Today in one sentence: Trump signed an executive order to "eliminate" the Department of Education, calling it “the first step” toward getting rid of the department "once and for all"; a federal judge accused the Trump administration of failing to comply with his order to provide details on deportation flights of Venezuelan migrants; a federal judge temporarily blocked the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Social Security Administration systems containing personal data; Elon Musk donated the maximum legal amount to multiple Republican lawmakers supporting judicial impeachments; after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady, Trump lashed out and insisted that Chair Jerome Powell “would be MUCH better off CUTTING RATES” to help Trump's tariffs “ease” into the economy; and House Democrats and progressive groups are pressuring Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to step down after he helped pass the Republican-backed spending bill.

1/ Trump signed an executive order to “eliminate” the Department of Education, calling it “the first step” toward getting rid of the department “once and for all.” Existing law, however, prevents Trump from unilaterally closing a federal agency created by Congress. “We’re going to eliminate it, and everybody knows it’s right,” Trump said, surrounded by teachers, families, and kids seated at school desks behind him. “We have to get our children educated. We’re not doing well with the world of education in this country, and we haven’t for a long time.” The order directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon, who has already cut nearly half of the department’s workforce, closed regional offices, and eliminated teams within the agency, to take “all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States.” McMahon, however, acknowledged that “the department clearly can’t be shut down” without congressional approval, but said its “final mission is to close itself.” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted that “critical functions like Pell Grants and student loans will remain under the department,” yet the administration hasn’t explained how these programs would operate without the agency overseeing them. Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy vowed to “introduce legislation to eliminate the department as soon as possible” even though Republicans lack the votes needed to overcome a Senate filibuster. (New York Times / Washington Post / USA Today / Politico / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / CNBC / CNN / NBC News / ABC News)

  • 🧩 What’s at stake? The future of public education funding, civil rights protections, and student financial aid is uncertain. The Education Department distributes billions in federal funding, including Pell Grants for low-income students and special education support, while also enforcing civil rights laws in schools. Without federal oversight, disparities in education quality between states could grow, leaving millions of students with fewer resources. If you or your children rely on federal grants, loans, or protections, these changes could directly impact your financial and educational opportunities. Even if you don’t, a weaker federal role in education could lower national education standards, harming workforce competitiveness and economic mobility.

2/ A federal judge accused the Trump administration of failing to comply with his order to provide details on deportation flights of Venezuelan migrants, calling its response “woefully insufficient.” Judge James Boasberg had ordered the Justice Department to submit flight data, but that Trump officials “again evaded their obligations” by repeating previous information. The administration deported alleged gang members under the Alien Enemies Act, despite Boasberg’s temporary order halting removals. Lawyers for the deportees argued that many were wrongly labeled as gang members based on tattoos and social media posts with no clear gang affiliations. Trump, nevertheless, dismissed Boasberg as a “Radical Left Lunatic” and called for his impeachment. (New York Times / ABC News / Bloomberg / Slate / Reuters / CNN)

  • Trump administration lawyers claim an obscure 18th-century wartime law gives immigration agents the power to enter homes without warrants to detain suspected Venezuelan gang members. Legal experts, however, warn this interpretation ignores the Fourth Amendment’s protections against warrantless searches. The administration, nevertheless, has already deported over 100 Venezuelans under the law, sending them to a prison in El Salvador in a deal that costs U.S. taxpayers $20,000 per detainee annually. (New York Times)

3/ A federal judge temporarily blocked the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Social Security Administration systems containing personal data. Judge Ellen Hollander also ordered DOGE to delete any personally identifiable information it had already obtained and to remove installed software. The Trump administration claimed DOGE was investigating government waste and fraud, but Hollander called the effort a “fishing expedition” without clear justification. (Associated Press / CNN / Politico / New York Times / Axios / CNN)

4/ Elon Musk donated the maximum legal amount to multiple Republican lawmakers supporting judicial impeachments. The donations went to seven House Republicans and Senator Chuck Grassley – all have either endorsed or suggested removing judges who ruled against the Trump administration. One target is Judge James Boasberg, who blocked a Trump-ordered deportation, prompting Musk to call for his impeachment: “For more than two centuries, there has never been such extreme abuse of the legal system by activists pretending to be judges.” Trump echoed the sentiment, saying: “This judge […] should be IMPEACHED!!!” Meanwhile, Tesla’s stock dropped after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick urged Americans to “buy Tesla.” The decline comes amid protests against Musk’s political influence, with demonstrators gathering outside Tesla showrooms. Some incidents have escalated into vandalism, including Molotov cocktail attacks on dealerships. Attorney General Pam Bondi labeled the violence “domestic terrorism” and announced federal charges against three people, warning: “If you join this wave […] the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.” Musk, meanwhile, dismissed the protests, calling Tesla a “peaceful company” and, without evidence, claimed the attacks were part of a coordinated conspiracy against him. (New York Times / Axios / Salon / Business Insider / CNBC / Politico / USA Today / The Hill / The Verge)

  • Tesla is missing $1.4 billion. The company reported $6.3 billion in capital expenditures in the second half of 2024, but its balance sheet showed only $4.9 billion in asset growth. (Financial Times / Mashable / Electrek)

  • Tesla is recalling all 46,096 Cybertrucks because the stainless steel trim panel can detach while driving. This marks the Cybertruck’s eighth recall since 2023. (Carscoops / Axios / TechCrunch)

5/ After the Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady, Trump lashed out and insisted that Chair Jerome Powell “would be MUCH better off CUTTING RATES” to help Trump’s tariffs “ease” into the economy. Trump also called April 2 – when new tariffs are set to be announced – “Liberation Day in America!!!” Powell pushed back, warning that “tariffs are already playing a role in driving up inflation” and emphasizing that “uncertainty around the economic outlook has increased.” Despite Trump’s demands, markets expect the Fed to wait until June before cutting rates. (CNBC / ABC News / Washington Post / Bloomberg / CNN)

6/ House Democrats and progressive groups are pressuring Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to step down after he helped pass the Republican-backed spending bill. Rep. Glenn Ivey became the first Democrat to openly demand Schumer’s resignation, saying: “It may be time for Senate Democrats to pick new leadership.” Rep. Delia Ramirez also backed a leadership change, arguing that “Our constituents are asking us to be the kind of leaders that are going to truly hear them.”Despite growing pressure from Indivisible, the Sunrise Movement, and other progressive groups, Schumer has refused to step aside and insists his decision was necessary to prevent a government shutdown that would have empowered Trump. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, meanwhile, questioned Schumer’s strategy, saying: “I don’t give away anything for nothing.” (Axios / Politico / NPR / The Guardian / USA Today)

The midterm elections are in 593 days.

✏️ Notables.

  1. A federal judge blocked the deportation of Georgetown University researcher Badar Khan Suri, who was detained by immigration authorities despite having lawful status in the U.S. The Trump administration revoked Suri’s visa, alleging he spread “Hamas propaganda” and had ties to a senior Hamas adviser – an apparent reference to his wife’s family. Suri’s attorneys argue that his detention violates his constitutional rights and is part of a broader crackdown on activists critical of U.S. foreign policy on Israel. The arrest follows similar cases, including Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, detained over his pro-Palestinian activism. (Washington Post / CBS News / ABC News / Associated Press / NBC News)

  2. A French scientist was denied U.S. entry after border agents searched his phone and found messages critical of Trump’s policies. France’s research minister condemned the move, calling it a threat to academic freedom. (The Guardian / New York Times)

  3. The Pentagon removed or flagged over 24,000 articles from its websites following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s directive to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion content. The purge included articles on Holocaust remembrance, sexual assault awareness, suicide prevention, and historical military contributions by women and minority groups. Some pages, such as those about Jackie Robinson, the Navajo Code Talkers, and the Tuskegee Airmen, were later restored after backlash. (CNN / NPR / Axios / Rolling Stone)

  4. The Trump administration may use active-duty military personnel to hold migrants in a 60-foot buffer zone along the U.S.-Mexico border, effectively turning the area into a temporary military installation that allows the Pentagon to use defense funds for border enforcement. Legal experts warn it could violate the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits military involvement in law enforcement. (Washington Post)

  5. More than 200 Social Security numbers and other private information were exposed in Trump’s release of unredacted JFK assassination files. The documents included sensitive data of former congressional staffers who investigated intelligence abuses in the 1970s. Privacy experts said the disclosure likely violates the Privacy Act of 1974. (Washington Post / USA Today)

Two years ago today: Day 790: "A final warning."
Six years ago today: Day 790: Nuts.
Seven years ago today: Day 425: Shuffling the deck.
Eight years ago today: Day 60: Accusations.