Shannon Bond
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State Department staff were told anyone who wants to see posts from the Obama, Biden, or first Trump terms will have to file a Freedom of Information Act request, according to an employee who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation.
That's different from how the government typically archives the online footprint of previous administrations.
For example, ex-accounts for the president and the White House are handed over to the new administration, and old posts move to a publicly available archive account.
The State Department told NPR it wants to, quote, speak with one voice on social media.
The move comes as the Trump administration has removed wide swaths of information from government websites.
State Department staff were told anyone who wants to see posts from the Obama, Biden or first Trump terms are
will have to file a Freedom of Information Act request, according to an employee who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation.
That's different from how the government typically archives the online footprint of previous administrations.
For example, ex-accounts for the president and the White House are handed over to the new administration, and old posts move to a publicly available archive account.
The State Department told NPR it wants to, quote, speak with one voice on social media.
The move comes as the Trump administration has removed wide swaths of information from government websites.
The new rule reclassifies about 2% of career federal jobs as, quote, at-will positions.
The administration says it applies to those in jobs that influence policy.
President Trump has said the change is necessary to make sure civil servants support his directives.
Opponents of the change say it will open the door to politically motivated firings of employees who are meant to be nonpartisan.
The new rule also puts agencies in charge of creating protections for federal whistleblowers rather than the independent office of special counsel.
Federal worker unions and advocacy groups are suing the administration to block the change.