Federal Policy
Federal employees were requested to submit bullet points of their weekly accomplishments, with responses potentially being analyzed by AI to determine job necessity. The directive, initiated by Elon Musk, faced significant pushback from various agencies and unions, while receiving praise from President Trump. Multiple government departments instructed their employees not to respond, citing security and confidentiality concerns.
An executive order mandates increased presidential oversight of independent regulatory agencies, requiring them to submit significant regulatory actions to OIRA for review. The order establishes new accountability measures and reporting structures between independent agencies and the Executive Office of the President, aiming to strengthen presidential control over the executive branch.
Elon Musk's team, known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has been granted authority by President Trump to overhaul federal agencies, with employees from Musk's companies and young recruits taking control of computer systems and personnel matters. The initiative has already caused significant disruption to federal programs, with team members gaining access to sensitive systems across multiple agencies while some attempt to keep their roles private.
DOGE employees have been ordered to stop using Slack while the agency transitions from the Office of Management and Budget to the Executive Office of the President, potentially limiting public access to records under FOIA. The move raises concerns among government experts about transparency and accountability, as records would only become accessible years after a president leaves office under the Presidential Records Act.
A severe air traffic controller shortage in the US has led to overworked staff and system-wide strain, with current staffing at 10,800 controllers filling 14,600 needed positions. Despite increased hiring efforts, challenges including high washout rates and stressful working conditions make it difficult to close the gap, potentially requiring 8-9 years to reach full staffing levels.