Weekly Weaponization Report

In week four of Trump’s presidency, the administration has kicked their weaponization tactics into full gear, focusing its efforts on dismantling federal agencies, conducting mass firings, illegally freezing funds approved by Congress, and bypassing judicial rulings. Meanwhile, Musk continues to capitalize on consolidating his influence within the Oval Office.

Trump, Musk and the Trump-Musk administration have made it evident that they are ready to continue weakening democratic checks and balances on executive power and force through their agenda, no matter the cost.

Here are some of the lowlights of the Trump Administration’s weaponization of government this week:

Trump Administration Continues Efforts To Dismantle Federal Agencies

Trump Issues Executive Order For Agency Officials To Plan ‘large-Scale’ Work Force Cuts

• • • New York Times: Trump Orders Plans For ‘Large Scale’ Work Force Cuts And Expands Musk’s Power

    • Wired: The GSA Plans To Sell Hundreds Of Its Federal Government Buildings

    • CNN: Scores Of Firings Have Begun At Federal Agencies

    • Associated Press: US Cyber Agency Puts Election Security Staffers Who Worked With The States On Leave

    • Rolling Stone: Trump Has A ‘List’ Of National Archives Staff To Fire As Revenge For Docs Scandal

    • Politico: Trump Administration Fires Thousands Of Federal Workers

Trump Effectively Shut Down All Operations At The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

• • Semafor: CFPB On Life Support As Senior Staff Exit

  • Wired: Dozens Of CFPB Workers Fired In After-Hours Blitz

  • New York Times: With Attack On Consumer Bureau, Musk Removes Obstacle To His ‘X Money’ Vision

  • Washington Post: The CFPB Took Aim At Big Tech. Then Elon Musk Moved To Dismantle It.

Trump Moves To Cancel Agency Contracts, Halting Lifesaving Aid And Research

• • • CBS: Almost $500 Million In Food Is At Risk Of Spoilage After USAID Pause, Report Says

    • The Bulwark: Trump Gutting Of USAID Moves On To Killing Its Contracts

    • New York Times: Lifesaving Aid Remains Halted Worldwide Despite Rubio’s Promise

    • Chalkbeat: Crucial Research Halted As DOGE Abruptly Terminates Education Department Contracts

Trump Administration Goes On A Firing Spree

Trump Fires Inspector Generals Without 30 Notice To Congress

• • • Washington Post: Ousted Federal Watchdogs Sue Trump, Saying They Were Fired Illegally

    • CNN: USAID IG Fired Day After Report Critical Of Impacts Of Trump Administration’s Dismantling Of The Agency

Trump Fires Career Federal Officials

• • • CNN: Trump Removes Top Government Ethics Czar

    • Bloomberg: Trump DOJ Forces Out Top Tax Enforcer In Civil Service Purge

    • ABC News: Trump Administration Removes Career DOJ Officials As Head Of National Security Division

    • Washington Post: Justice, FBI Ousters Remove Longtime Experts From Daily Threats Meeting

    • Washington Post: Top ICE Officials Reassigned Amid Strain To Meet Trump Deportation Goals

Trump Fires Government Ethics Office Director

• • • Politico: Trump Removes Government Ethics Office Director

Trump Attempted To Fire Head Of Whistleblower Agency

• • • Associated Press: Judge Orders Fired Head Of Whistleblower Agency Reinstated While Fight Continues Over Trump Removal

Trump Fires The Board Of Visitors For Each U.S. Military Academy

• • • Fox News: Trump Says He Ordered Firing Of Military Academies’ Board Of Visitors

Trump Administration Attacks The Legitimacy Of The Courts

• • Politico: Trump’s Clash With The Courts Escalates

  • Reuters: Trump, Allies Ramp Up Attacks On Judges As Musk Calls For Impeachments

  • NPR: As Judges Block Broad Actions, White House Says Courts Causing Constitutional Crisis

  • USA Today: Trump Bristles At The Courts As White House Pushes Executive Power

Trump Administration Attacks The Press

Trump Bars Associated Press

• • • Associated Press: White House Bars Ap Reporter From Oval Office Because Of AP Style Policy On ‘Gulf Of America’

    • New York Times: A.P. Accuses White House Of Violating First Amendment

    • New York Times: How Elon Musk And The Right Are Trying To Recast Reporting As ‘Doxxing’

    • Associated Press: White House Blocks AP Reporter From Trump-Modi News Conference Because of Gulf of Mexico Fight

Trump’s Federal Communications Commission Investigates Outlets With DEI Programs

• • • The Verge: FCC To Investigate Comcast For Having DEI Programs

Trump Administration Weaponizes The Department Of Justice

Trump’s DOJ Targets Political Enemies

• • • Associated Press: Attorney General Pam Bondi Rails Against New York Leaders As She Announces Immigration Lawsuit

    • Washington Post: The Many Foes Trump And Co. Have Targeted — And Friends They’ve Rewarded

Trump’s DOJ Drop Investigations Into Political Allies

• • • New York Post: Feds Drop Criminal Probe Into Whether WWE Boss Vince McMahon Covered Up Sexual Misconduct Allegations, His Lawyer Says

    • Huffpost: Trump DOJ Accused Of Deleting Evidence In Jan. 6 Court Cases

    • New York Times: Justice Dept. Tells Prosecutors To Drop Federal Corruption Case Against Eric Adams

Trump Administration Continues Business With Elon Musk, Head of the Department of Government Efficiency

• • Drop Site: “Armored Tesla” Forecast To Win $400 Million State Department Contract After Trump’s Election, Government Document Shows

  • Bloomberg: Plans To Buy ‘Armored Teslas’ Vanish From State Department Procurement List

  • Wall Street Journal: Musk’s X Agrees To Pay About $10 Million To Settle Trump Lawsuit

More Key Headlines: 

Associated Press: With Firings And Lax Enforcement, Trump Moving To Dismantle Government’s Public Integrity Guardrails

Washington Post: Trump And Musk Flex Their Power, Shrugging Off Checks And Balances

NBC News: 14 States File A Lawsuit Arguing Elon Musk’s Authority At DOGE Is Unconstitutional

PBS News: Elon Musk’s Influence In The White House Grows As Trump Hands Him More Power

CNN: Americans Voted For Trump. Did They Vote For This?

UNTIL NEXT WEEK…