Jonathan Swan

Yeah, and I don't need to editorialize or speak in my own words on this. I mean, just listen to the people involved in this. You know, Russell Vogt, who served in Trump's first administration, and he's his choice again to lead the Office of Management and Budget.

He said in a 2023 speech, talking about the plans for their coming back into power, he said, we want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected. Wow. He said, when they wake up in the morning, we want them not to go into work because they are increasingly viewed as the villains. He's a very close ally with Elon Musk. And Musk himself has the same mindset.

He said in a 2023 speech, talking about the plans for their coming back into power, he said, we want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected. Wow. He said, when they wake up in the morning, we want them not to go into work because they are increasingly viewed as the villains. He's a very close ally with Elon Musk. And Musk himself has the same mindset.

I mean, it's very revealing the language he's using. He said very few in the bureaucracy actually work the weekend. So it's like the opposing team just leaves the field for two days. So you see the mindset. We are coming in and now fully empowered by the president of the United States with the attitude of.

I mean, it's very revealing the language he's using. He said very few in the bureaucracy actually work the weekend. So it's like the opposing team just leaves the field for two days. So you see the mindset. We are coming in and now fully empowered by the president of the United States with the attitude of.

This is a government full of incompetent people, full of people who don't do any work, who are lazy, don't work the weekends. And we are coming in here with the sort of bureaucratic version of a bazooka. And he's even talked about eliminating entire agencies.

This is a government full of incompetent people, full of people who don't do any work, who are lazy, don't work the weekends. And we are coming in here with the sort of bureaucratic version of a bazooka. And he's even talked about eliminating entire agencies.

Well, he has turned his attention very aggressively towards the US Agency for International Development, which is known as USAID. This is the agency that is charged with delivering humanitarian assistance overseas. to some of the most vulnerable people around the world, you know, nutritional assistance for children, designed to help promote stability and humanitarianism.

Well, he has turned his attention very aggressively towards the US Agency for International Development, which is known as USAID. This is the agency that is charged with delivering humanitarian assistance overseas. to some of the most vulnerable people around the world, you know, nutritional assistance for children, designed to help promote stability and humanitarianism.

And we've seen now a pretty stunning series of events. A week ago, members of Musk's team entered the headquarters of USAID. They demanded and were granted access to the agency's financial and personnel systems.

And we've seen now a pretty stunning series of events. A week ago, members of Musk's team entered the headquarters of USAID. They demanded and were granted access to the agency's financial and personnel systems.

During that period, an acting administrator at the agency put about 60 senior officials on paid leave and issued stop work orders that led to the firing of hundreds of contractors with full-time employment and health benefits. By Saturday, the agency's website vanished. Like, literally just disappeared, went dark.

During that period, an acting administrator at the agency put about 60 senior officials on paid leave and issued stop work orders that led to the firing of hundreds of contractors with full-time employment and health benefits. By Saturday, the agency's website vanished. Like, literally just disappeared, went dark.

And when the top two security directors at USAID tried to stop members of the Musk team from entering a secure area to get classified files, they were placed on administrative leave. Katie Miller, who works on the Musk Initiative, said on X that no classified material was accessed without proper security clearances. But by Monday, USAID was effectively paralysed. And...

And when the top two security directors at USAID tried to stop members of the Musk team from entering a secure area to get classified files, they were placed on administrative leave. Katie Miller, who works on the Musk Initiative, said on X that no classified material was accessed without proper security clearances. But by Monday, USAID was effectively paralysed. And...

Musk has said that the president agreed that we should shut it down.

Musk has said that the president agreed that we should shut it down.

Well, remember, it's Congress, not the president, that gets to decide how to structure the executive branch of government. And Congress has enacted laws that says USAID should exist as an independent establishment. So this is running directly into very serious legal questions and questions about whether Congress... is going to assert itself as Trump basically runs roughshod over the institution.

Well, remember, it's Congress, not the president, that gets to decide how to structure the executive branch of government. And Congress has enacted laws that says USAID should exist as an independent establishment. So this is running directly into very serious legal questions and questions about whether Congress... is going to assert itself as Trump basically runs roughshod over the institution.

Right. And in terms of Musk's own authority, he's effectively unaccountable because Trump has given him his blessing. It's not like Trump is really interested in the minutia of the United States digital service or the treasury payment system or all of these pretty wonky and in some cases quite obscure parts of government that Musk and his team are taking control of.