funded aid in 21 countries due to funding shortfalls. The NRC had $20 million in outstanding requests to the United States, which have already been spent on nations grappling with wars, disasters, and displacement. Despite previous assurances from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding waivers for humanitarian programs, the NRC confirmed it had not received either funding or communication about when funds would be transferred.
Additionally, a federal judge denied a request by the Associated Press to regain full access to presidential events for its journalists. This decision underscores the contentious relationship between the Trump administration and certain media outlets.
The Trump administration also suspended funding to the World Health Organization (WHO), freezing $46 million earmarked for its operations in Gaza. This move has provoked concern about the potential impact on health initiatives in the region.
Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and other ex-US national security officials have raised alarms about China's advancements in critical technology fields. They urged Congress to authorize at least $16 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF) in fiscal year 2025 to ensure the United States remains competitive. The ex-officials warned:
“China is making significant strategic investments in basic and applied research and positioning the country to outpace us in critical areas that could determine the outcome of future conflicts.”
They further emphasized:
“This is a race that we cannot afford to lose.”
In another development, Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Russian government, hinted at potential cooperation on rare earth metals between Russia and the United States. He stated:
“When there comes, let’s say, a moment of political will, we will be open to this (cooperation on rare earth metals).”
Peskov added:
“The Americans need rare earth metals. We have a lot of them. We have our own plans to develop strategic resources, but there are quite broad prospects for cooperation here.”
In domestic affairs, Michael Fanone criticized President Trump's pardoning decisions, implying they send a dangerous message:
“He pardoned them because he wants people to know that if you commit crimes on his behalf, he’s got your back.”
Fanone further noted:
“They are operating under the assumption that, if they commit violent criminal acts on Donald Trump’s behalf, that he will pardon them for future violence.”