Today in one sentence: Trump claimed that “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law”; Trump signed an executive order expanding his authority over independent federal agencies; Trump asked the Supreme Court to overturn a lower court ruling that temporarily blocked his ability to fire the head of the Office of Special Counsel; Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency is seeking access to the IRS’s Integrated Data Retrieval System, which contains sensitive taxpayer records; a federal judge denied a request to temporarily block Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing federal data and making personnel decisions at multiple agencies; the Trump administration fired FDA staff overseeing food safety, medical devices, and tobacco products; the Trump administration fired hundreds of nuclear safety workers but later reversed course, struggling to reach them due to lost email access; the Trump administration fired 20 immigration judges; the Trump administration fired hundreds of FAA employees; Trump endorsed a House Republican budget plan proposing $4.5 trillion in tax cuts alongside $2 trillion in spending cuts and a $4 trillion debt ceiling increase; Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency claimed to have saved $55 billion by canceling government contracts, but an $8 billion savings claim turned out to be a clerical error on an $8 million contract; Trump admitted inflation is rising but blamed Biden’s “reckless spending”; Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” after the Ukrainian leader accused him of spreading Russian disinformation; and 44% of Americans approve of the job Trump is doing as president – down from 47% on Inauguration Day.

1/ Trump claimed that “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law,” signaling his belief that his actions in office are justified regardless of legal constraints. The quote, often attributed to Napoleon, drew swift criticism, with Sen. Adam Schiff calling it “spoken like a true dictator” and Rep. Ritchie Torres warning that “the US Constitution trumps the policy preferences of President Trump.” Trump, meanwhile, doubled down and reposted an image of Napoleon with the same phrase. The Trump administration has also used last year’s Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity to claim “unrestricted power” over executive branch decisions, including mass firings and dismantling federal agencies. While federal judges have blocked several of Trump’s executive orders, some Republican lawmakers urged Trump to respect judicial rulings, fearing that ignoring them would undermine the rule of law, destabilize the government, and trigger a constitutional crisis. (New York Times / Reuters / CNN / The Guardian / The Hill / New Republic)

2/ Trump signed an executive order expanding his authority over independent federal agencies, requiring them to submit regulations for White House review and align with presidential policies. The order affects agencies like the Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Federal Communications Commission, though it exempts the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy. It also bars agencies from taking legal positions that contradict the president or attorney general, saying “Officials who wield vast executive power must be supervised and controlled by the people’s elected President.” Trump’s move aligns with the “unitary executive theory,” which argues the president should have full control over the executive branch. The order is expected to face legal challenges over the limits of presidential power. (Politico / Washington Post / New York Times / NPR / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Axios)

3/ Trump asked the Supreme Court to overturn a lower court ruling that temporarily blocked his ability to fire the head of the Office of Special Counsel. Hampton Dellinger, appointed to a five-year term by Biden, sued after Trump fired him without cause, citing a law that protects independent agency leaders from arbitrary dismissal. The administration argued that Congress cannot limit the president’s power to fire executive officials and cited past Supreme Court rulings that expanded presidential authority. A federal judge initially sided with Dellinger, and an appeals court refused to overturn the decision. The Office of Special Counsel is an independent agency that investigates whistleblower complaints, enforces protections against retaliation, and ensures compliance with ethics laws. It serves as a key watchdog on the executive branch, holding federal officials accountable for misconduct and safeguarding the integrity of government operations. The case is seen as an early test of the court’s willingness to back Trump’s efforts to consolidate executive power. (Washington Post / New York Times / The Hill / Bloomberg)

4/ Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency is seeking access to the IRS’s Integrated Data Retrieval System, which contains sensitive taxpayer records. A DOGE employee, Gavin Kliger, has been assigned to the IRS and is expected to be granted broad access. The White House argued that “It takes direct access to the system to identify and fix [waste, fraud, and abuse].” A lawsuit filed by watchdog groups and unions seeks to block DOGE from obtaining taxpayer data, citing legal protections established after Watergate. IRS officials have also expressed concerns about the unprecedented nature of this request and the potential risks to taxpayer privacy. (New York Times / NBC News / Washington Post / NPR)

  • A GSA worker resigned after Musk ally Thomas Shedd demanded full access to Notify.gov. The system allows the government to send mass text messages and contains sensitive personal data, including phone numbers and Medicaid enrollment information. (404 Media)

  • Social Security’s acting chief resigned after Musk’s DOGE team sought access to sensitive agency data. (Washington Post)

5/ A federal judge denied a request to temporarily block Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing federal data and making personnel decisions at multiple agencies. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled that Democratic state attorneys general hadn’t demonstrated imminent harm but acknowledged that their case raised “serious implications” about Musk’s role. The states argue that Musk’s involvement violates the Constitution’s Appointments Clause, which requires Senate confirmation for officials exercising significant authority. The White House, however, insists Musk is only an adviser without decision-making power. (Bloomberg / CNN / NBC News / Axios / The Guardian / CBS News)

6/ The Trump administration fired FDA staff overseeing food safety, medical devices, and tobacco products. The firings, affecting 5,200 workers and 89 FDA staffers, prompted the resignation of food division chief Jim Jones, who called the cuts “indiscriminate” and warned they would weaken public health protections. (The Guardian / Politico / Bloomberg / NBC News / Axios / NPR / New York Times)

  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture mistakenly fired several key employees working on the government’s bird flu response and is now trying to rehire them. The layoffs have raised concerns among lawmakers as bird flu spreads, affecting 23 million birds and driving up egg prices. (NBC News / Axios / Wall Street Journal)

  • Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched a commission to probe chronic diseases, including childhood vaccines and psychiatric drugs, which he said have been “formerly taboo or insufficiently scrutinized.” He added, “Nothing is going to be off limits.” (New York Times)

  • RFK Jr. proposed “wellness farms” where people with mental health conditions would perform unpaid labor while being denied prescription drugs and outside contact. He claimed this process would “reparent” them, framing mental health issues as a personal failure rather than a medical condition. (Salon)

  • Louisiana will no longer promote mass vaccination, instead telling residents to consult their doctor. (CNN)

7/ The Trump administration fired hundreds of nuclear safety workers but later reversed course, struggling to reach them due to lost email access. The Energy Department paused the cuts amid national security concerns, as the workers maintain the U.S. nuclear arsenal. (NBC News / Bloomberg / ABC News)

poll/ 44% of Americans approve of the job Trump is doing as president – down from 47% on Inauguration Day. (Reuters)

The midterm elections are in 622 days.

✏️ Notables.

  1. The Trump administration fired 20 immigration judges. The firings come as immigration courts face a 3.7 million case backlog. (Politico / The Guardian)

  2. Trump ordered the Justice Department to fire all remaining U.S. attorneys appointed under Biden, calling the department “politicized like never before.” (Reuters)

  3. A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to lift its freeze on foreign aid funding, ruling that the abrupt halt was “arbitrary and capricious.” The decision blocks Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials from canceling contracts awarded before Trump’s inauguration. (Bloomberg / NBC News / Associated Press / Politico)

  4. Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” after the Ukrainian leader accused him of spreading Russian disinformation. The exchange followed U.S.-Russia negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, which excluded Ukraine. Trump falsely claimed Ukraine “should have never started” the war and insisted, “You could have made a deal.” Zelensky rejected Trump’s statements, saying, “Trump lives in this disinformation space.” The Ukrainian president also accused the U.S. administration of helping Putin escape international isolation. Putin, meanwhile, praised the talks and Trump’s approach, calling U.S. negotiators “open to the negotiation process without bias.” (NBC News / Politico / Axios / The Guardian / The Hill / Associated Press / USA today / CNN / Washington Post / New York Times / NBC News / Axios / Politico)

  5. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rebuked JD Vance for endorsing the far-right AfD, which has been accused of downplaying Nazi crimes. Vance argued that Germany’s speech restrictions and refusal to work with nationalist parties stifled democracy, likening them to Soviet-era censorship. Elon Musk also backed the AfD, claiming Germany focuses “too much on past guilt,” while Vance urged European leaders to embrace populist movements and restrict migration. (New York Times / Wall Street Journal)

  6. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s team invited far-right activist Jack Posobiec on an overseas trip. Posobiec, a former Navy intelligence officer known for promoting conspiracy theories, has publicly supported Hegseth’s work in Brussels and expressed backing for Trump’s approach to Ukraine. (Washington Post)

  7. A Utah bill banning pride flags in schools and government buildings advanced in the state legislature, while allowing Nazi and Confederate flags for educational purposes. Republican Rep. Trevor Lee said schools shouldn’t push “political beliefs.” (Salt Lake Tribune)

  8. The Trump administration fired hundreds of FAA employees, including workers responsible for maintaining air traffic control infrastructure, weeks after a deadly midair collision over Washington, D.C. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy claimed that “zero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go,” but the FAA hasn’t clarified whether radar, landing, and navigational aid workers were considered essential. A union representing FAA workers called the decision “dangerous” and “unconscionable” in light of recent air disasters. Meanwhile, a team from Elon Musk’s SpaceX is visiting the FAA’s Air Traffic Control Command Center to assess and modernize the system. Critics warn of a conflict of interest, as Musk’s companies rely on FAA oversight. (NBC News / CNN / Associated Press / The Verge / Axios)

  9. Frustrated by Boeing’s delays in delivering new Air Force One jets, Trump enlisted Elon Musk to explore ways to speed up production, including lowering security clearance requirements for workers. The administration has also considered purchasing and retrofitting a luxury jet, such as one recently used by the Qatari royal family. Boeing, already three years behind schedule, has warned that the project may not be completed before the end of Trump’s second term. Musk has pushed for at least one plane to be ready within a year, though Pentagon officials view this timeline as unrealistic and a potential security risk. (New York Times)

  10. Steve Bannon called Elon Musk a “parasitic illegal immigrant,” accusing him of imposing “freak experiments” on the U.S. government. Bannon argued that Trump is using Musk as an “armor-piercing shell” for his efforts to dismantle the federal bureaucracy. (New York Times / The Hill / New Republic)

  11. The Trump administration moved to revoke federal approval for New York City’s congestion pricing program, which charges most drivers $9 to enter Manhattan’s busiest areas. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the program a “slap in the face” to working-class Americans, while Trump celebrated its demise, declaring, “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD.” New York Governor Kathy Hochul and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority immediately filed lawsuits, arguing the federal government lacks authority to stop the program. (Associated Press / Politico / Washington Post / New York Times)

  12. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is stepping down, asking the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors to find his replacement. DeJoy, a Trump-appointee, led USPS through the pandemic and launched a controversial 10-year cost-cutting plan that faced criticism for mail delays and financial struggles. His tenure saw tensions with Congress over election mail, service reductions, and a net loss of $9.5 billion in 2024 despite efforts to modernize the agency. (Politico / Wall Street Journal / The Hill)

  13. Trump endorsed a House Republican budget plan proposing $4.5 trillion in tax cuts alongside $2 trillion in spending cuts and a $4 trillion debt ceiling increase. His support complicates Senate Republicans’ efforts to pass a separate budget focused on immigration and defense funding, delaying immediate border enforcement funds. House Speaker Mike Johnson praised Trump’s endorsement, arguing that Republicans should pass “ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL” instead of a piecemeal approach. The House plan, which extends Trump-era tax cuts and eliminates taxes on tips and Social Security benefits, faces opposition over deep spending cuts, particularly to Medicaid. (Politico / New York Times / Bloomberg)

  14. Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency claimed to have saved $55 billion by canceling government contracts, but an $8 billion savings claim turned out to be a clerical error on an $8 million contract. A review found that two-thirds of DOGE’s reported savings came from inflated estimates of indefinite delivery contracts, where the government was unlikely to spend the full ceiling amount. The ICE contract in question, which funded diversity and inclusion services, had only spent $2.5 million before its termination under a Trump executive order. DOGE quietly corrected the $8 billion figure to $8 million but maintained its overall $55 billion savings claim. (CNN / NBC News / New York Times / Bloomberg)

  15. Federal Reserve officials signaled no rush for interest rate cuts, citing ongoing inflation concerns and economic uncertainty. The minutes from the January policy meeting showed broad agreement to hold rates steady at 4.3%, following three consecutive cuts in late 2024. Policymakers pointed to trade and immigration policy changes – like Trump’s new tariffs and border restrictions – as potential inflation risks. While inflation remains above the Fed’s 2% target, officials noted that economic conditions, including strong consumer demand and a stable job market, don’t warrant immediate rate reductions. Investors now expect the Fed to keep rates unchanged through mid-2025, with potential cuts later in the year. (Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal)

  16. Trump admitted inflation is rising but blamed Biden’s “reckless spending,” calling them the “greatest scam in history.” Prices jumped 3% in January, driven by fuel and eggs. (CNN / The Hill)

Four years ago today: Day 31: "We have a lot to do."
Five years ago today: Day 1126: Cleaning house.
Six years ago today: Day 761: Grenades.
Seven years ago today: Day 396: Incontrovertible.
Eight years ago today: Day 31: Last night in Sweden.