There have been a handful of instances where senior non-appointed leaders in the Defense Department (and I would imagine elsewhere in the executive branch) have issued rather obviously over-the-top, sweeping orders rescinding longstanding, uncontroversial policies in response to President Trump’s Day 1 executive orders banning DEI programs. Most notably, the commander of the US Navy Reserve canceled anti-harassment, anti-fraternization, and safety and occupational health policies. And, more famously, the Air Force canceled a lesson on the Tuskegee Airmen.
Senator Katie Britt (R, AL) and newly-confirmed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth criticized the last of these as “malicious compliance.” Which, honestly, was my initial reaction as well. The standard procedure for interpreting over-broad orders is to ask for clarification before doing obviously stupid things.
But here’s the thing: the combination of the reckless manner in which the orders were issued and the ruthless disregard for consequences with which some programs are being carried out makes it hard to distinguish “malicious compliance” from “I was just followink orderz.”
I woke up this morning to these stories on memeorandum:
“White House pauses all federal grants, sparking confusion” (WaPo)
The White House budget office is ordering a pause to all grants and loans disbursed by the federal government, according to an internal memo sent to agencies Monday, creating significant confusion across Washington.
In a two-page document, Matthew J. Vaeth, the acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, instructs federal agencies to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligations or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance.” The memo, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post, also calls for each agency to perform a “comprehensive analysis” to ensure its grant and loan programs are consistent with President Donald Trump’s executive orders, which aimed to ban federal diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and limit clean energy spending, among other measures.
The memo states its orders should not be “construed” to impact Social Security or Medicare recipients, and also says the federal financial assistance put on hold “does not include assistance provided directly to individuals.”
“Trump administration orders sweeping freeze of federal aid” (POLITICO)
One week in, the Trump administration is broadening its assault on the functions of government and shifting control of the federal purse strings further away from members of Congress.
President Donald Trump’s budget office Monday ordered a total freeze on “all federal financial assistance” that could be targeted under his previous executive orders pausing funding for a wide range of priorities — from domestic infrastructure and energy projects to diversity-related programs and foreign aid.
In a two-page memo obtained by POLITICO, the Office of Management and Budget announced all federal agencies would be forced to suspend payments — with the exception of Social Security and Medicare.
“The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve,” according to the memo, which three people authenticated.
The new order could affect billions of dollars in grants to state and local governments while causing disruptions to programs that benefit many households. There was also widespread confusion over how the memo would be implemented and whether it would face legal challenges.
While the memo says the funding pause does not include assistance “provided directly to individuals,” for instance, it does not clarify whether that includes money sent first to states or organizations and then provided to households.
“Top USAID career staff placed on immediate leave” (POLITICO)
The Trump administration has ordered dozens of top career employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development to go on administrative leave, according to six people told of the decision.
The order — sent via email to members of the senior executive and senior Foreign Service — was issued close to the end of the business day Monday and was effective immediately, according to two current USAID officials and three former USAID officials told of the communication. It comes as USAID and the State Department have been ordered to impose halts on a vast number of humanitarian and related programs around the world.
The decision appears to affect nearly every career staffer who holds a top leadership role at the agency, at least in Washington — around 60 officials, the current and former officials said.
The cuts have left many offices within the agency entirely devoid of senior non-political leadership. The entire cadre of leaders who run USAID’s bureau for global health, for example, was put on leave, according to two of the officials.
“This is a huge morale hit,” said a former senior Trump administration official who was also told of the move. “This is the leadership of the agency. This is like taking out all the generals. I don’t know what they hope to accomplish by it.”
“Trump Administration Halts H.I.V. Drug Distribution in Poor Countries” (NYT)
The Trump administration has instructed organizations in other countries to stop disbursing H.I.V. medications purchased with U.S. aid, even if the drugs have already been obtained and are sitting in local clinics.
The directive is part of a broader freeze on foreign aid initiated last week. It includes the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the global health program started by George W. Bush that is credited with saving more than 25 million lives worldwide.
The administration had already moved to stop PEPFAR funding from moving to clinics, hospitals and other organizations in low-income countries.
Appointments are being canceled, and patients are being turned away from clinics, according to people with knowledge of the situation who feared retribution if they spoke publicly. Many people with H.I.V. are facing abrupt interruptions to their treatment.
But most federal officials are also under strict orders not to communicate with external partners, leading to confusion and anxiety, according to several people with knowledge of the situation.
U.S. officials have also been told to stop providing technical assistance to national ministries of health.
“The partners we collaborate with are in shock, and they do not know what to do because their lifesaving mission and commitment has been breached,” said Asia Russell, executive director of the advocacy group Health Gap.
“CDC ordered to stop working with WHO immediately, upending expectations of an extended withdrawal” (AP)
U.S. public health officials have been told to stop working with the World Health Organization, effective immediately.
A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official, John Nkengasong, sent a memo to senior leaders at the agency on Sunday night telling them that all staff who work with the WHO must immediately stop their collaborations and “await further guidance.”
Experts said the sudden stoppage was a surprise and would set back work on investigating and trying to stop outbreaks of Marburg virus and mpox in Africa, as well as brewing global threats. It also comes as health authorities around the world are monitoring bird flu outbreaks among U.S. livestock.
This is all just batshit insane. Even if one supported the goals being sought, the manner in which this is being carried out is simply destructive. It will quite literally result in people’s deaths. And, as frustrating as dealing with the WHO might be, there’s some bizarre irony in suspending work on the bird flu after getting elected largely on the high price of eggs.
Further, it’s hard to argue that taking absurd measures in the wake of the DEI order is “malicious” when we get actual policy directives like this:
“State Department Urged to Observe ‘Spirit’ of Trump’s Anti-DEI Order During Black History Month” (WSJ):
The State Department should observe the “spirit” of the Trump administration’s elimination of diversity programs in its public messaging, according to a Monday directive viewed by The Wall Street Journal, likely prohibiting the agency from openly observing Black History Month in February.
The new public affairs guidance states that any communications should reflect President Trump’s priorities, which have included the closure of diversity, equity and inclusion offices throughout the government and revocation of a six-decade-old executive order that required government contractors to proactively root out discrimination on the basis of race and sex. The DEI rollbacks prompted State Department officials over the last week to seek permission to release public statements about Black History Month as well as other “heritage months and commemorative events.”
The answer arrived in an email: Public diplomacy staff should highlight the “valuable contribution of individual Americans throughout U.S. history, while ensuring our public communications maintain the spirit of the directive eliminating DEAI programs,” referring to diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion.
There would be “no restrictions,” however, on content or any programming related to accessibility or people with disabilities.
A State Department official said it was clear there would be no public-facing messages or events about Black History Month when it begins on Saturday.
“That’s how we’re reading it,” the official said. “The diplomats I spoke to today, with decades of experience, couldn’t remember a time we failed” to mark Black History Month, the official added.
At least we know they’re allowed to say good things about the Tuskeegee Airmen. So there’s that.
