White House
The state of play around the 2027 pay raise, or lack thereof
Thus far, neither chamber of Congress has put forth a plan that would override President Trump’s planned pay freeze for next year.
Watchdog puts new numbers on the size of DOGE, but many details remain unknown as agencies refuse to turn over information
In a new report, the Government Accountability Office said it was unable to verify if all Department of Government Efficiency employees completed mandatory activities intended to avoid conflicts of interest.
DOJ nominee faces confirmation hurdle over agency commitments
Todd Blanche’s confirmation faces a potential delay as senators seek written guarantees limiting Trump’s anti-weaponization fund and the scope of audit protections included in a Justice Department settlement agreement.
As presidents gain power, who keeps government accountable?
COMMENTARY | The Supreme Court's decision expanding presidential authority over independent agencies is about more than executive power, it also raises the stakes for congressional oversight, agency leadership and the federal workforce.
Updated
Trump appointees confirmed by the Senate are exiting their jobs in record numbers, report finds
The Partnership for Public Service also reported that the president is making a historically low number of nominations.
Secret Service is examining apparent Iranian video outlining Trump motorcade routes, assassination opportunities
The agency said it is looking into the Persian-language video, which uses polished, apparently AI-generated graphics to depict supposed motorcade routes in Florida and New York.
How a little-known Trump directive reshaped the government's counterterrorism approach
COMMENTARY | A presidential national security memorandum has become the framework for investigations and prosecutions that critics say raise new questions about executive power and civil liberties.
Trump stretches declassified China intelligence into broader 2020 election claims
The records provide new details about Chinese intelligence collection on voters and internal analytic debates, but do not undercut longstanding findings on the 2020 election.
CDC nominee faces questions over whether she can lead the agency independently
Dr. Erica Schwartz sought to reassure senators she would follow the science as lawmakers pressed her on vaccines, abortion data and disease surveillance.
Trump empties out election commission leadership just months before midterms
Career staff can continue day-to-day operations, but the leadership gap could affect decisions on voting technology, standards and federal election programs.
Trump says Pulte can declassify ‘whatever’ he wants, sparking fears of exposing intelligence secrets
“If he doesn’t care about blowing up cyber exploits, putting foreign relationships at risk, or getting people killed, he could declassify a lot,” one former official said.
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Inside the competing federal efforts behind America’s 250th anniversary plans
Federal and White House-led initiatives are rolling out overlapping programming for the semiquincentennial, including National Mall events, court open houses and nationwide commissions that will shape how the 250th anniversary is marked.
Slaughter and the expansion of presidential power
COMMENTARY | The Supreme Court’s latest ruling has dismantled a century of independence for federal regulators, and the ripples of this decision may just be the start of a much broader reshaping of the executive branch.
President can fire independent agency heads without cause, Supreme Court rules
Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a dissent that the decision “reshapes our government.”
Inside the Ford White House years that shaped Alan Greenspan’s idea of public service
Greenspan is remembered for defining an era at the Federal Reserve, but colleagues point to his earlier experience in the Ford administration as the moment he first learned what public service demands inside government, and how economic judgment shifts once it meets political reality.
Intelligence director hearing cancelled as Trump pushes for controversial voter bill
The development guarantees that Bill Pulte — whose selection to temporarily lead the office derailed a recent FISA vote — would start as acting national intelligence director on Friday.
White House cyber office hire triggers leadership changes inside infrastructure security agency
A senior CISA official’s move sets off a series of internal assignments as the agency prepares to expand hiring after a year of workforce reductions and restructuring.
Surveillance authority nears historic lapse as House deadlock meets intelligence leadership fight
Section 702 is set to expire for the first time after a failed House vote, even as a White House nomination aims to resolve a separate battle over who should oversee the intelligence community during the transition.
What makes an effective intelligence chief? A former DNI official points to the answer
COMMENTARY | As scrutiny grows around President Trump’s pick to lead the intelligence community, a former National Intelligence Council chair explains the less visible responsibilities that come with the job.
Trump memo pushes national security agencies to move faster on AI
The directive calls for deeper partnerships with AI companies while directing agencies to guard frontier models and the data centers that power them from foreign adversaries.
