1A The News Roundup For February 14, 2025
Feb 14, 2025
Guest
Leila Milana-Allen
Guest
Emily Tamkin
Guest
Nancy A. Youssef
Guest
Naftali Ben-David
Guest
Amanda Becker
Guest
Arthur Delaney
Arthur Delaney, a senior reporter at HuffPost, joins Amanda Becker from the 19th and Naftali Ben-David from the Washington Post to discuss major political shifts, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s narrow confirmation as Secretary for Health and Human Services amid vaccine skepticism. Nancy Youssef and Emily Tamkin weigh in on international relations, focusing on Trump’s calls with Putin and Zelenskyy, while Leila Milana-ana Allen highlights strains on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. The episode wraps up with insights on U.S. foreign policy and domestic governance challenges.
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Episode notes
Federal Workforce Reduction
- The Trump administration aims to reduce the federal workforce by approximately 200,000 employees.
- This represents about 10% of the total federal workforce and is the first mass layoff initiated by Trump.
Layoff Impact
- A USDA Forest Service employee lost their job just before their probation ended.
- They expressed their dedication and frustration, highlighting the impact of the layoffs on individuals.
Justification for Layoffs
- The Trump administration defends its mass layoff approach, arguing that drastic measures are necessary.
- They believe a "sledgehammer" is needed to address big problems, and mistakes can be fixed later.