Shannon Bond

But again, like, you know, at the end of the day, the office of the president of the White House, which is what the Doge service is under, you know, is separate from these agencies. Yes. The president can issue executive orders saying – calling on agencies to prepare for reductions in force, which it has done. The White House itself like can't just go and fire people at agencies.

But again, like, you know, at the end of the day, the office of the president of the White House, which is what the Doge service is under, you know, is separate from these agencies. Yes. The president can issue executive orders saying – calling on agencies to prepare for reductions in force, which it has done. The White House itself like can't just go and fire people at agencies.

OPM can't go and fire people at agencies. Like the agencies themselves are doing this. And so that's again where like the kind of what is the chain of command here I think is murky and is why this is being opened up to all of this questioning legally and just practically by the people having to carry out this mission.

OPM can't go and fire people at agencies. Like the agencies themselves are doing this. And so that's again where like the kind of what is the chain of command here I think is murky and is why this is being opened up to all of this questioning legally and just practically by the people having to carry out this mission.

OPM can't go and fire people at agencies. Like the agencies themselves are doing this. And so that's again where like the kind of what is the chain of command here I think is murky and is why this is being opened up to all of this questioning legally and just practically by the people having to carry out this mission.

I think the thing I would say is, you know, what additional pushback is there sort of from inside the government and especially at the cabinet level? We know that Musk is going to be sitting in on Trump's cabinet meeting today. You know, would love to be a fly on the wall in that room, like what the dynamic is like.

I think the thing I would say is, you know, what additional pushback is there sort of from inside the government and especially at the cabinet level? We know that Musk is going to be sitting in on Trump's cabinet meeting today. You know, would love to be a fly on the wall in that room, like what the dynamic is like.

I think the thing I would say is, you know, what additional pushback is there sort of from inside the government and especially at the cabinet level? We know that Musk is going to be sitting in on Trump's cabinet meeting today. You know, would love to be a fly on the wall in that room, like what the dynamic is like.

Because, you know, again, I think, you know, it's been really notable, particularly that some of the most powerful cabinet secretaries, you know, the head of agencies that are, you know, very critical to national security are the ones who have kind of come out most aggressively in sort of marking their own territory here.

Because, you know, again, I think, you know, it's been really notable, particularly that some of the most powerful cabinet secretaries, you know, the head of agencies that are, you know, very critical to national security are the ones who have kind of come out most aggressively in sort of marking their own territory here.

Because, you know, again, I think, you know, it's been really notable, particularly that some of the most powerful cabinet secretaries, you know, the head of agencies that are, you know, very critical to national security are the ones who have kind of come out most aggressively in sort of marking their own territory here.

And again, like you said, it's not that these folks are not on board with the idea of cutting spending and reducing the workforce. But, you know, I think Marco Rubio is going to have a very hard time if he is not the one as secretary of state who is deeply involved in setting U.S. foreign policy. And like, you know, Musk is trying to get involved there.

And again, like you said, it's not that these folks are not on board with the idea of cutting spending and reducing the workforce. But, you know, I think Marco Rubio is going to have a very hard time if he is not the one as secretary of state who is deeply involved in setting U.S. foreign policy. And like, you know, Musk is trying to get involved there.

And again, like you said, it's not that these folks are not on board with the idea of cutting spending and reducing the workforce. But, you know, I think Marco Rubio is going to have a very hard time if he is not the one as secretary of state who is deeply involved in setting U.S. foreign policy. And like, you know, Musk is trying to get involved there.

So I think those sort of turf battles and then how those like resonate through the way the agencies are actually run is going to be the thing we're watching out for.

So I think those sort of turf battles and then how those like resonate through the way the agencies are actually run is going to be the thing we're watching out for.

So I think those sort of turf battles and then how those like resonate through the way the agencies are actually run is going to be the thing we're watching out for.

His name is Marco Ales. He's a 25-year-old Rutgers University graduate who previously worked at Musk's SpaceX and at X. He was a temporary appointee at Treasury who was granted access to this payment system alongside Krauss. Now, on Thursday, the Wall Street Journal identified racist posts from a social media account linked to him.

His name is Marco Ales. He's a 25-year-old Rutgers University graduate who previously worked at Musk's SpaceX and at X. He was a temporary appointee at Treasury who was granted access to this payment system alongside Krauss. Now, on Thursday, the Wall Street Journal identified racist posts from a social media account linked to him.

Those posts have been deleted, but NPR did independently confirm them. And Ales has now resigned, although Musk and Vice President J.D. Vance are saying he should get his job back.