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.
Judge blocks DOE, OPM from sharing sensitive records with DOGE
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing sensitive personnel records maintained by the Office of Personnel Management and the Department of Education.
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
U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman issued a temporary restraining order Monday morning that prohibits both the DOE and OPM from sharing the personally identifiable information of some federal employees with DOGE, as Elon Musk’s budget-slashing group attempts to begin identifying government employees based on their productivity.
-- ABC News' Peter Charalambous
Feb 24, 2025, 8:31 AM EST
France's Macron arrives at White House
President Donald Trump is hosting French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House on Monday.
French President Emmanuel Macron waves to the press as he arrives at the White House in Washington, DC, on Feb. 24, 2025.
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
They will start the day with a call with G7 leaders before a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office. The two are scheduled to hold a press conference in the East Room at 2 p.m. ET.
Macron's visit falls on the three-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Macron said last week France and its partners want a "lasting and solid peace in Ukraine" after an emergency meeting of European officials in Paris as the U.S. held talks with Russia in Saudi Arabia.
French President Emmanuel Macron arrives at the White House to participate in a G7 leader summit call in Washington, DC, Feb. 24, 2025.
Brian Snyder/Reuters
Feb 24, 2025, 8:13 AM EST
Who is calling the shots: Elon Musk or federal agencies?
Federal workers who aren't closely tracking Elon Musk on social media may be completely unaware there's an ultimatum on the table.
While the administration did ask federal employees to list their accomplishments -- the email did not state that those who failed to respond by the deadline would be fired.
That threat only comes from Musk on social media.
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
And he doubled down on Monday morning, writing: "Those who do not take this email seriously will soon be furthering their career elsewhere."
It raises the question: who is really calling the shots here? Elon Musk or the federal agencies telling their employees not to respond?
Are federal employees supposed to track Elon Musk on the social media platform he owns for guidance?
That's no easy task. For context, Musk posted more than 150 times on X this weekend alone.
Musk Monday morning is continuing to act as if he does have authority over the federal workforce, threatening employees with administrative leave if they do not return to work this week.
"Those who ignored President Trump's executive order to return to work have now received over a month's warning," Musk wrote this morning on X. "Starting this week, those who still fail to return to office will be placed on administrative leave."
Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown, the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, posted a farewell message saying it had been his "distinct honor" to serve as a member of the military body that advises the president.
"As Chairman, I focused on Warfighting, Modernization, and Trust," Brown said in a post on LinkedIn. "The Joint Force's commitment to our security has never been more critical. I'm confident you will continue to stand resolute in defense of our Nation."
Then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown Jr. listens to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Feb. 5, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
President Donald Trump fired on Friday Brown and Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navy's top admiral, marking the first time that two members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff had been dismissed from their senior military roles.
