President Donald Trump says he will respect the court’s decisions but is still forging ahead with another executive order shrinking the federal workforce. I abide by the courts and then I’ll have to appeal it. Reversing course after questioning the legality of the court system, President Trump, alongside Elon Musk, defended moves to extensively cut the federal government. The people voted for major government reform. And that’s what people are going to get. Musk brushing off concerns of unchecked power and transparency in the process. I fully expect to be scrutinized and get *** daily proctology exam. The president approving an order directing agencies hire no more than 1 employee for every 4 that leave, *** plan approved by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, along with *** monthly hiring report. Donald Trump is not free to bulldoze his way. Through the rule of law, lawmakers across Washington sounding the alarm over the lack of accountability while others defended the White House’s actions, taking legitimate executive action to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in all these federal programs. The White House is also limiting more oversight. President Donald Trump fired the Inspector General of USAID after they warned that it could lose track of some $8.2 billion in funds if the agency is shut down. In Washington, I’m Amy Lou.
President Trump pledges to respect court decisions, introduces new rules to reduce federal workforce
President Trump and Elon Musk appeared side-by-side at the White House Tuesday afternoon, defending a new executive order aimed at reducing the federal workforce, despite legal challenges and concerns over transparency.
Updated: 6:28 AM EST Feb 12, 2025
President Donald Trump announced a new executive order Tuesday to shrink the federal workforce, employing the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency to enact what he calls “workforce optimization.” The plan directs agencies to hire no more than one employee for every four that leave. Agencies must also get approval from DOGE in their employment process and create a monthly hiring report.Trump, appearing alongside Musk in Tuesday afternoon remarks at the White House, defended the order.”Some of the things that we found, which is shocking, were billions and billions of dollars in waste, fraud and abuse,” Trump said. “Nobody had any idea it was that bad, that sick and that corrupt. And, it seems hard to believe that judges want to try and stop us from looking for corruption.”Despite previously questioning the legality of the court system, Trump pledged to respect court rulings that could potentially block many of his latest executive actions.”I’ll always abide by the courts, and then I’ll have to appeal it,” he said.The recent actions have raised questions over Musk’s involvement, who joked about concerns of unchecked power and transparency in his process of cutting government waste.”The people voted for major government reform, and that’s what people are going to get,” Musk said. “I fully expect to be scrutinized and get a daily proctologist exam.”Lawmakers across Washington sounded the alarm over the White House’s lack of accountability while others defended its latest actions.”Donald Trump is not free to bulldoze his way through the rule of law,” Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said.”That’s what the American people demand and deserve,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, said. “They voted for a real analysis and a real change, a transformational kind of change in the way the federal government works, and the only people who take issue with it are these same congressional Democrats.”The White House limited even more federal oversight Tuesday, with Trump firing the USAID inspector general over a warning that the agency would lose track of $8.2 billion in funds if forced to shut down.At least seven lawmakers from various farm states are now pushing to move USAID’s “Food for Peace” program over to the Agriculture Department. The program will help address starving people around the world and create a market for American farmers who have a surplus of things like grain, according to the lawmakers.The Trump administration will be in court Wednesday, arguing against a lawsuit from USAID workers trying to stop the agency from being shut down.Meanwhile, an appeals court is keeping in place an order preventing the Trump administration from offering buyouts to most of the federal workforce. Of the more than two million given the offer, at least 65,000 have taken it.
WASHINGTON —President Donald Trump announced a new executive order Tuesday to shrink the federal workforce, employing the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency to enact what he calls “workforce optimization.”
The plan directs agencies to hire no more than one employee for every four that leave. Agencies must also get approval from DOGE in their employment process and create a monthly hiring report.
Trump, appearing alongside Musk in Tuesday afternoon remarks at the White House, defended the order.
“Some of the things that we found, which is shocking, were billions and billions of dollars in waste, fraud and abuse,” Trump said. “Nobody had any idea it was that bad, that sick and that corrupt. And, it seems hard to believe that judges want to try and stop us from looking for corruption.”
Despite previously questioning the legality of the court system, Trump pledged to respect court rulings that could potentially block many of his latest executive actions.
“I’ll always abide by the courts, and then I’ll have to appeal it,” he said.
The recent actions have raised questions over Musk’s involvement, who joked about concerns of unchecked power and transparency in his process of cutting government waste.
“The people voted for major government reform, and that’s what people are going to get,” Musk said. “I fully expect to be scrutinized and get a daily proctologist exam.”
Lawmakers across Washington sounded the alarm over the White House’s lack of accountability while others defended its latest actions.
“Donald Trump is not free to bulldoze his way through the rule of law,” Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said.
“That’s what the American people demand and deserve,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, said. “They voted for a real analysis and a real change, a transformational kind of change in the way the federal government works, and the only people who take issue with it are these same congressional Democrats.”
The White House limited even more federal oversight Tuesday, with Trump firing the USAID inspector general over a warning that the agency would lose track of $8.2 billion in funds if forced to shut down.
At least seven lawmakers from various farm states are now pushing to move USAID’s “Food for Peace” program over to the Agriculture Department. The program will help address starving people around the world and create a market for American farmers who have a surplus of things like grain, according to the lawmakers.
The Trump administration will be in court Wednesday, arguing against a lawsuit from USAID workers trying to stop the agency from being shut down.
Meanwhile, an appeals court is keeping in place an order preventing the Trump administration from offering buyouts to most of the federal workforce. Of the more than two million given the offer, at least 65,000 have taken it.
