The Trump administration fired hundreds of workers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the US’s outstanding climate research organization, the Guardian learned Thursday.
“This will cost America’s lives,” said a ranking member of the Democratic lawmakers and Zoe Lofglen of the House Science and Space Technology Commission in writing. Her comments were published along with Rep. Gabe Amo, a ranking member of the Environment Subcommittee, after news of the shooting was destroyed.
“By firing important staff who work tirelessly on behalf of Americans, President Trump and Elon Musk are politics in our national security and public security,” Amo said. “Leaving NOAA staffing shortages will inevitably lead to additional disruption and confusion. I call on them to rehire these civil servants just before the preventable tragedy strike.”
Trump fires hundreds of people at US climate agency NOAA
On Thursday afternoon, the US Department of Commerce sent an email to NOAA employees saying work would be cut off at the end of the day. Other government agencies have recently seen massive cuts.
The shootings affected employees, particularly on probation. This is a classification that applies to new hires or those promoted to move or new positions, accounting for around 10% of the agency’s workforce.
“Most of the probation workers in my office have been with the agency for over a decade and have taken a new position,” said one worker who was still working and spoke to the Guardian anonymously for fear of retaliation. “When we lose them, we lose not only the world-class work they do every day, but also decades of expertise and institutional knowledge.”
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Trump pledges another 10% tariff on China in escalating the trade war
Donald Trump threatened China with 10% tariffs on exports to the US, setting the stage for another important escalation in the trade war with Beijing. The US president also claimed that he plans to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting next Tuesday, delaying their levy after consultations with his counterparts last month.
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Trump says Putin will keep his words about Ukraine’s peace deal
Donald Trump has argued that Vladimir Putin “keep his words” on the Ukrainian peace agreement, and that the extraction of key domestic minerals for US workers would act behind the scenes of security to stop Russia from invading once again.
In highly anticipated consultations with White House Prime Minister Kiel Starmer, the US president said Putin could aim to return as much land as possible to Ukraine, which was seized by Russia during a brutal three-year conflict, Putin can trust that he will not violate the agreement.
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The White House calls for agencies to identify hundreds of thousands of potential layoffs
The Trump administration is pushing federal agencies to implement massive cuts in federal workers, demanding plans for hundreds of thousands of possible cuts within weeks. The White House memo was given to officials until March 13 to submit plans to identify “agency components and employees performing functions not normally mandated by law or regulations that are not designated as essential” during the government closure.
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Cancelled meetings with flu shots promote anti-Bucks concerns
The Trump administration has cancelled a meeting of science experts called to discuss shots of flu next winter, in a move under new health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., highlighting concerns over new anti-vaccine policies.
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Mexico releases 29 high-level organized crime operatives to US custody
Mexico has handed over 29 high-level organized crime operatives to the United States. This shows they are working on fentanyl trafficking as they face intense pressure from the Trump administration.
The extradition comes when Mexico tries to persuade the US to postpone a 25% tariff on all Mexican imports. Donald Trump linked tariffs to the consequences of fentanyl trafficking and migration, without setting a specific target.
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Judge temporarily blocks Trump’s mass shootings at federal agencies
A federal judge in California temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s orders the U.S. Department of Defense and other agencies to carry out massive shootings of some employees.
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Funding cuts for programs that fight HIV/AIDS
The Trump administration has ended funding the Joint UN program on HIV/AIDS, known as UNAIDS, bringing another devastating blow to the global battle against illness.
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Educators Coalition appeals to block Trump’s anti-diversity order
The coalition of educators has filed a lawsuit to stop the U.S. Department of Education from implementing new civil rights guidelines imposed by Donald Trump, covering a variety of practices related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
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The majority of Americans believe the economy will deteriorate
Exclusive: The majority of Americans believe that Republican views on the country’s finances have been exacerbated rather than better, despite the dramatic reflux since Donald Trump’s reelection, according to a poll conducted for the Guardian.
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What happened today:
The Trump administration has deleted online applications for several common student debt repayment plans, causing confusion among borrowers and complications for millions of Americans with outstanding loans.
The Social Security Administration is expected to fire at least 7,000 people from its 60,000 workforce, the Associated Press reported. According to people who spoke anonymously, the workforce cuts could reach 50%. Those seeking a payment plan will not have access to an income-driven repayment plan (IDR) application. This suppresses the percentage of the amount borrowers have to pay monthly and online applications to consolidate loans on the U.S. Department of Education website.
Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat and top Democrat on the Senate Treasury Committee, warned that Trump’s tariff threat would “spurt the US economy straight against a wall.”
Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have denounced the Trump administration for their decision to eliminate 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contract. “It is clear that the Trump administration’s foreign aid “examiner” is “not a serious effort or attempts to reform, but rather an excuse to dismantle US investment that will make America safer, stronger and more prosperous,” Democrats said in a joint statement.
