government

<p>Ignoring urgently needed reforms in favor of fruitlessly trying to find evidence of fraud, DOGE descended on the Social Security Administration “thinking it should work like a McDonald’s,” the agency’s former acting chief reveals to ProPublica.<br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-doge-social-security-takeover-leland-dudek?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/inside-doge-social-security-takeover-leland-dudek?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/ins</span><span class="invisible">ide-doge-social-security-takeover-leland-dudek?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/doge/" rel="tag">#DOGE</a> <a href="/tags/socialsecurity/" rel="tag">#SocialSecurity</a> <a href="/tags/trump/" rel="tag">#Trump</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/uspolitics/" rel="tag">#USPolitics</a></p>

<p><a href="/tags/connecticut/" rel="tag">#Connecticut</a> DMV Committee Expands Study of Towing Law to Help Low-Income Residents Get Their <a href="/tags/cars/" rel="tag">#Cars</a> Back<br>==</p><p>The working group was created as part of a towing reform law passed in response to a ProPublica and Connecticut Mirror investigation into towing practices in the state.</p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#news</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#law</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#government</a> <a href="/tags/newengland/" rel="tag">#newengland</a> </p><p><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/connecticut-dmv-towing-law-reforms?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=propublica-mastodon-post&amp;utm_content=9-09" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/connecticut-dmv-towing-law-reforms?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=propublica-mastodon-post&amp;utm_content=9-09"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/con</span><span class="invisible">necticut-dmv-towing-law-reforms?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=propublica-mastodon-post&amp;utm_content=9-09</span></a></p>

<p>NEW: Programs for <a href="/tags/students/" rel="tag">#Students</a> With Hearing and Vision Loss Harmed by Trump’s Anti-Diversity Push<br>==</p><p>Federal funding for organizations that help students with hearing and vision loss across eight states will stop at the end of the month, according to letters sent by a top <a href="/tags/education/" rel="tag">#Education</a> Dept. official and obtained by ProPublica.</p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#news</a> <a href="/tags/kids/" rel="tag">#kids</a> <a href="/tags/trump/" rel="tag">#trump</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#government</a> <a href="/tags/dei/" rel="tag">#DEI</a> </p><p><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-dei-students-education-deaf-blind-grant-funding?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=propublica-mastodon-post&amp;utm_content=9-10" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/trump-dei-students-education-deaf-blind-grant-funding?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=propublica-mastodon-post&amp;utm_content=9-10"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/tru</span><span class="invisible">mp-dei-students-education-deaf-blind-grant-funding?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=propublica-mastodon-post&amp;utm_content=9-10</span></a></p>

<p>Firefighters Wore Gear Containing “Forever Chemicals.” The Forest Service Knew and Stayed Silent for Years.<br>---</p><p>As early as 2021, government officials were alerted to the presence of potentially dangerous chemicals known as PFAS in pants used by wildland firefighters, according to emails obtained by ProPublica.<br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/forest-service-forever-chemical-firefighter-pfas?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/forest-service-forever-chemical-firefighter-pfas?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/for</span><span class="invisible">est-service-forever-chemical-firefighter-pfas?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/pfas/" rel="tag">#PFAS</a> <a href="/tags/fire/" rel="tag">#Fire</a> <a href="/tags/wildfires/" rel="tag">#WIldfires</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/chemicals/" rel="tag">#Chemicals</a> <a href="/tags/safety/" rel="tag">#Safety</a> <a href="/tags/health/" rel="tag">#Health</a></p>

<p>Explore Financial Disclosures From President Trump and 1,500 of His Appointees<br>---</p><p>Our database paints a detailed financial picture for President Donald Trump and hundreds of his political appointees, some of whom have ties to the industries they regulate. The disclosures include their recent employers, assets and debts.<br><a href="https://projects.propublica.org/trump-team-financial-disclosures/?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="projects.propublica.org/trump-team-financial-disclosures/?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">projects.propublica.org/trump-</span><span class="invisible">team-financial-disclosures/?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/trump/" rel="tag">#Trump</a> <a href="/tags/uspolitics/" rel="tag">#USPolitics</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/data/" rel="tag">#Data</a> <a href="/tags/research/" rel="tag">#Research</a> <a href="/tags/journalism/" rel="tag">#Journalism</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a></p>

<p>We Investigated How Oil Companies Take Millions From Mineral Owners. Now, Some Lawmakers Push for Change.<br>---</p><p>For years, North Dakota legislators rejected proposals to protect mineral owners from oil and gas companies withholding their earnings. “Something has to be done,” one lawmaker now says.<br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/north-dakota-lawmakers-oil-gas-royalty-proposals?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/north-dakota-lawmakers-oil-gas-royalty-proposals?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/nor</span><span class="invisible">th-dakota-lawmakers-oil-gas-royalty-proposals?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/northdakota/" rel="tag">#NorthDakota</a> <a href="/tags/oil/" rel="tag">#Oil</a> <a href="/tags/gas/" rel="tag">#Gas</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a></p>

<p>Senators Demand Names of Foreign Drugmakers Skirting FDA Import Bans<br>---</p><p>Citing a recent ProPublica investigation, Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said they had “urgent concerns” about the agency’s oversight of foreign drugmakers and whether medications coming into the U.S. are safe.<br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/senators-letter-fda-drug-import-bans?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/senators-letter-fda-drug-import-bans?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/sen</span><span class="invisible">ators-letter-fda-drug-import-bans?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/health/" rel="tag">#Health</a> <a href="/tags/fda/" rel="tag">#FDA</a> <a href="/tags/drugs/" rel="tag">#Drugs</a> <a href="/tags/pharmaceuticals/" rel="tag">#Pharmaceuticals</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a></p>

<p>ProPublica and Other News Organizations Fight to Unseal Texas AG Ken Paxton’s Divorce Records<br>--</p><p>A group of eight state and national media organizations are arguing that the records are of public interest, especially in light of Paxton’s bid for a U.S. Senate seat. <br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/ken-paxton-divorce-case-records-unseal?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/ken-paxton-divorce-case-records-unseal?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/ken</span><span class="invisible">-paxton-divorce-case-records-unseal?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/media/" rel="tag">#Media</a> <a href="/tags/journalism/" rel="tag">#Journalism</a> <a href="/tags/texas/" rel="tag">#Texas</a> <a href="/tags/kenpaxton/" rel="tag">#KenPaxton</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a></p>

<p>Amid Rise of RFK Jr., Officials Waver on Drinking Water Fluoridation — Even in the State Where It Started<br>---</p><p>As federal agencies review their guidance on fluoridation and the nation’s top health official calls fluoride “industrial waste,” state and local governments are pulling back on the practice, upending a decadeslong public health success story.<br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/fluoride-drinking-water-rfk-jr-michigan-cdc-hhs?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/fluoride-drinking-water-rfk-jr-michigan-cdc-hhs?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/flu</span><span class="invisible">oride-drinking-water-rfk-jr-michigan-cdc-hhs?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/health/" rel="tag">#Health</a> <a href="/tags/rfkjr/" rel="tag">#RFKJr</a> <a href="/tags/publichealth/" rel="tag">#PublicHealth</a> <a href="/tags/michigan/" rel="tag">#Michigan</a> <a href="/tags/water/" rel="tag">#Water</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a></p>

<p>Spotted on the DC metro 👀</p><p>Are you or were you a federal worker? Do you know someone who is?</p><p>We&#x27;re here to listen. You can reach us at propublica.org/tips or 917-512-0201 on Signal.</p><p><a href="/tags/journalism/" rel="tag">#journalism</a> <a href="/tags/media/" rel="tag">#media</a> <a href="/tags/dc/" rel="tag">#dc</a> <a href="/tags/metro/" rel="tag">#metro</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#government</a></p>

<p>The video I filmed of an ICE agent shoving a woman to the ground at 26 Federal Plaza, a New York City immigration courthouse, went viral.</p><p>Then, in a rare move, the government publicly reprimanded the officer, calling his actions “unacceptable.”<br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/ice-officer-shoves-woman-till-eckert?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/ice-officer-shoves-woman-till-eckert?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/ice</span><span class="invisible">-officer-shoves-woman-till-eckert?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/ice/" rel="tag">#ICE</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/newyorkcity/" rel="tag">#NewYorkCity</a> <a href="/tags/nyc/" rel="tag">#NYC</a> <a href="/tags/immigration/" rel="tag">#Immigration</a> <a href="/tags/court/" rel="tag">#Court</a> <a href="/tags/video/" rel="tag">#Video</a></p>

<p>A previously undisclosed State Department report and interviews reveal accusations that U.S. Ambassador Ronald D. Johnson shielded Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele from U.S. and Salvadoran law enforcement.<br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/ambassador-ronald-johnson-nayib-bukele-trump-el-salvador?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/ambassador-ronald-johnson-nayib-bukele-trump-el-salvador?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/amb</span><span class="invisible">assador-ronald-johnson-nayib-bukele-trump-el-salvador?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/elsalvador/" rel="tag">#ElSalvador</a> <a href="/tags/nayibbukele/" rel="tag">#NayibBukele</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a> <a href="/tags/trump/" rel="tag">#Trump</a></p>

<p>🇦🇹 Austria&#x27;s Armed Forces have replaced MS Office with LibreOffice on 16,000+ workstations 📄</p><p>This shift began in 2020 to avoid mandatory cloud reliance ☁️<br>Their goal? Digital sovereignty—not cost saving 🔒<br>They even contributed 5+ person-years of code 🛠️<br>EU trend toward open-source grows 🇪🇺</p><p><span class="h-card"><a href="https://fosstodon.org/@libreoffice" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>libreoffice</span></a></span><br><span class="h-card"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@itsfoss" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>itsfoss</span></a></span></p><p>🔗 <a href="https://news.itsfoss.com/austrian-forces-ditch-microsoft-office/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="news.itsfoss.com/austrian-forces-ditch-microsoft-office/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">news.itsfoss.com/austrian-forc</span><span class="invisible">es-ditch-microsoft-office/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/technews/" rel="tag">#TechNews</a> <a href="/tags/libreoffice/" rel="tag">#LibreOffice</a> <a href="/tags/linux/" rel="tag">#Linux</a> <a href="/tags/opensource/" rel="tag">#OpenSource</a> <a href="/tags/privacy/" rel="tag">#Privacy</a> <a href="/tags/foss/" rel="tag">#FOSS</a> <a href="/tags/security/" rel="tag">#Security</a> <a href="/tags/europe/" rel="tag">#Europe</a> <a href="/tags/eu/" rel="tag">#EU</a> <a href="/tags/microsoft/" rel="tag">#Microsoft</a> <a href="/tags/cloud/" rel="tag">#Cloud</a> <a href="/tags/digitalsovereignty/" rel="tag">#DigitalSovereignty</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/defense/" rel="tag">#Defense</a> <a href="/tags/innovation/" rel="tag">#Innovation</a> <a href="/tags/technology/" rel="tag">#Technology</a></p>

<p>Our reporter visited a potential source’s home, where he introduced himself as a reporter and they had a pleasant conversation.</p><p>A few days later, VA Secretary Doug Collins sent out a tweet that accused our reporter of trying to “stalk” the employee.<br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/propublica-reaching-out-reporting-obstacles?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/propublica-reaching-out-reporting-obstacles?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/pro</span><span class="invisible">publica-reaching-out-reporting-obstacles?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/journalism/" rel="tag">#Journalism</a> <a href="/tags/reporting/" rel="tag">#Reporting</a> <a href="/tags/media/" rel="tag">#Media</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/press/" rel="tag">#Press</a></p>

<p>Trading on Tom Homan: Inside the Push to Cash in on the Trump Administration’s Deportation Campaign<br>---</p><p>A Pennsylvania businessman who had Tom Homan on his payroll led companies to believe his connections to the future border czar could help advance their bids for government work, industry executives said.<br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/tom-homan-border-czar-trump-mark-hall-charles-sowell?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/tom-homan-border-czar-trump-mark-hall-charles-sowell?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/tom</span><span class="invisible">-homan-border-czar-trump-mark-hall-charles-sowell?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/immigration/" rel="tag">#Immigration</a> <a href="/tags/business/" rel="tag">#Business</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/ice/" rel="tag">#ICE</a> <a href="/tags/tomhoman/" rel="tag">#TomHoman</a></p>

<p>Democratic and Republican lawmakers across the country tried to push through bills to tighten gift limits, toughen conflict-of-interest provisions or expand financial disclosure reporting requirements. But many of the measures were derailed.</p><p><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/ethics-reform-legislation-blocked-statehouses?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/ethics-reform-legislation-blocked-statehouses?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/eth</span><span class="invisible">ics-reform-legislation-blocked-statehouses?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/virginia/" rel="tag">#Virginia</a> <a href="/tags/texas/" rel="tag">#Texas</a> <a href="/tags/newmexico/" rel="tag">#NewMexico</a> <a href="/tags/northdakota/" rel="tag">#NorthDakota</a> <a href="/tags/connecticut/" rel="tag">#Connecticut</a> <a href="/tags/maine/" rel="tag">#Maine</a></p>

<p>PFNA can be found in drinking water systems that serve about 26 million people.</p><p>The EPA’s toxicity report on the forever chemical has sat in limbo for months, raising concerns that the Trump administration might change it or not release it at all.<br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/epa-pfna-forever-chemical-report?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/epa-pfna-forever-chemical-report?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/epa</span><span class="invisible">-pfna-forever-chemical-report?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/trump/" rel="tag">#Trump</a> <a href="/tags/epa/" rel="tag">#EPA</a> <a href="/tags/environment/" rel="tag">#Environment</a> <a href="/tags/health/" rel="tag">#Health</a> <a href="/tags/safety/" rel="tag">#Safety</a> <a href="/tags/water/" rel="tag">#Water</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a></p>

<p>Ignoring urgently needed reforms in favor of fruitlessly trying to find evidence of fraud, DOGE descended on the Social Security Administration “thinking it should work like a McDonald’s,” the agency’s former acting chief told ProPublica.</p><p>One of our most-read investigations of 2025: <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-doge-social-security-takeover-leland-dudek?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/inside-doge-social-security-takeover-leland-dudek?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/ins</span><span class="invisible">ide-doge-social-security-takeover-leland-dudek?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/doge/" rel="tag">#DOGE</a> <a href="/tags/socialsecurity/" rel="tag">#SocialSecurity</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/elonmusk/" rel="tag">#ElonMusk</a> <a href="/tags/uspolitics/" rel="tag">#USPolitics</a> <a href="/tags/musk/" rel="tag">#Musk</a> <a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a></p>

<p>Federal workers: If you were impacted by the Trump administration&#x27;s just-announced mass layoffs, our reporters are here to listen.</p><p>We understand you may be taking a risk in contacting us, and we take your privacy seriously.</p><p>Here&#x27;s how to get in touch securely 👇<br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/tips/" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.propublica.org/tips/</a></p><p><a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/vought/" rel="tag">#Vought</a> <a href="/tags/trump/" rel="tag">#Trump</a> <a href="/tags/layoffs/" rel="tag">#Layoffs</a> <a href="/tags/whitehouse/" rel="tag">#WhiteHouse</a></p>

<p>In government records that have flown under the radar, President Trump’s EPA said it’s reconsidering whether the agency has the legal authority to update air pollution rules based on new scientific knowledge.</p><p><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/air-pollution-regulations-epa-trump?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/air-pollution-regulations-epa-trump?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/air</span><span class="invisible">-pollution-regulations-epa-trump?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/trump/" rel="tag">#Trump</a> <a href="/tags/environment/" rel="tag">#Environment</a> <a href="/tags/pollution/" rel="tag">#Pollution</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/regulation/" rel="tag">#Regulation</a> <a href="/tags/epa/" rel="tag">#EPA</a></p>

<p>From the wholesale gutting of federal agencies to the ongoing government shutdown, Russell Vought has drawn the road map for Trump’s second term. Vought has consolidated power to an extent that insiders say they feel like “he is the commander in chief.”</p><p><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/russ-vought-trump-shadow-president-omb?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/russ-vought-trump-shadow-president-omb?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/rus</span><span class="invisible">s-vought-trump-shadow-president-omb?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a> </p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/trump/" rel="tag">#Trump</a> <a href="/tags/uspolitics/" rel="tag">#USPolitics</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a></p>

<p>Trump’s DHS appointees have dismantled civil rights guardrails, protected agents’ anonymity and encouraged them to wear masks, threatened groups that stood in their way and overwhelmed challenges to their arrests.</p><p><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-dhs-ice-secret-police-civil-rights-unaccountable?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/trump-dhs-ice-secret-police-civil-rights-unaccountable?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/tru</span><span class="invisible">mp-dhs-ice-secret-police-civil-rights-unaccountable?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a> </p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/uspolitics/" rel="tag">#USPolitics</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/dhs/" rel="tag">#DHS</a> <a href="/tags/immigration/" rel="tag">#Immigration</a> <a href="/tags/ice/" rel="tag">#ICE</a> <a href="/tags/trump/" rel="tag">#Trump</a></p>

<p>Russell Vought is the architect of President Trump’s broader plan to fire civil servants, freeze government programs and dismantle entire agencies. Here are some key things to know about the D.C. insider who wants to take a hatchet to the federal government.</p><p><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/about-russell-vought-trump-shadow-president?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/about-russell-vought-trump-shadow-president?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/abo</span><span class="invisible">ut-russell-vought-trump-shadow-president?utm_source=mastodon&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a> </p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/trump/" rel="tag">#Trump</a> <a href="/tags/uspolitics/" rel="tag">#USPolitics</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a></p>

<p>Elon Musk was the face of DOGE, but records show that Russ Vought, Trump’s budget chief, played a key role in guiding DOGE behind the scenes.</p><p>Tomorrow at 6 p.m. ET, head to Reddit to ask our reporter Andy Kroll about Vought’s influence over the Trump presidency: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/fednews/comments/1o8zj92/im_andy_kroll_a_propublica_reporter_i_just/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.reddit.com/r/fednews/comments/1o8zj92/im_andy_kroll_a_propublica_reporter_i_just/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.reddit.com/r/fednews/comme</span><span class="invisible">nts/1o8zj92/im_andy_kroll_a_propublica_reporter_i_just/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/russellvought/" rel="tag">#RussellVought</a> <a href="/tags/trump/" rel="tag">#Trump</a> <a href="/tags/elonmusk/" rel="tag">#ElonMusk</a> <a href="/tags/doge/" rel="tag">#DOGE</a> <a href="/tags/whitehouse/" rel="tag">#WhiteHouse</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/uspolitics/" rel="tag">#USPolitics</a> <a href="/tags/reddit/" rel="tag">#Reddit</a></p>

<p>Former Veterans Affairs workers: In August, we reported that the VA lost more than 600 doctors and nearly 2,000 nurses this year.</p><p>We know that for many of you, the decision to leave the VA could not have been easy. Here’s how you can share your story with us ⤵️ <br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/getinvolved/help-propublica-report-on-leaving-veterans-affairs" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/getinvolved/help-propublica-report-on-leaving-veterans-affairs"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/getinvolved</span><span class="invisible">/help-propublica-report-on-leaving-veterans-affairs</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/health/" rel="tag">#Health</a> <a href="/tags/medicine/" rel="tag">#Medicine</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/healthcare/" rel="tag">#Healthcare</a> <a href="/tags/publichealth/" rel="tag">#PublicHealth</a> <a href="/tags/journalism/" rel="tag">#Journalism</a></p>