President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape the federal government to his liking suffered a loss in court when a federal judge blocked his administration from firing the head of a federal watchdog agency without cause, likely triggering a lengthy appeal that could end at the Supreme Court.
U.S. District Justice Amy Berman Jackson determined the move was unlawful and issued a permanent injunction that reinstated special counsel Hampton Dellinger to his position.
Meanwhile, the Social Security Administration said it will cut 7,000 jobs and six of its 10 regional centers as part of the president’s downsizing of the federal workforce.
And Trump’s physician announced the president will have his annual physical next month, days after reporters raised questions about a bruise they saw on the back of his hand.
Elon Musk says federal workers will get 2nd chance to comply with OPM email
Despite President Donald Trump's administration informing federal agencies that responding to Elon Musk's "What did you do last week?" email is voluntary, Musk -- seemingly emboldened by Trump's public support -- is doubling down on his threats to federal workers.
CEO of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Feb. 20, 2025 in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Musk posted on X Monday night that federal employees will be "given another chance" to reply to an email asking for a recap of their week’s accomplishments, saying those who do not will be terminated.
Musk's latest post adds to the confusion over who workers should be listening to.
-ABC News' Will Steakin
Feb 24, 2025, 7:40 PM EST
VA dismisses more than 1,400 probationary employees
The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced the dismissal of more than 1,400 probationary employees in non-mission critical positions.
The VA said the move will save "more than $83 million per year, and VA will redirect all of those resources back toward health care, benefits and services for VA beneficiaries.
A sign marks the headquarters of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C., Feb. 20, 2025.
Brian Snyder/Reuters
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It follows the first round of dismissals announced on Feb. 13, in which more than 1,000 probationary employees were terminated.
-ABC News' Cindy Smith
Feb 24, 2025, 7:04 PM EST
Hegseth to visit Guantanamo Bay
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will travel to Guantanamo on Tuesday, where he’ll visit the detention facility and the migrant operations center.
There were 178 deported migrants at the facility until late last week when almost all of them were transported to their home country of Venezuela.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks to reporters about the collision of an American Airlines flight with a military Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport, at the White House, Jan. 30, 2025 in Washington.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
A new group of detainees, reportedly 17, arrived at Guantanamo Bay on Sunday.
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez
Feb 24, 2025, 6:44 PM EST
HHS advises caution in replying to OPM email
After a slew of emails from HHS management about how to handle the OPM request to detail their week from the past week, employees were informed Monday afternoon that responses are not mandatory, but if they do respond, they should do so cautiously and under the assumption that "what you write will be read by malign foreign actors" and to "tailor your response accordingly.”
The email, which suggests "guidelines" for employees to follow if they respond, says employees should keep their responses "at a high level of generality" and "protect sensitive data, personally identifiable information, and applicable privileges to the extent possible."
A view shows the logo of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), after probationary staff at the OPM were fired in a conference call and given less than an hour to leave the building, outside OPM in Washington, D.C., Feb. 13, 2025.
Tierney L. Cross/Reuters
"Do not (1) identify, by name or title, any other HHS employees with whom you have been working; (2) identify, by case name or otherwise, matters you are working on, or (3) identify any specific grants or contracts, or any specific grantees or contractors," the email directs employees.
HHS also suggested that employees don't include any information on scientific research or experiments, and avoid including the names of any drugs, devices or therapeutics that they work on.
HHS management was clear that there was no expectation that employees would respond and there would be no punishment for not responding.
Employees at HHS were first told that they should respond to OPM’s request, but then told six hours later to hold off on replying.
The email sent on Monday afternoon was the third sent to employees informing them how they should react to the email.
-ABC News’ John Brownstein, Youri Bendjaoud and Cheyenne Haslett
