(COVER PHOTO: Pentagon. Satellite photo via Google Maps.)
Job cuts at Pentagon
A Pentagon official who spoke on condition of anonymity says that there’s a hiring freeze in place and up to 60,000 civilian jobs will be eliminated there. The official says that staff members who retire or leave for other reasons will not be replaced while others will be offered early retirement or simply fired. The reduction in staff is part of Elon Musk’s cuts to the federal government. The Department of Defense currently employs about 900,000 civilian workers globally.
More attacks in Gaza
Israel has staged new attacks on Gaza and Palestinian authorities say they targeted civilians. Up to 85 Palestinians were reported to have been killed. Israeli troops blockaded a major highway leading into Northern Gaza, shutting off the flow of people and supplies. Hamas fired three rockets into Israeli territory, but the rockets did not cause any casualties according to Israel.
Head of AMTRAK forced out by Trump
The CEO of the railroad AMTRAK, Stephen Gardner, has been forced out of his job by the Trump Administration. Trump’s largest campaign donor, Elon Musk, said that he thinks AMTRAK should no longer be a government responsibility and should be turned over to a private company. Gardner said he submitted his resignation in the hope that the Trump Administration would continue to support AMTRAK. Under the Biden Administration, AMTRAK carried almost 33 million passengers and had revenues of about $2.5 billion.
Trump proposes taking over Ukraine power plants
Donald Trump has proposed that the U.S. take over Ukraine’s power plants and become the provider of electricity to Ukraine. Russia has targeted power plants and electric grid infrastructure during the war it started by invading Ukraine. Trump is reported to have suggested the takeover to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in a phone call. It’s reported that Trump believes control of Ukraine’s electrical supply is important to support the U.S. mining Ukraine’s minerals that he wants the U.S. to own.
Supreme Court action against judges
The Trump White House has called on the U.S. Supreme Court to take action against judges who have ruled against Trump. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that judges who rule against Trump are trying to dictate policy. Leavitt didn’t say specifically what she thought the Supreme Court should do. Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked Federal Judge James Boasberg who issued an order temporarily blocking the administration from deporting people to a prison in El Salvador without giving them Constitutionally-required due process.
Parents of tourist from Wales say she was held by U.S. for 19 days
The parents of a 27-year-old girl from Wales who was in the U.S. as a tourist say she was taken into custody by U.S. immigration authorities and held for 19 days. The parents of Becky Burke said she was traumatized after being held in leg chains, handcuffs and chains around her waist, which they said was just like the way Hannibal Lechter was held in the movie “The Silence of the Lambs.” The parents say she had been on a backpacking trip in the U.S. U.S. Immigration an Customs Enforcement said she was sent back to Wales on March 18 but did not provide full details about the case.
