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Elon Musk blurs the line between his government and business roles

The tech titan and President Trump say they will avoid any conflicts of interest, but it's difficult for the public to verify that.

After mass layoffs, some federal agencies are trying to bring employees back

A number of federal agencies, from HHS to the USDA, have laid off employees only to rescind those terminations days later. An expert says it "suggests something about mismanagement of government."

In case you missed it: Here’s what happened with Trump this week, from Ukraine to DOGE

NPR rounds up what happened this week, the fourth week of President Trump's administration, and takes a look at some developments that have been overlooked.

Hegseth directs Pentagon to find $50 billion in cuts this year

The cuts would be as drastic as sequestration in 2013, the law passed by Congress that forced the armed services to cut $56 billion in a matter of months.

DOGE released data about federal contract savings. It doesn’t add up

A new government tracker claims DOGE has saved billions from ending federal contracts. But an NPR analysis of the data finds the claimed savings don't add up.

The USDA fired staffers working on bird flu. Now it’s trying to reverse course

The USDA says "several" staffers working on the bird flu response were terminated over the weekend, and "we are working to swiftly rectify the situation and rescind those letters."

Is Trump preparing to cancel America’s ride back to the moon?

President Trump launched the Artemis program to return U.S. astronauts to the moon for the first time since Apollo. Now, the plan could be a casualty of the cost-cutting drive overseen by Elon Musk.

She worked for years to get a federal job. Within a month, she was fired

Rose is one of thousands of federal workers who have been terminated by the Trump administration. At 26, she's left wondering what to do now.

Trump says Elon Musk’s $10 million settlement over Twitter suit was ‘a big discount’

It's the second tech company to agree to a payout after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol prompted Trump to be kicked off numerous social media platforms.

National Science Foundation fires roughly 10% of its workforce

NSF fired 168 employees, leaving the agency less equipped to fund a wide range of scientific research.

White House says Elon Musk is not in charge of DOGE — legally, anyway

Elon Musk is not the legal administrator in charge of the "Department of Government Efficiency," the White House said in a court filing, and has "no actual or formal authority" to make decisions.

Federal judge blocks CFPB from laying off more employees

The ruling from a federal court in Washington, D.C., is a reprieve for CFPB staff who had been bracing for mass layoffs as early as Friday.

HUD employees are bracing for what they hear will be ‘drastic’ staff cuts

As federal layoffs mount, sources say the Trump administration plans a 50% staffing cut at the federal housing agency. The moves come amid an affordable housing shortage and record high homelessness.

Layoffs accelerate at federal agencies with more cuts to come

Federal agencies continued to lay off workers Friday. The cuts come after President Trump signed an executive order this week directing agencies to prepare for "large-scale" reductions in force.

This week in DOGE: Elon Musk’s role in overhauling ‘America, Inc.’

Elon Musk has emerged as a key figure in President Trump's plans to reshape the government. Here's a recap of this week with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team he leads.

Sweeping cuts hit recent federal hires as Trump administration slashes workforce

Employees across several agencies including the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Education, the Department of Energy and the General Services Administration have all been affected this week, with many being given notice on Thursday.

Trump hired Musk as a ‘special government employee.’ Here’s what that means

Special government employees, or SGEs, are typically hired on a temporary basis as experts or consultants or serve as members of federal advisory committees.

Elon Musk’s DOGE takes aim at agency that had plans of regulating X

Musk and other Silicon Valley executives have long railed against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for its work overseeing the tech industry. Now, Musk hopes to eliminate the agency.

Efforts to fight foreign influence and protect elections in question under Trump

Staffers at the U.S. cybersecurity agency working on countering foreign disinformation and on election security have been put on leave, according to sources who spoke anonymously for fear of reprisal.

Trump and Musk appear together in the Oval Office to defend the work of DOGE

Trump and Musk spoke as the president signed a new executive order calling on the heads of federal agencies to "promptly undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force."

HUD is bracing as DOGE seeks to cut waste, fraud. Union leaders have a suggestion

The Trump administration is reviewing contracts across the federal housing agency. Some employees worry about potentially "devastating" cuts, though union leaders also hope some good may come of it.

GSA staff facing massive cuts and fears of ‘nonstop’ surveillance

The remaining employees at the General Services Administration are being warned that their work will be heavily monitored, from their swipes into the office to what they type on their computers.

Congress now has a DOGE Caucus. Here’s how its co-chair says it will work

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Rep. Pete Sessions, co-chair of the House DOGE Caucus, on how he plans to work with the Department of Government Efficiency.

Who is part of Elon Musk’s DOGE and what are they doing?

The scope of DOGE's work and the identities of the people carrying it out isn't fully clear — leaving agencies and government workers in chaos.