In 2016, when Trump made racist comments that Judge Gonzalo Curiel couldn’t do his job because of his Mexican heritage, then Speaker Paul Ryan called it “the textbook definition of a racist comment”

GOP today when President Trump posts racist AI video of a sombrero on Hakeem Jeffries

Trump can send the National Guard any place he wants, say retired military

“It’s absolutely legal…that’s the thing that’s very disturbing, a reasonable president has never done this,” said Randy Manner, former acting vice chief of NGB. “It doesn’t make it right. It makes it legal”

Recreation of 3/13 Energy Dept memo below. DOE said fired probationary workers will be returned to previous position but put on administrative leave status. This memo was sent internally at DOE but as of last night a number of the fired DOE workers had not directly received any notice

Fired Air Force vet who voted for Trump told me: "Here's your wake-up call: You're destroying people's lives, you're destroying veterans' lives. A lot of these people are probably your supporters... It needs to be rectified, or you're going to lose the country."

Air Force vet said he was "treated like a criminal" when terminated, locked out of computer. Couldn't access records showing "this is a lie"
VA Sec Collins suggested this vet's boss probably didn't want to file exemption
Vet said: HR/leadership doesn't know what to do…

Jeremy Cope, Marine vet: "And so to the administration who says there's no effect on veteran care, I say you are absolutely wrong and come here and I will show you."

Jeremy on impact on care at his NY domiciliary unit for vets being treated for mental illness, substance use:

Per USAID Nick Enrich's memo: Feb 26, when 5,000+ USAID contracts were terminated globally, he "immediately" notified leadership “of the grave impacts on lifesaving activities related to malaria, tuberculosis, & Ebola." USAID acting cos Joel Borkert admitted some “may have been sent out in error”

Feb 18, Enrich to Trump political appointee Mark Lloyd: USAID should use existing agreement w/WHO to access "critical stockpile of PPE & lab supplies to support Uganda Ebola outbreak response." Pete Marocco said no, "threatening" jobs of GH staff if didn't find another option

Per USAID Nick Enrich's memo: On Feb. 11, DOGE advisor Jeremy Lewin emailed Enrich "warning him to stop reviewing" already terminated contracts even if they qualified under Secretary of State Rubio's waiver. DOGE's Lewin said: delaying termination notices "is unacceptable”

Enrich details Elon Musk's DOGE team's involvement, saying on Feb. 7, agency leaders were told funds couldn't be accessed for contractors bc "financial systems (GLAAS and Phoenix) had been completely turned off by DOGE" creating "a critical impediment" to implement the waiver"

Jan 29, USAID's Global Health requested waiver to respond to Uganda Ebola outbreak: "Despite receiving approval to conduct these Ebola response activities approx 1 month ago, the implementing partners were never able to draw down funds for these life-saving activities” & still no funds as of Feb 28

USAID’s Nick Enrich before being put on leave: “All or nearly all of the awards needed to implement lifesaving humanitarian assistance were terminated on or before Feb 27th… The number of deaths attributable to the loss of USAID funding and support is not known at this time”

NEW: Nick Enrich, acting asst admin for USAID Global Health, was just placed on administrative admin leave by Trump admin. It comes after he shared a memo with USAID staff, including those on leave/fired saying it’s been impossible to implement Rubio’s waivers for lifesaving aid

As Elon Musk led firings of thousands, called USAID "criminal," cut U.S. farmer contracts supplying grain to drought-stricken areas, the State Dept had planned to buy a $650K “suspended sculpture” for Brasília's embassy, 3 ceiling sculptures for $550K to Riyadh.. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

Source says there is a crew that now appears to be in place to take down name of USAID from the face of the building at entrance to agency. Crew paused when they saw people taking a photo. You can see a bucket crane in photo…

USAID name is being covered with what looks like black duct tape on sign outside of the Ronald Reagan Building, per photo shared by source

USAID staff received an email overnight telling them that USAID HQ is closed and are told to work remotely today.

Comes as staff fear that the agency is about to be dismantled. Musk said last night Trump agreed it should be "shut down"