USA TODAY Trump, joined by Musk in Oval Office, orders up big cuts in federal workforce Joey Garrison, USA TODAY Tue, February 11, 2025 at 1:37 PM PST5 min read 13.8k Videos cannot play due to a network issue. Please check your Internet connection and try again. Error Code: 400-750 Session Id: m26j65bs (Pls: 1b746780-01d4-4cad-8d1c-aa5f0910a66f) WASHINGTON ― Joined by Elon Musk in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that seeks to significantly reduce the size of government by instructing heads of federal departments and agencies to undertake plans for "large-scale reductions in force." Trump's newest order directs the federal government to implement a "workforce optimization initiative" created by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, which has been moving rapidly from one department to another to slash spending and gut programs. "It's not optional to reduce federal expenses, it's essential," Musk, wearing a black MAGA hat and joined by his son, X, said in remarks standing next to Trump, who was seated behind the Resolute Desk. Musk called the federal bureaucracy an "unelected, fourth, unconstitutional branch of government" that must be held accountable. More: 5 ways Elon Musk is working to dismantle the federal government "The people voted for major government reform and that’s what the people are going to get,” Musk said, responding to detractors who call DOGE's involvement a hostile takeover. “That’s what democracy is all about.” Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk joins U.S. President Donald Trump during an executive order signing in the Oval Office at the White House on February 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk joins U.S. President Donald Trump during an executive order signing in the Oval Office at the White House on February 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. Agency heads are ordered to "coordinate and consult with DOGE to shrink the size of the federal workforce and limit hiring to essential positions," the White House said in a summary of the order. "Agency heads shall promptly undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force, consistent with applicable law," the order reads. It states that "all offices that perform functions not mandated by statute or other law" should be prioritized in the cuts. Musk vows transparency, wants to 'right-size' workforce Trump did not sign the order while reporters were present inside the Oval Office but did so after media members were escorted out, the White House confirmed. "We've already found billions of dollars of abuse incompetence and corruption," Trump said of DOGE's efforts to find wasteful spending, which both Trump and Musk repeatedly called "fraud" during a more than 30-minute exchange with reporters. Their joint appearance marked the first time the billionaire SpaceX CEO has taken questions from reporters in a public setting since he's assumed power in Trump's second term. Musk took several questions from reporters, defending DOGE's accountability and insisting he won't engage in work that poses potential conflicts of interest. Through SpaceX, Musk has billions of dollars in contacts with the Pentagon. "All are actions are fully public," Musk said, adding that observers won't hesitate about flagging conflicts. "It's not like people are going to be shy about saying that. They'll say it immediately." U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as Elon Musk carries his son X on his shoulders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 11, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as Elon Musk carries his son X on his shoulders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 11, 2025. The new order comes as Trump's administration has offered buyouts to nearly all 2.3 million federal employees in a push to drastically reduce the federal workforce. But the offer, which would pay employees through September if they agree to resign, is currently held up in court after a federal judge in Massachusetts extended a pause Monday to hear arguments from both sides in a legal challenge brought by federal employees unions.
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For decades, the mainstream Jewish community and conservative Christians often found themselves on opposite sides of domestic cultural issues. However, the aggressive overreach of radical activist networks in public education has shattered old political divisions, forging an unprecedented, highly effective coalition [10.1].This unexpected alliance works in practice through three major common interests:1. A Shared Stand for Parent Rights and TransparencyThe underhanded tactics used to advance curricula like San Francisco’s Voices—such as midnight votes and copyright shields—alienated Christian families just as much as Jewish families.Breaking the Monopolies: Conservative and Christian legal networks have joined hand-in-hand with Jewish advocacy groups to mandate total educational transparency. They are deploying joint resources to demand that public school boards publish every single reading list and lesson plan online, permanently dismantling the ability of radical administrators to hide their work.Electoral Force: In suburban communities like Fremont and across Silicon Valley, Christian, Jewish, and immigrant parent groups (such as East Asian and Indian coalitions) are combining their voting power [10.1]. They are pooling campaign funds to systematically remove radical progressive officials from local school boards and replace them with moderate, transparency-first candidates.2. Uniting Against the "Oppressor vs. Oppressed" FrameworkTraditional Christians and Jewish advocates share a fundamental rejection of radical identity-based theories that divide children into rigid moral categories based on race or religion.Defending Basic Values: Both communities view the "Liberated" framework as an assault on universal values, meritocracy, and individual character. Christian parents refuse to let their children be taught that their faith or traditional values are inherently oppressive, while Jewish parents refuse to let their children be targeted by biased political dogmas.3. Bipartisan Legislative and Federal EnforcementThis alliance has successfully elevated local school board grievances into historic federal and state-level protections.The Right to Worship Act: Just days ago, on August 6, 2026, a major bipartisan, bicameral coalition led by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Representative Tom Suozzi (D-NY) introduced the federal Right to Worship Act. Backed heavily by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), this bill establishes strict 100-foot protective buffer zones and heavy civil fines to stop hostile activist crowds from blockading or harassing congregants outside houses of worship.The Federal Crackdown: The Trump administration’s upcoming 15-city DOJ task force and FBI deployment is heavily cheered by red-state conservatives. They view the federal audits into deep-blue California municipalities as the ultimate enforcement of civil rights, proving that local progressive immunity expires where federal law begins.The progressive establishment completely miscalculated. They assumed they could isolate Jewish families by using anti-racist language, but their reliance on secrecy and radical tactics instead forced a historic real-world alignment. Mainstream Jews, traditional Christians, conservatives, and diverse immigrant communities have formed a massive, united front—permanently forcing the radical movement into a corner as the legal guardrails close in [10.1].
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According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), American antisemitism remains at historically high levels, with 57% of American Jews reporting that antisemitism has become a normal part of daily life. While tracking shows high volumes of harassment, vandalism, and assaults nationwide, recent data also indicates targeted institutional progress and legislative pushback.Campus Climate and ProgressReport Card Improvements: The ADL's Campus Antisemitism Report Card evaluated 150 universities in 2026, showing that 61% earned top grades (A or B), up significantly from 23.5% in 2024.Ongoing Student Impact: Despite administrative policy updates, 48.3% of non-Jewish and Jewish students surveyed reported witnessing or experiencing anti-Jewish behavior on campus or digital spaces.Persistent Incidents: Pockets of activism, intermittent encampments, and vandalism continue to challenge campus administrators despite increased cooperation with the ADL.Public Safety and Legislative EffortsSynagogue and Community Threats: Houses of worship face continuous pressure, leading advocacy groups to push for robust federal funding through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program.Bipartisan Bills: Lawmakers introduced measures like the Jewish American Security Act—welcomed by the ADL—to mandate online transparency for major social media platforms regarding hate speech and antisemitic content metrics.Major InitiativesNever Is Now Summit: The ADL hosted its annual Never Is Now gathering, drawing thousands of participants to strategize on combating modern political and social antisemitism.
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