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The Trump administration is putting all civil servants employed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on administrative leave beginning Monday at midnight, according to a notice reviewed by The Hill. 

At the same time, 2,000 staff are expected to be cut from the agency in the U.S., part of a “Reduction-in-Force,” reads the notice delivered from the Office of the Administrator. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is the acting USAID administrator, but no name is on the order.

The notice comes following a federal judge on Friday refusing to renew a temporary block against the Trump administration and its intent to fire or place on “administrative leave” thousands of employees.

Following the order, hundreds of employees contracted to work with USAID were fired. In one bureau providing lifesaving humanitarian assistance, one USAID official estimated the firing of contractors cut staff by between 40 and 60 percent. 

“There is no one left to do any work,” the USAID official said, requesting anonymity to protect against retaliation. 

The move to eliminate thousands of USAID’s workforce marks another chapter in the Trump administration’s attack on the independent agency, the primary venue for America’s distribution of lifesaving humanitarian and developmental assistance.

The Trump administration first ordered all staff be put on administrative leave Feb. 2, which was initially blocked by a court order six days later.

President Trump and his officials have focused on dismantling the agency in the wake of an initial blanket freeze on all U.S. foreign assistance.

While Rubio said he is approving waivers to exempt lifesaving humanitarian assistance and allow that USAID work to continue, the mass reductions in staff are eliminating key roles for carrying it out.

Trump delegated tech billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency to root out what he and his supporters describe as wasteful and fraudulent spending and accused USAID of operating with a liberal bias.

The administrator’s order putting staff on administrative leave impacts all USAID staff in the U.S. and around the world. Some staff are expected to be notified by 5 p.m. Feb. 23 that they are exempt, with their positions deemed “mission critical,” part of “core leadership and/or specially designated programs.”

The administration further is recalling overseas personnel, providing a “voluntary Agency-funded return travel program and other benefits,” according to another notice reviewed by The Hill. 

In the court ruling issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols said USAID employees “overstated” the harm those employees stood to face if put on administrative leave. 

“The record now reflects that no USAID employee stationed abroad has been or imminently will be required to return to the United States within thirty days,” Nichols wrote. “Rather, as matters presently stand, USAID employees stationed abroad have been given a choice.” 

The administrative leave order likely impacts the agency’s civil servant workforce, staff who undergo thorough and exhaustive hiring procedures, are vetted for classified security clearances, are highly educated and experienced, and are put in the system with an expectation of decades of service. 

One USAID official, who requested anonymity to protect against retaliation, described the past month as “psychological torment.”

While staff on administrative leave may retain access to their emails and USAID systems, they are not permitted to do work. 

“If most civil servants in D.C. go back on admin leave tonight, you will have a few handfuls of civil servants left and they cannot do the work — in skill set or in numbers — of the bureau,” the USAID official said. 

“We are, for now, dead. Last night and all week we lost centuries of collective experience.”

Move represents possible signs of tension between federal agencies and the world’s richest person tasked by the Trump administration to cut down the government’s civilian workforce

Macron heads to the White House on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He’s expected to urge Trump to consider the safety of allies as Trump makes friendly overtures to Putin.

Stay on top of Russia-Ukraine war 02-24-2025 developments on the ground with KyivPost fact-based news, exclusive video footage, photos and updated war maps.

MSNBC is canceling Joy Reid’s 7 p.m. show on the network in an apparent effort to eliminate low-rated programs and replace them with shows people might actually watch. The final episode of The ReidOut will air sometime this week, after which a trio of MSNBC weekend anchors—former Kamala Harris adviser Symone Sanders, anti-Trump “Republican” Michael Steele, and Alicia Menendez, the daughter of former Democratic senator and convicted felon Bob Menendez—will take over the time slot.

Variety reported last week that MSNBC was poised to announce major programming changes that would reflect the network’s eagerness to “maintain its progressive stance, rather than trying to tack towards middle ground.” Viewed in this context, canceling Reid’s show was a logical step, given the host’s reputation for sober analysis and pragmatic centrism, not to mention her preternatural ability to connect with normal working-class Americans.

During the 2022 election, for example, Reid was one of the first media personalities to acknowledge that the word “inflation” was “not part of the normal lexicon” for most Americans until nefarious Republicans “taught people the word” in order to attack Joe Biden. Following Trump’s victory in 2024, Reid channeled the anxieties of working Americans who couldn’t believe that Harris had lost despite waging a “flawlessly run” campaign and being endorsed by Queen Latifah, who “never endorses anyone.” Reid expressed shock in 2020 when a Latino congressman suggested “Latinx” was not “the preferred term” among actual Latinos.

These insightful remarks persuaded MSNBC to give Reid an annual salary believed to be in the range of $3 million. Network executives clearly valued her cerebral reporting and “in-depth interviews with politicians and other newsmakers,” according to the New York Times. In November, for instance, Reid interviewed a Yale psychologist who argued Democrats were “entitled” to shun their Trump-supporting family members because it “may be essential for your mental health.” For reasons that defy explanation, Reid was one of the lowest-rated hosts on MSNBC. Last Thursday’s episode of The ReidOut drew just 59,000 viewers in the coveted 25-54 age demographic. For the sake of comparison, Laura Ingraham’s competing 7 p.m. program on Fox News drew 389,000 viewers in the demographic. The vast majority of MSNBC viewers are memory care patients whose home health aides forgot to turn off the television, according to a Washington Free Beacon analysis.

Reid’s sway at MSNBC was such that the network didn’t even bother to figure out what really happened to Reid’s old blog after internet sleuths uncovered a series of bigoted posts in 2017. Reid accused “hackers” of having “accessed and manipulated” her blog to post hateful content—targeting gays, Jews, and Muslims—that was “fabricated.” She urged the FBI to investigate. The results of the alleged investigation were never released, but Reid was promoted to a full-time host in 2020. Some might view the cancelation of Reid’s show as a blessing in disguise because it will allow the tenacious journalist to spend more time hunting down the real hackers and bringing them to justice.

Alas, there is likely a more sinister explanation for Reid’s departure from the MSNBC airwaves. She is a proud and outspoken black woman. Many have already suggested white supremacy is to blame, especially since the news comes several weeks after another proud black woman—former MSNBC president Rashida Jones—allegedly resigned from the network. Another woman of color, Alex Wagner, was expected to return to MSNBC in April to resume hosting the 9 p.m. hour, but that plan has been scrapped. Jen Psaki, a white woman who served as Biden’s press secretary, is now widely expected to take over that time slot for at least one night per week. It remains to be seen what MSNBC’s alleged anti-blackness means for the future of Al Sharpton, the notorious anti-Semite who still hasn’t been fired after his nonprofit group received $500,000 from the Harris campaign before Sharpton interviewed the candidate in October 2024.

Fans of diversity, equity, and inclusion might take comfort in the news that MSNBC is also reportedly considering Politico reporter Eugene Daniels as a candidate to host the 9 p.m. time slot at least one night a week. Daniels was widely predicted to be the “breakout star” of the 2024 election, but he ended up being one of the biggest losers. The self-described “walking Beyoncé encyclopedia” has become a minor liberal celebrity within the Beltway bubble. Best known for his flamboyant attire, Daniels excelled at laundering Democratic talking points while covering the Harris campaign, but it seems unlikely he will ever be able to match the exceptional passion and journalistic integrity of Joy Reid.

May her memory be a blessing.

The post Joy Reid, a Rare Voice of Moderation on MSNBC, Gets the Axe appeared first on .

If a federal court grants a Trump administration order to kill congestion pricing in NYC, the fate of numerous major MTA public transportation projects — and of reliable service throughout the subway system — could be in serious jeopardy.

Congestion pricing, designed mostly to help pay for infrastructure projects including the Second Avenue Subway, new rail cars and other necessary upgrades, faced a roadblock on Feb. 19 when Trump’s U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) pulled its Biden-era support of the toll program. 

If the program ultimately gets scrapped, it would leave a huge funding void for the $15 billion worth of major public transit projects needed in NYC. In fact, 80% of the revenue generated from congestion pricing has been previously allocated for key subway and bus improvements. The remaining 20% of future funds has already been allocated as a split between Metro-North Railroad and the Long Island Rail Road, according to the agency.

This means the Second Avenue Subway, better ADA-access to train stations, and enhanced bus service could be threatened if congestion pricing is axed.

Although the future of congestion pricing rests now in the hands of the courts, President Donald Trump’s administration can still simultaneously withhold federal funding for the Big Apple’s trains and buses. 

Experts say that the withholding of federal money is not unique to New York. Many states require federal funds to keep their transportation and other systems active and strong.

“Every state transportation agency in the country is reliant on federal funding,” explained Kate Slevin, executive vice president of the Regional Plan Association, adding that there are just a handful of department exceptions. “All of the state transportation departments get federal money.” 

Although the most pressing issue for the state-run MTA is the possible loss of congestion pricing, another whammy could be the Trump administration’s holdback of funds—something he has threatened other states with if they do not follow federal law. 

Hochul makes her case

Gov. Kathy Hochul appeared on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday to discuss her recent meeting with Trump when she stressed to him the importance of the toll program in New York.

“I wanted to take my case to him directly and let him see the benefits of this program because our city is paralyzed with gridlock,” Hochul said on air. “And we had a path forward to be able to make the city move again, and it’s working. I wanted to just have that opportunity to convey that, but I don’t know that we’re very persuasive on that front, but that’s okay. The people in my state need to know I’m willing to take the fight wherever I have to.”

During the broadcast, host Margaret Brennan asked Hochul for comment on New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s support for Trump’s move to end the toll.

“With all due respect to the state of New Jersey, they do not tell us in New York what to do, nor does Washington when it comes to policies that we believe are going to reduce congestion, move along vehicles,” Hochul said. “Emergency vehicles are moving faster and air quality is improving.” 

Second Avenue Subway’s next phase at stake again

The Second Avenue Subway station, which has been in the works on-and-off since 2017, is one of the largest projects at stake. 

So far, only “Phase 1” of the subway line running directly under Second Avenue on the East Side of Manhattan has been completed. Completed in 2017 at a cost of $4.6 billion, it currently has three Q train stations along the route from 72nd to 96th Streets.

The project was put on hold during the governor’s June pause of congestion pricing but went back on track on Dec. 24 when the MTA issued a request for proposals to contractors for “Phase 2.” 

Subway station accessibility is also on the table. The MTA was on a roll, adding accessibility features to various train stations toward the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025. 

There is ‘no plan B’

Meanwhile, Janno Lieber, chair and CEO of the MTA, does not feel congestion pricing will end, and has said there is no contingency plan if the program ends. 

Although bond deals have already been made, Lieber said on NY1 last week that there is “no plan B” in place.

“But the Trump Administration and the leaders of USDOT have to consider what it means to all these bond deals nationally, which are based on tolling revenues,” he said. “If the federal government says we can pull back that approval at any moment, there are toll roads in Texas and Florida that depend on approvals from this same program. That would have huge, would really make bondholders nervous, and it would mean that future toll-backed revenue bonds would be a lot more expensive to issue.”

Congestion pricing remains active in NYC as New Yorkers continue to stay divided on whether or not the program should continue.  

(NEXSTAR) — Doctors revealed Sunday that blood tests for Pope Francis, the 88-year-old pontiff who has been hospitalized since Valentine’s Day after a weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened, show early kidney failure.

Every day, roughly 360 people in the U.S. begin treatment (either dialysis or a transplant) for kidney failure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A patient is considered to be experiencing kidney failure if under 15 percent of their kidney is “working normally,” the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says.

Some of Pope Francis’ blood tests showed “initial, mild, kidney failure,” but doctors said it was under control. The Vatican did not provide any details about Pope Francis’ condition or what treatment, if any, he was receiving for his kidney failure.

There are some early warning signs of kidney failure — fatigue, nausea, vomiting, confusion, difficulty concentrating, swelling, change in urination frequency, cramps, dry skin, and food tasting metallic among them — but they may go unnoticed early on, per the Cleveland Clinic.

During kidney failure, one or both of a person’s kidneys will no longer function well on their own, the Cleveland Clinic explains. In some cases, kidney failure is temporary and develops quickly. In others, it can be a long-term condition that worsens over time.

Should the condition worsen, it can reach end-stage kidney disease, or ESKD. This stage, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is deadly without the proper treatment. With it, however, patients can “have a good quality of life while [they] manage kidney failure.”

While doctors did not indicate what may have caused Francis’ kidney failure, the National Kidney Foundation says diabetes and high blood pressure comprise roughly two-thirds of cases. Other potential causes include various forms of kidney damage and genetic disorders.

Those experiencing kidney failure may be at a higher risk of experiencing heart disease, stroke, and anemia, among other complications. Francis developed anemia and, during blood transfusions on Saturday, was given hematin, a treatment designed to increase the level of hemoglobin in his blood, which in turn helps the blood carry more oxygen. Doctors reported Sunday that the therapy had been beneficial.

The National Kidney Foundation notes that high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke can both cause kidney disease and occur as a result of it.

There is no cure for kidney failure but treatment plans, medications, eating plans, and an active lifestyle can help those living with it, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases explains.

The life expectancy of someone experiencing kidney failure can vary depending on “many things,” the American Kidney Fund says, including age and treatment plan.

The Vatican described Francis as remaining in critical condition but alert and “well-oriented” on Sunday, adding that he attended Mass. He had also not experienced any more respiratory crises since Saturday night but was still receiving high flows of supplemental oxygen.

“The complexity of the clinical picture, and the necessary wait for drug therapies to provide some feedback, dictate that the prognosis remains guarded,” Francis’ doctors concluded.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Trump humiliated Poland, showing up 90 minutes late for a meeting with its president and only giving Andrzej Duda an 11-minute “audience” rather than the scheduled hour.

In the German elections, Merz’s conservatives humiliate Sholtz’s socialists and should be strong enough to form a coalition without the far-right.