The Morning Sixpack - March 28, 2025
Inflation is "sticky," Trump budget top dog wants to ban the "woke agenda," and hundreds of Visas revoked from "pro-Palestinian" students.
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Double Standard at DHS? Career Employee Punished for Email Mistake While Trump Allies Walk Free
A long-serving Department of Homeland Security (DHS) staffer is facing career-ending punishment for what appears to be a simple email mistake—adding a journalist to a group message about an upcoming Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation. Sound familiar?
The message, while unclassified, contained law enforcement-sensitive details like timing and locations of ICE activity. Despite immediately calling the reporter—who agreed not to publish the info—the employee was placed on leave, asked to surrender her personal phone, and was recently told her security clearance will be revoked.
The kicker? Trump appointees who leaked actual military strike plans on Signal chats remain untouched. Read more below in the next story.
"Both of these are examples of carelessness in the handling of highly sensitive information, the disclosure of which could put U.S. government employees or military members in danger," said Mary McCord, a former DOJ national security official.
She added, “We should expect the Signal chat breach to be taken at least as seriously.”
But it hasn’t been. In the Signal case, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly shared strike timing for U.S. attacks in Yemen with a group that mistakenly included The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief—no administrative leave, no revoked clearance, no consequences. Meanwhile, Trump called it all “a witch hunt.”
Former ICE Chief of Staff Jason Houser put it bluntly: “Targeting a career official who dedicated her service to protecting public safety and enforcing the law — while excusing political appointees who leaked sensitive war plans — shows this administration punishes integrity and protects recklessness. That doesn’t just betray her, it weakens every public servant who risks their career to do the right thing.”
The DHS employee, who’s served since the Bush administration, has 30 days to appeal her clearance revocation—but the damage may already be done.
Source: NBC News
Signal Scandal Exposes Deep Double Standard in Trump’s National Security Team
After Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared sensitive military plans in a Signal group chat—including with The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief by mistake—the fallout has been lopsided and political.
Despite what one Pentagon official called an “egregious security breach,” the Trump White House is circling the wagons, refusing to discipline anyone involved. Instead, Trump is reportedly more focused on attacking the media and avoiding what one aide called "producing a scalp."
Meanwhile, rank-and-file national security personnel are left stunned by the lack of accountability.
“When senior leadership disregards OPSEC and security protocols without consequences, it undermines the work we do,” said a Department of Defense official.
The gap between the administration’s public defense and the private panic inside national security circles is growing.
Senior Democrats have called for resignations, and even some Republicans are raising red flags. Senator Roger Wicker and Democrat Jack Reed have requested an investigation, while Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi confirmed that “they [Republicans] are much more concerned privately… the unredacted messages are astonishing.”
Still, Trump continues to defend Hegseth and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, even rewarding loyalists like Lindsey Graham with endorsements. As public pressure mounts, conservative influencers like Dave Portnoy and Tomi Lahren are breaking ranks—Portnoy saying bluntly, “Somebody has to go down.”
I still maintain it will be Waltz first (fired) followed by Hegseth (enrolled in rehab).
The White House, however, seems more concerned with optics than consequences. Isn’t this ALWAYS the case?
Trump, still haunted by Mike Flynn’s ousting in 2017, appears determined not to repeat what he sees as a premature firing.
But insiders say Waltz may be more vulnerable than Hegseth, with suspicion growing around how Goldberg’s contact was added to the chat.
As the story drags on and public trust erodes, one thing is clear: The rules apply only to those without power.
As Lahren put it, “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”
Source: The Atlantic (gift article)
I’m telling you—the fratboys get all the breaks.
Trump Administration Escalates Crackdown on Foreign Student Protesters, Revokes Visas Over Gaza Demonstrations
The Trump administration is intensifying its efforts to silence dissent among international students, revoking the visas of over 300 foreign nationals allegedly involved in pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. campuses.
“We gave you a visa to come and study and get a degree, not to become a social activist that tears up our university campuses,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a press conference.
If they cared about these universities, they wouldn’t be dismantling the Department of Education. Just sayin’.
The move follows a string of arrests—including one caught on surveillance video—prompting outrage from civil liberties groups and student advocates who say the government is weaponizing immigration policy against free expression.
One of the most high-profile detentions involves Rumeysa Öztürk, a Turkish-born PhD student at Tufts University, who was arrested near her apartment by masked, plainclothes federal agents.
The video shows a visibly shaken Öztürk raising her hands in fear as officers closed in, prompting a bystander to ask, “Why are you hiding your faces?”
A. Because they are breaking the law and B. They are afraid of retribution.
Öztürk, 30, remains in federal custody in Louisiana. Tufts is in blue Massachusetts. Why was she moved across the country to red Louisiana?
Tufts President Sunil Kumar said the university was blindsided by the arrest and called the footage “disturbing,” acknowledging how unsettling the incident has been for the campus community, especially international students.
Despite backlash, Rubio doubled down, vowing more arrests and revocations. “Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visa,” he said. The administration’s sweeping actions have drawn comparisons to authoritarian crackdowns, with critics calling it state-sanctioned intimidation. Hundreds of protesters have already taken to the streets in support of Öztürk, demanding her release and an end to what they see as politically motivated targeting. As Rubio pushes the narrative of national security, civil rights advocates warn this is a dangerous precedent for dissent on American soil.
This is what they’re doing: They are REVOKING visas because the students (and staff) have demonstrated in pro-Palestinian protests and THEN they are putting them in shitty jails/prisons because they didn’t have a visa!
What happened to the First Amendment? Due process? Humanity?
Massive Shakeup at HHS: 10,000 Jobs Slashed in Trump-Era Overhaul of Public Health Agencies
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is undergoing a sweeping restructuring, announcing Thursday it will eliminate 10,000 jobs as part of a plan to downsize its total workforce by nearly 25 percent.
Combined with early retirements and buyouts accepted by another 10,000 employees, the agency will shrink from 82,000 to 62,000 positions.
The cuts hit hardest at public health institutions like the FDA and CDC—critical agencies already under scrutiny in a post-COVID world. Pandemics are still occurring, but Trump doesn’t care about bird flu or measels just like he didn’t care about COVID-19.
Most of the layoffs target core public health infrastructure: The Food and Drug Administration will lose 3,500 workers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will cut 2,400 jobs, and the National Institutes of Health is slashing 1,200 positions.
Even the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees health coverage for tens of millions, will shed 300 employees. The move is part of a broader Trump administration policy offering buyouts across the federal workforce—accelerating attrition in already overburdened agencies. In these instances, Trump is running the federal government like one of his many failed businesses: Cut staff (encourage quitting) and then never backfill, causing remaining employees to be overburdened and eventually quit.
These reductions come at a time when public trust in health institutions remains fragile and national preparedness for future health crises is under the microscope. Critics warn this level of downsizing could severely impair the government’s ability to respond to emerging threats or enforce safety standards.
Whether seen as cost-cutting or gutting, this dramatic move will have lasting effects on public health operations nationwide.
Source: AP News
Trump Budget Chief Plots $9 Trillion Slash: Vought Targets ‘Woke and Weaponized’ Government
Russell T. Vought, Trump’s budget chief, is driving an aggressive plan to gut the federal government by slashing $9 trillion in spending over the next decade.
Programs like housing vouchers, student loans, and even parts of Medicaid are in the crosshairs, alongside sweeping layoffs and cuts to civil service roles.
Vought’s blueprint—originally released in 2022—has morphed from a fringe manifesto into a policy playbook as Trump reshapes federal agencies to reflect a hardline, ultra-conservative vision.
“The evidence of America’s fiscal brokenness is everywhere,” Vought wrote in his policy guide, which uses the word “woke” 77 times.
Back in power at the Office of Management and Budget, Vought is executing his agenda with a loyal team that includes controversial figures like Dan Bishop and Jeffrey Clark.
His proposed cuts aren’t just about saving money—they’re about ideological warfare.
Programs benefiting marginalized communities, climate initiatives, and even foreign aid are labeled “secular, woke religion” and targeted for elimination.
In a February Fox Business interview, Vought made it clear: The goal is “making these cuts permanent in the long term.”
Agencies have already been ordered to submit plans to lay off staff, sell buildings, and align spending with Trump’s policy priorities.
The White House has already started freezing billions in federal funds, prompting lawsuits and an investigation by the Government Accountability Office.
Democrats are calling foul, with Senator Patty Murray blasting the administration’s recent removal of a federal spending transparency site as “a brazen move to hide this administration’s spending from the American people.”
Meanwhile, conservatives are cheering.
“What the president will have will be sweet music to all of us who want a very conservative budget,” said Rep. Ralph Norman.
With Vought at the helm, the Trump administration isn’t just cutting costs—it’s cutting deep into the fabric of federal governance.
Source: NYT
Inflation Stays Stubborn as Spending Bounces Back—Tariff Impact Still Looms
U.S. inflation remained sticky in February, holding at 2.5% annually—just as Americans ramped up spending after a rough January.
Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, actually ticked up to 2.8%, the highest in a year. What happened to Trump defeating inflation, “Like, on Day 1?”
The monthly core price increase of 0.4% was the largest in over 12 months, suggesting inflationary pressures aren’t easing much despite earlier optimism.
“The outlook is unusually uncertain given the swift changes in policy from the White House,” Fed Chair Jerome Powell warned last week, as tariffs imposed by President Trump have yet to fully hit.
Americans’ spending rose 0.4% in February, but it came after the biggest monthly drop in four years.
Meanwhile, confidence in the economy continues to erode.
Trump’s aggressive (i.e., stupid) trade policy—slapping 20% tariffs on all Chinese imports, 25% duties on steel, aluminum, and now 25% on imported cars—is expected to drive inflation even higher. While Trump has promised to crush inflation quickly (on Day 1, I remind you), it has actually ticked up from a 2.1% low last September.
Economists are now bracing for more inflationary pressure as these policies ripple through the supply chain.
The disconnect between economic data and public sentiment is widening.
Despite wage growth and spending rebounds, most Americans still feel the pinch. A recent Pew survey found that 63% of Americans consider inflation a “very big problem,” and overall economic outlooks have plunged to a 12-year low. Whether inflation proves “temporary,” as Powell suggests, or turns into a longer-term political headache for Trump, remains to be seen.
Source: MDGN
"After Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared sensitive military plans in a Signal group chat—including with The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief by mistake"
U.S. has world power because of our allies! That's it. We are not independent. These once allies have lost trust in us because of this HUGE mistake and the mishandling of it. The high school chit chat expressing their hate for the EU during "The War Plan" doesn't help. We will lose world power in both the tech & military world view. Can you speak Chinese and Spanish? Because those are your new world leader and work force! No one will trust in sharing intel with the U.S. any longer,,, NO ONE!
The White House, however, seems more concerned with optics than consequences. Isn’t this ALWAYS the case?
The "empty cult" also known as maga is treating this real life situation as if it's some kind of a movie production set.
If they cared about these universities, they wouldn’t be dismantling the Department of Education. Just sayin’.
China is waiting for these BRILLIANT MINDS that are going to advance China in this tech war leaving the U.S. to wonder where did we go wrong? Much like they and Russia are hiring all these fired federal workers for intel purposes. Goodnight America and TY for the ride up to 2025.