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Trump 2nd term live updates: Dan Bongino named as deputy FBI director

He hosts the popular right-wing and pro-Trump podcast "The Dan Bongino Show."

Last Updated: February 23, 2025, 5:03 PM EST

President Donald Trump's administration is continuing its radical effort to cut much of the federal government and crackdown on immigration -- and is being met with dozens of legal challenges.

On the foreign policy front, Trump's press secretary said the White House believes it can reach a deal to end the war in Ukraine this week even as Trump attacks Ukraine's president and blames it for starting the war, which even some in his own party are calling him out over.

Meanwhile, heads of federal government agencies were telling employees not to reply to an email from Elon Musk, Trump's ally who he picked to cut government waste, which asked for them to list their accomplishments for the week or face termination.

Feb 23, 2025, 5:02 PM EST

Murkowski to Musk: Treat federal workers with ‘dignity and respect’

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, offered a stark response to Elon Musk for demanding federal workers justify their jobs before midnight on Monday, writing on social media that Musk should learn about each department and agency before making cuts.

"If Elon Musk truly wants to understand what federal workers accomplished over the past week, he should get to know each department and agency, and learn about the jobs he's trying to cut," Murkowski wrote.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski heads to the Senate Chamber to vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, Jan. 22, 2025 in Washington.
Allison Dinner/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

"Our public servants work hard to ensure that our national security is protected; that planes land safely; that forest fires do not spread to our homes; that Social Security checks arrive on time; that research for the breakthroughs needed to cure diseases like cancer and ALS continues; and much more," she continued. "Our public workforce deserves to be treated with dignity and respect for the unheralded jobs they perform.

Murkowski's comments echo other Republicans who have asked Musk to have humanity in cutting federal workers’ jobs.

-ABC News’ Kelsey Walsh

Feb 23, 2025, 4:46 PM EST

Largest federal worker union calls OPM email ‘unlawful’

In a letter to the Office of Personnel Management, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), called an email demanding that employees list accomplishments over the previous week is “unlawful.”

The largest federal union wrote that the email is “nothing more than an irresponsible and sophomoric attempt to create confusion and bully the hard-working federal employees that serve our country.”

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

The letter continues to say that the email fails to give enough guidance on what information employees should avoid disclosing.

“Federal employees have a duty to ensure that sensitive information, data, and records are only used and disclosed for authorized purposes,” the letter says. “We believe that employees have no obligation to respond to this plainly unlawful email.”

“By allowing the unelected and unhinged Elon Musk to dictate OPM’s actions, you have demonstrated a lack of regard for the integrity of federal employees and their critical work,” the letter added.

-ABC News’ Selina Wang

Feb 23, 2025, 2:10 PM EST

US attorney for DC encourages workers to reply to OPM email

Ed Martin, the interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., was one of the few senior officials in government to encourage employees to respond to the Office of Personnel Management email from Elon Musk on Saturday that asked them what they had gotten done in the last week.

“DOGE and Elon are doing great work! Historic. We are happy to be participate [sic]," wrote Martin, who Trump nominated to fill the U.S. attorney position after picking him in an acting role.

Martin sent a follow up email on Sunday, which seemed to only add to the confusion about what employees should do in response to the OPM email.

Ed Martin speaks at an event hosted by Rep. Matt Gaetz at the Capitol in Washington, June 13, 2023.
Amanda Andrade-rhoades/AP

Martin wrote:

"Yesterday, I responded to the HR email from OPM first — before anyone else in government. I did so to help you be encouraged. ...

“Let me clarify: we all will comply with this OPM request whether by replying or deciding not to reply.

“Again, should you reply, please do so carefully with respect to confidentiality and our duties. Please make a good faith effort to reply and list your activities (or not, as you prefer) and I will, as I mentioned, have your back regarding any confusion. We can do this.

“Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. This is a good opportunity for us all to continue to recognize and promote the importance of our work."

-ABC News’ Mike Levine

Feb 23, 2025, 12:46 PM EST

Air traffic controllers also got ‘What did you get done’ emails

Air traffic controllers and Federal Aviation Administration employees also received emails Saturday from the Office of Personnel Management asking them to provide around five bullet points on work they accomplished in the previous week, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) and the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) confirmed to ABC News.

The union also noted that the FAA's email security flagged the message as "suspicious."

People work inside air traffic control at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va., Jan. 30, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

A number of federal employees across multiple agencies received the Elon Musk-directed email from OPM that demanded employees detail their weekly accomplishments and that failing to reply would be considered a resignation.

In a statement to ABC News, NATCA said, "All those who rely on the NAS for travel and commerce understand the vital role our nation’s aviation safety professionals and air traffic controllers play in maintaining its safety and efficiency. Any unnecessary distractions compromise their ability to focus on their primary mission—safely directing aircraft carrying passengers and essential cargo throughout our airspace."

-ABC News’ Ayesha Ali

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