Rachel Abrams

President Trump said he had a, quote, lengthy and highly productive phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the beginning of what Trump characterized as an end to the war that he had pledged to finish as soon as he took office. The call signified that Western efforts to isolate Russia diplomatically had collapsed three years after the war began.

And the call came the same day that Trump's Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, said the U.S. did not support Ukraine joining NATO as part of any kind of realistic peace plan, and that it was also unrealistic for Ukraine to restore its borders as they were before Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

And the call came the same day that Trump's Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, said the U.S. did not support Ukraine joining NATO as part of any kind of realistic peace plan, and that it was also unrealistic for Ukraine to restore its borders as they were before Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

And Tulsi Gabbard was sworn in as Trump's director of national intelligence hours after the Senate voted to confirm her nomination. Despite a contentious hearing that featured tough questions from Democrats and several Republicans, every Republican except Mitch McConnell voted to confirm. The Senate also advanced Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

And Tulsi Gabbard was sworn in as Trump's director of national intelligence hours after the Senate voted to confirm her nomination. Despite a contentious hearing that featured tough questions from Democrats and several Republicans, every Republican except Mitch McConnell voted to confirm. The Senate also advanced Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

as Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy's vote fell along party lines, which was a stunning show of Republican support for a man whose refusal to accept scientific consensus has alarmed many public health leaders. Today's episode was produced by Alex Stern and Eric Rupke, with help from Carlos Prieto.

as Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy's vote fell along party lines, which was a stunning show of Republican support for a man whose refusal to accept scientific consensus has alarmed many public health leaders. Today's episode was produced by Alex Stern and Eric Rupke, with help from Carlos Prieto.

It was edited by Chris Haxel and Paige Cowett, with help from Ben Calhoun. It contains original music by Dan Powell and was engineered by Alyssa Moxley. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsberg of Wonderly. Special thanks to Emily Anthes and Alan Burdick. That's it for The Daily. I'm Rachel Abrams. See you tomorrow.

It was edited by Chris Haxel and Paige Cowett, with help from Ben Calhoun. It contains original music by Dan Powell and was engineered by Alyssa Moxley. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsberg of Wonderly. Special thanks to Emily Anthes and Alan Burdick. That's it for The Daily. I'm Rachel Abrams. See you tomorrow.

From The New York Times, this is The Daily. I'm Rachel Abrams. Today, Elon Musk and his team have taken a hacksaw to the federal bureaucracy one agency at a time. And the question has become whether he's on a crusade that will leave the government paralyzed or deliver exactly the kind of shakeup it's needed for years.

From The New York Times, this is The Daily. I'm Rachel Abrams. Today, Elon Musk and his team have taken a hacksaw to the federal bureaucracy one agency at a time. And the question has become whether he's on a crusade that will leave the government paralyzed or deliver exactly the kind of shakeup it's needed for years.

My colleague, Jonathan Swan, takes us inside this hostile takeover of Washington. It's Wednesday, February 5th. So, Jonathan, we always understood that Elon Musk was going to be important in this administration in the second Trump presidency.

My colleague, Jonathan Swan, takes us inside this hostile takeover of Washington. It's Wednesday, February 5th. So, Jonathan, we always understood that Elon Musk was going to be important in this administration in the second Trump presidency.

Trump had given the group that Musk was put in charge of, the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE as it's commonly known, the job of shrinking the entire federal government. But the question was always just how much power Musk would actually have as a private citizen operating outside the president's cabinet.

Trump had given the group that Musk was put in charge of, the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE as it's commonly known, the job of shrinking the entire federal government. But the question was always just how much power Musk would actually have as a private citizen operating outside the president's cabinet.

And over the past few days, we've actually started to get an answer, which is a whole lot of power.

And over the past few days, we've actually started to get an answer, which is a whole lot of power.

Okay, so what does that demon mode risk-taking ethos actually look like that he's applying to the government? What has he been up to this past week?

Okay, so what does that demon mode risk-taking ethos actually look like that he's applying to the government? What has he been up to this past week?

A literal post-it note.