Derek Thompson

Nat Malkus, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, told the Washington Post, quote, there's a lot of bloat in IES. There's a lot of problems to be solved. But these are problems you solve with a scalpel and maybe a hatchet, not a bulldozer. Doge's cuts will go much further.

Nat Malkus, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, told the Washington Post, quote, there's a lot of bloat in IES. There's a lot of problems to be solved. But these are problems you solve with a scalpel and maybe a hatchet, not a bulldozer. Doge's cuts will go much further.

At the FDA, the Trump administration has fired hundreds of employees, with the deepest cuts among those involved in testing food and medical devices. At the CDC, more cuts are expected to decimate the Epidemic Intelligence Service, which pays disease detectives around the world to find and stop epidemics in other countries before they spread.

At the FDA, the Trump administration has fired hundreds of employees, with the deepest cuts among those involved in testing food and medical devices. At the CDC, more cuts are expected to decimate the Epidemic Intelligence Service, which pays disease detectives around the world to find and stop epidemics in other countries before they spread.

At the FDA, the Trump administration has fired hundreds of employees, with the deepest cuts among those involved in testing food and medical devices. At the CDC, more cuts are expected to decimate the Epidemic Intelligence Service, which pays disease detectives around the world to find and stop epidemics in other countries before they spread.

At the NIH, the world's crown jewel of biotech funding, the administration is set to slash personnel and funding in a variety of ways. Now, if you're a fan of Elon Musk and Donald Trump and you're listening to the show, your hope will be that these cuts are all fat and no bone.

At the NIH, the world's crown jewel of biotech funding, the administration is set to slash personnel and funding in a variety of ways. Now, if you're a fan of Elon Musk and Donald Trump and you're listening to the show, your hope will be that these cuts are all fat and no bone.

At the NIH, the world's crown jewel of biotech funding, the administration is set to slash personnel and funding in a variety of ways. Now, if you're a fan of Elon Musk and Donald Trump and you're listening to the show, your hope will be that these cuts are all fat and no bone.

But I beg you to remember, this is the same organization, Doge, that in an attempt to refocus the energy department on nuclear security, initially gutted the division with the words nuclear security in the title. So far, few areas have received more attention in this government-wide assault than USAID, the Department of Global Aid, which the Trump administration has effectively destroyed.

But I beg you to remember, this is the same organization, Doge, that in an attempt to refocus the energy department on nuclear security, initially gutted the division with the words nuclear security in the title. So far, few areas have received more attention in this government-wide assault than USAID, the Department of Global Aid, which the Trump administration has effectively destroyed.

But I beg you to remember, this is the same organization, Doge, that in an attempt to refocus the energy department on nuclear security, initially gutted the division with the words nuclear security in the title. So far, few areas have received more attention in this government-wide assault than USAID, the Department of Global Aid, which the Trump administration has effectively destroyed.

Elon Musk seems to be on a gleeful and personal mission to dismantle USAID, placing most of its employees on leave, closing its headquarters, and moving what's left of it to the State Department. According to one report, the administration says it plans to reduce USAID staffers from around 10,000 to 600.

Elon Musk seems to be on a gleeful and personal mission to dismantle USAID, placing most of its employees on leave, closing its headquarters, and moving what's left of it to the State Department. According to one report, the administration says it plans to reduce USAID staffers from around 10,000 to 600.

Elon Musk seems to be on a gleeful and personal mission to dismantle USAID, placing most of its employees on leave, closing its headquarters, and moving what's left of it to the State Department. According to one report, the administration says it plans to reduce USAID staffers from around 10,000 to 600.

The irony is that once upon a time, Marco Rubio was one of the most outspoken defenders of global aid. In February 2017, he said, quote, it's critical to our national security. We don't have to give foreign aid. We do so because it furthers our national interest.

The irony is that once upon a time, Marco Rubio was one of the most outspoken defenders of global aid. In February 2017, he said, quote, it's critical to our national security. We don't have to give foreign aid. We do so because it furthers our national interest.

The irony is that once upon a time, Marco Rubio was one of the most outspoken defenders of global aid. In February 2017, he said, quote, it's critical to our national security. We don't have to give foreign aid. We do so because it furthers our national interest.

In 2019, he said, quote, anybody who tells you that we can slash foreign aid and that will bring us to balance is lying to you, end quote. Today, however, Marco Rubio is in the awkward position of being the Secretary of State, overseeing the dismantling of foreign aid. The human costs are the real tragedy here.

In 2019, he said, quote, anybody who tells you that we can slash foreign aid and that will bring us to balance is lying to you, end quote. Today, however, Marco Rubio is in the awkward position of being the Secretary of State, overseeing the dismantling of foreign aid. The human costs are the real tragedy here.

In 2019, he said, quote, anybody who tells you that we can slash foreign aid and that will bring us to balance is lying to you, end quote. Today, however, Marco Rubio is in the awkward position of being the Secretary of State, overseeing the dismantling of foreign aid. The human costs are the real tragedy here.