The newly minted president of the Kennedy Center, Richard Grenell, took the Broadway star behind the creation of "Hamilton," Lin-Manuel Miranda, to task over a "publicity stunt" he said discriminates against Republican voters and will likely "backfire."

"The American people need to know that @Lin_Manuel is intolerant of people who don’t agree with him politically. It’s clear he and ('Hamilton' producer Jeffrey Seller) don’t want Republicans going to their shows. Americans see you, Lin," Grenell posted to X Wednesday. 

Seller and Miranda spoke to the New York Times in a piece published Wednesday afternoon detailing that they canceled a planned production of "Hamilton," a popular rap musical on the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, slated for 2026 due to the Trump administration's policies. 

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts serves as the national cultural center of the U.S. and is now led by President Donald Trump as its chairman, Grenell and its board of trustees. 

KENNEDY CENTER SHAKE-UP WILL USHER IN 'GOLDEN AGE OF THE ARTS' UNDER TRUMP, RIC GRENELL PREVIEWS

"This latest action by Trump means it’s not the Kennedy Center as we knew it," Miranda and Seller told the New York Times in a joint statement. "The Kennedy Center was not created in this spirit, and we’re not going to be a part of it while it is the Trump Kennedy Center. We’re just not going to be part of it."

TRUMP ENVOY RICHARD GRENELL SECURES FREEDOM FOR 6 AMERICANS FOLLOWING MEETING WITH MADURO IN VENEZUELA

Seller claimed that Trump "took away our national arts center for all of us."

"It became untenable for us to participate in an organization that had become so deeply politicized," the musical's producer said. "The Kennedy Center is for all of us, and it pains me deeply that they took it over and changed that. They said it’s not for all of us. It’s just for Donald Trump and his crowd. So we made a decision we can’t do it."

ACTRESS ISSA RAE CANCELS SOLD-OUT KENNEDY CENTER SHOW AFTER TRUMP NAMED CHAIRMAN OF VENUE

Grennel shot back at the Broadway chiefs, saying they need to "be clear on the facts."

"Seller and @Lin_Manuel first went to the New York Times before they came to the Kennedy Center with their announcement that they can’t be in the same room with Republicans," he wrote on X. "This is a publicity stunt that will backfire."

"The Arts are for everyone — not just for the people who Lin likes and agrees with," he continued. 

"Americans see you, Lin."
 

Fox News Digital reached out to Miranda's press team for additional comment, but did not immediately receive replies. The press office representing "Hamilton" provided Fox Digital with Seller's statement canceling the production at the Kennedy Center when approached for additional comment. 

Trump fired a handful of the Kennedy Center's previous board members in February, arguing that they did "not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture." He indicated that the motivation behind firing the former board members was due to the Kennedy Center's drag show performances under the Biden administration that targeted children.

The new Kennedy Center board elected Trump as chairman Feb. 12. Trump appointed Grenell — who became the U.S.'s first openly gay Cabinet member under the first Trump administration when he served as acting director of national intelligence — as interim executive director amid the board shakeup. 

Grenell — as well as Trump — has since vowed that he and the Kennedy Center team will usher in the "Golden Age of the Arts."

He previewed during his remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February that the Kennedy Center will now focus on performances "the public want to see," such as Christmas-focused productions in December. 

"We have to do the big productions that the masses and the public want to see, we want to have really good programming," Grenell said in February at CPAC. "So the first thing that we’re doing … you’ve got to be at the Kennedy Center in December, because we are doing a big, huge celebration of the birth of Christ at Christmas. How crazy is it to think that we’re going to celebrate Christ at Christmas with a big traditional production to celebrate what we are all celebrating in the world during Christmastime, which is the birth of Christ."

A BIDEN-ERA LEGAL WIN PAVED THE WAY FOR TRUMP'S KENNEDY CENTER BOARD FIRINGS

Miranda has not shied away from slamming the Trump administration in previous years, including saying on X in 2017 that Trump would be "going straight to hell" amid the administration's response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico that year. 

Following the Trump-Pence election win in 2016, the cast of "Hamilton" also came under fire when it performed before then-Vice President-elect Mike Pence. Trump demanded the "Hamilton" cast apologize after calling on Pence to "uphold our American values" from the stage. 

"We, sir, we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights," a cast member said in comments aimed at Pence. "We truly hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and work on behalf of all of us. All of us."

Seller told the New York Times in 2016 that he and Miranda and other cast members wrote the curtain call statement aimed at Pence after they struggled with how to "cope" with Trump's first White House win. 

"We had to ask ourselves, how do we cope with this?" Seller said. "Our cast could barely go on stage the day after the election. The election was painful and crushing to all of us here. We all struggled with what was the appropriate and respectful and proper response. We are honored that Mr. Pence attended the show, and we had to use this opportunity to express our feelings."

In 2025, conservatives are celebrating Grenell's response to the "Hamilton" leaders. 

The Houston Young Republicans announced on social media Thursday that conservatives in the area should boycott attending productions of the show in March in light of the Kennedy Center cancelation. 

"Hamilton canceled its Kennedy Center run, with producer Jeffrey Seller stating, ‘Our show simply cannot, in good conscience, participate and be a part of this new culture that is being imposed on the Kennedy Center,’" the group wrote in an Instagram post. "Yet somehow, they have no issue bringing that same production to Houston."

"If they don’t want to perform for conservatives, conservatives don’t need to show up for them," the Republican group added.

A handful of left-leaning performers and celebrities have pulled out of shows at the Kennedy Center since Trump's reelection and serving as the center's board chair. 

The center came under scrutiny in February as the media and liberal critics spotlighted that a performance by the Gay Men's Chorus and National Symphony Orchestra slated for May as part of Washington, D.C.'s gay pride celebrations was canceled, with critics attempting to tie the cancelation to the Trump administration. The chorus and orchestra were scheduled to perform a show titled "A Peacock Among Pigeons," based on an LGBT-themed children's book. 

TRUMP FIRES KENNEDY CENTER BOARD MEMBERS CITING DRAG SHOWS, APPOINTS HIMSELF CHAIRMAN

The performance, however, was put on the chopping block weeks before the center's leadership change and was canceled due to lack of ticket sales, Fox News Digital learned. 

Grenell told Fox Digital in February that the Kennedy Center has no cash on hand, and that he would work to roll out shows that actually sell tickets. 

"The Kennedy Center has zero cash on hand and zero dollars in reserves – while taking tens of millions of dollars in public funds," Grenell told Fox News Digital in February. "We must have programs that sell tickets. We can’t afford to pay for content that doesn’t at least pay for itself right now. I wish we didn’t have to consider the costs of production, but we do." 

"The good news is that there are plenty of shows that are very popular, and therefore the ticket sales will pay for themselves," Grenell added. 

President Donald Trump said he has notified Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser that she needs to "clean up all of the unsightly homeless encampments" within the city or the federal government "will be forced to do it for her."

In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, the president specifically referenced areas near the State Department and the White House that are populated with homeless encampments that need to be removed, adding that the nation's capital "must become CLEAN and SAFE!"

"If she is not capable of doing so, we will be forced to do it for her!" Trump wrote, in part. "We want to be proud of our Great Capital again. Thank you Mayor Bowser for your efforts on behalf of the Citizens of our Country. Hopefully you will be successful!"

TRUMP THROWS SUPPORT BEHIND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAKING OVER DC 

Trump has previously stated that he supports the federal government taking over the nation's capital if it cannot be managed correctly, adding that the city cannot remain as it is when foreign leaders come to town.

"They're not doing the job," Trump said last month, arguing that there is "too much crime" and "too many tents on the lawns – these magnificent lawns."

Despite his criticism of the city, Trump has said he likes the Democratic mayor personally. The two met in December to discuss their shared priorities for Washington, D.C., a moment that was described by Bowser as a "great meeting."

"President Trump and I both want Washington, DC to be the best, most beautiful city in the world and we want the capital city to reflect the strength of our nation," Bowser said in December.

DC BLACK LIVES MATTER PLAZA TO GET NEW LOOK, REPLACE STREET MURAL AS PART OF 'EVOLUTION' 

Trump's social media post on Wednesday also comes one day after Bowser announced the city will be replacing its controversial Black Lives Matter Plaza with murals by students and artists as part of DC's America 250 project ahead of the country's 250th anniversary next year.

When the plaza was constructed in 2021, Bowser said it would be a permanent installation.

"The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a painful period, but now we can't afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference," Bowser's statement said, referencing a recently-introduced bill that calls for changing the plaza. "The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern."

Details surrounding a date for the plaza's transformation were not given.

The chief of staff for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was recently arrested for allegedly driving while intoxicated, Fox News can confirm.

Hayden Haynes was arrested just before midnight on Tuesday evening for allegedly getting behind the wheel of a vehicle while drunk. The arrest took place around an hour after President Donald Trump's joint address to Congress wrapped up.

U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), who did not identify the suspect, confirmed the arrest to Fox News.

"A driver backed into a parked vehicle last night around 11:40 p.m," a USCP spokesperson said. "We responded and arrested them for DUI." 

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED DURING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S 6TH WEEK IN OFFICE

Haynes has worked in Johnson's office since 2017 and became chief of staff in October 2023, according to LegiStorm records. He was Johnson's campaign manager in 2016.

A Louisiana native, Haynes graduated from Louisana Tech University with a bachelor's degree in 2011, later earning a graduate degree from Gonzaga University in 2014.

In a statement obtained by Fox News Digital, Johnson's office said that the speaker still has "full faith and confidence" in Haynes' "ability to lead the Speaker's office."

TRUMP GIVES JOHNSON 'COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT' AHEAD OF SPEAKERSHIP FIGHT

"The Speaker is aware of the encounter that occurred last night involving his Chief of Staff and the Capitol Police," the statement read. "The Speaker has known and worked closely with Hayden for nearly a decade and trusted him to serve as his Chief of Staff for his entire tenure in Congress."

"Because of this and Hayden’s esteemed reputation among Members and staff alike, the Speaker has full faith and confidence in Hayden’s ability to lead the Speaker’s office."

Before the arrest took place, Johnson appeared on "Hannity" to praise Trump's speech and said that Democrats "brought shame on themselves and their party" by disrupting the event.

"I'm sure it was received as well at home as it was there by the Republicans and the audience up in the gallery," Johnson said. "It was really shameful what the Democrats did. I mean, they really it was quite a spectacle. They brought shame on themselves and their party."

"But the American people are following what the president is delivering, and they are appreciating it."

A team of volunteer archivists has recreated the Centers for Disease Control website exactly as it was the day Donald Trump was inaugurated. The site, called RestoredCDC.org, went live Tuesday and is currently being hosted in Europe.

As we have been following since the beginning of Trump’s second term, websites across the entire federal government have been altered and taken offline under this administration’s war on science, health, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Critical information promoting vaccines, HIV care, reproductive health options including abortion, and trans and gender confirmation healthcare have been purged from the CDC’s live website under Trump. Disease surveillance data about bird flu and other concerns have either been delayed or have stopped being updated entirely. Some deleted pages across the government have at least temporarily been restored thanks to a court order, but the Trump administration has added a note rejecting “gender ideology” to some of them.

Restored CDC isn’t going to have continuous updates on this type of healthcare and disease guidance, but it has brought back all of the critical data that was purged in an easy to use, easy to navigate, and fast website. Other critical archiving projects, including the End of Term Archive, have saved government websites more broadly, but many website archives are slow to use and difficult to navigate because things like interactive elements and internal linking can sometimes be wonky. Some archives require users to download files to navigate them on their own computers, for example. Archives on the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine are a great public service, but depending on the snapshot, they can be slow to load and some elements may be broken. Using RestoredCDC.org, meanwhile, is like using any other website, and the team hopes that the pages will be indexed by Google so they will be easily discoverable on search engines. 

On other archives, “The individual pages are archived, but links between them are broken and the pages are not easy to locate through web searches,” the team behind RestoredCDC wrote.  

“Therefore, we will re-build the links between the pages, to create a site that can be navigated the same way as the pre-January 21, 2025 CDC site,” they wrote. “The only changes we will make on these pages is to add a header that indicates that this site is not a CDC website. Because of the complex navigation between pages, we will also include a button to report problems in this header. Our goal is to provide a mirror site that provides the same information and user experience as the previous CDC website.”

In a Reddit post on the DataHoarders subreddit, one of the developers of RestoredCDC said that the website was made using archived pages created by that community, and that the website is hosted in Europe. 

“Our goal is to provide a resource that includes the information and data previously available,” the team wrote. “We are committed to providing the previously available webpages and data, from before the potential tampering occurred. Our approach is to be as transparent as possible about our process. We plan to gather archival data and then remove CDC logos and branding, using GitHub to host our code to create the site.”

The former chairwoman of a little-known agency that hears appeals by fired or disciplined federal government employees has been ordered reinstated to her position by a federal judge.

Cathy Harris, a Democrat who led the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) until she was fired by President Donald Trump on Feb. 10, has been put back in her position after a judge issued a permanent injunction.

Harris had filed an appeal the day after her sacking, arguing that Trump and other federal officials did not have the authority to terminate her and that an email outlining her dismissal showed no reason for cause to terminate her. 

She cited the U.S. Supreme Court's 1935 ruling in Humphrey's Executor v. United States that has limited a president's ability to fire certain agency heads. Some justices on today's 6-3 conservative-majority court have signaled a willingness to rein in or perhaps overturn that ruling.

TRUMP FIRES 17 GOVERNMENT WATCHDOGS AT VARIOUS FEDERAL AGENCIES

On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Rudolph Contreras of the District of Columbia agreed with Harris and wrote that federal law states that members of the MSPB may be removed from office "only for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office." 

Contreras wrote that President Donald Trump informed Harris that her position on the MSPB was "terminated, effective immediately," but provided no reason for Harris’s termination.

Harris was appointed to the board in 2022 by former President Joe Biden for a 7-year term. The merit Systems Protection Board is the primary agency used by civil servants to file complaints within the federal government.

Trump named Henry Kerner, a Republican, as its acting chair upon returning to the White House on Jan. 20. 

FEDERAL JUDGE HINTS SHE WILL CONTINUE BLOCKING TRUMP FROM FIRING HEAD OF WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION AGENCY

Contreras further ordered that Harris shall continue to serve as a member of the MSPB until her term expires, unless she is earlier removed for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office under that statute.

Contreras, who was nominated by President Barack Obama, a Democrat, and has served on the court since 2012, initially agreed on Feb. 18 to issue a temporary restraining order for Harris to continue chairing the three-member board until the court decides her case. After a hearing on Monday, the judge issued a permanent injunction extending that previous order.

"Harris has undoubtedly experienced an injury to this independence in her capacity as a member of the MSPB following the President’s attempt to terminate her without cause, and any future attempts would prove just as harmful to that autonomy," the judge wrote.

"In addition, unlike most other federal employees, Harris was duly appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to a position carrying a term of years with specific reasons for her removal."

The judge wrote that injunctive relief in this case is in the public interest, and the balance of the equities tips in Harris’s favor. 

"Given that federal law limits the conditions under which Harris’s tenure may be terminated, Supreme Court precedent supports the constitutionality of those conditions, and defendants do not argue that those conditions were met here, the court finds that it is in the public interest to issue injunctive relief," the judge wrote.

Government attorneys had argued that the court didn’t have the authority to reinstate Harris or bar Trump from replacing her on the board.

"The American people elected President Trump to run the executive branch," they wrote in court documents. "And President Trump has determined that keeping (Harris) in office no longer serves the best interests of the American people. That democratically accountable choice should be respected."

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. 

Federal health policies and decisions are quickly becoming less transparent under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—despite him telling Health Department employees just last month that he would work with them to "launch a new era of radical transparency."

Since then, Kennedy has axed a public meeting on vaccines—leaving lingering questions about the future of those transparent proceedings. He has also revoked a broad transparency policy for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that required public notice for certain new rules and a comment period to allow for the public to be involved with the rulemaking process. Revoking the policy could have sweeping effects. For instance, HHS could now change Medicaid requirements with no notice or change federal research grants without input from the research community—something the Trump administration has already tried to do before it was put on hold by a federal judge.

Rolling back public participation

On Monday, Kennedy published the new policy in the Federal Register, which specifically revoked a transparency rule adopted by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 1971. The rule—called the Richardson Waiver, after then-Health Secretary Elliot Richardson—required HHS to have public notice-and-comment periods for proposed rules and policies regarding certain matters, namely public property, loans, grants, benefits, or contracts. These five categories would otherwise have been exempt from public notice-and-comment requirements under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The APA also says that public notice-and-comment periods can be waived for "good cause."

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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul launched an ad campaign in Washington, D.C., and New York City this weekend offering to hire federal workers who were fired by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

One ad, which ran in D.C.’s Union Station and New York City’s Moynihan train stations, depicted the Statue of Liberty and read: "DOGE said you’re fired? We say you’re hired! New York wants you!"

The ad includes a link to the New York state government’s website, which lists nearly two thousand different positions in the state government.

After meeting with New York residents impacted by the federal cuts, Hochul held a press conference on Monday in which she bashed Musk and "his clueless cadre of career killers." 

'GREAT JOB' OR 'NO IDEA WHAT HE'S DOING'? ELON MUSK EMAIL SETS CAPITOL HILL ABLAZE

She said that many of the fired federal workers "found the whole experience degrading [and] dehumanizing" and accused Musk and President Donald Trump of not caring for the needs of Americans or the services that she said will be impacted by DOGE firings.

"They call themselves putting America First. Give me a break," she said. "They know nothing about the functions of government. They don't know who it serves, and they don't care about the tireless public servants who keep it all running."

"None of this seems to matter to Donald Trump and Elon Musk, not at all. For them, it’s just fodder for this cheap second-rate reality show. ‘You're fired,’ it's fun for them to say it," she said.

Addressing former federal workers directly, Hochul said: "The current regime in Washington may not recognize your talents, but I can assure you New York State does. We don't vilify public servants. We value you. We cherish your contribution, and we do want to welcome you to the New York family."

ELON MUSK IS PUSHING BACK ON BUSINESS AS USUAL WITH DOGE, SAYS REP. LUNA

"In New York, we know it's not the demagogues and the technocrats who make America great," she went on. "It's public servants like Luke and all the people I just met, and countless who came before them, who dedicate their lives to serving others."

Hochul said the state of New York has 7,000 public sector positions available, including positions for engineers, attorneys, healthcare workers, educators and others. She said the campaign is part of an "ongoing effort" to rebuild the state’s public workforce after it was "decimated, particularly during COVID."

Beyond hiring laid-off federal employees, Hochul emphasized states’ role in resisting the new Trump administration’s DOGE efforts.

"It starts in the courts," she said. "We are ready to file lawsuits to stop anything, particularly with this first wave of layoffs for provisional individuals because the proper notice wasn't done. They didn't follow any rules. They did not follow a single rule. They think they are kings and they can just come in and do whatever they want."

WHAT'S THE POINT OF ALL THESE ANTI-DOGE LAWSUITS? FIGHT TRUMP'S AGENDA TO SCOTUS, LEGAL EXPERTS SAY

"So, in the meantime, the states have to step up," she went on. "This is what we can do. We'll see them in court, but also, let's take care of these people. Let's not have them worry about their healthcare, whether or not their child's going to get medical treatment for their own families."

In response, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields told Fox News Digital: "No amount of Democrat obstruction will stop President Trump from delivering on the promises he made to the American people."

"Radical, out-of-touch Democrats should clean up the disasters they’ve created in their own states before trying to promote their failed policies to the rest of America," said Fields.

Maxim Naumov wept on his knees at the end of his performance honoring his parents, wiped away tears as he skated off the ice and held an electric candle in the air as applause rained down. Amber Glenn broke down when she finished skating, and so did 13-year-old Isabella Aparicio, who was performing in memory of her brother, Franco, and their father, Luciano.

"There was not a dry eye to be found anywhere," pairs skater Madison Chock said.

A low murmur of crying pierced a lengthy moment of silence as fans lit the arena with their cellphones, riding waves of emotion through a poignant figure skating show Sunday in the nation's capital to remember and raise money for the victims of the midair collision outside Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

DC PLANE CRASH: VICTIM'S FAMILY SEEKS $250 MILLION IN FIRST LEGAL ACTION SINCE DEADLY COLLISION

The Legacy on Ice benefit event featured a star-studded group of some of the best U.S. figure skaters of the past and present taking part to pay tribute to the 67 people who died when an Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines flight and crashed into the Potomac River on Jan. 29. That included 28 members of the figure skating community, some of whom lived and trained in the Washington area.

"Everyone grieves in their own way, and the last month has been really challenging for a lot of us to just grapple with the magnitude of this loss," said Evan Bates, who with Chock won Olympic gold in Beijing in 2022. "I think coming together today and doing something tangible like a show will give people, hopefully, a little glimmer of hope and a little light for that next step forward."

American icons of the sport Kristi Yamaguchi and Brian Boitano emceed the show, which included performances by the likes of Glenn, Johnny Weir and reigning men's world champion Ilia Malinin, along with poignant tributes to the victims.

"We are not powerless," Boitano said in opening the show. "As skaters, we learned to be resilient and to always find a path forward that is positive."

Ted Leonsis, head of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which staged the event along with U.S. Figure Skating, DC Fire & EMS Foundation and the Greater Washington Community Foundation, hopes doing this at Capital One Arena helps families in the healing process the way concerts and sports at Madison Square Garden did in New York in 2001 after 9/11.

"Sports can play this convening and healing role," Leonsis said. "Our goal is to allow the community to heal, kind of a collective hug for these communities, but then we want to raise a lot of money."

The dasher boards had 67 stars, one for each of the victims, and skaters put flowers on a rinkside table of candles before beginning their routines.

"We’re all here to support one another, whether it was our friends that were on that plane, family members, coaches, teammates, loved ones," said 2014 Olympic team bronze medalist Jason Brown, who skated to "The Impossible Dream" by Josh Groban. "We all travel for this sport. We get to do what we love. And travel is such a huge part of what we do, so it all hit us really hard because this is just such an integral part of what we do, as well as those are people that we’re closest to."

GRIEVING FATHER OF DC PLANE CRASH PILOT CALLS OUT GOVERNMENT ON AIR REGULATIONS: 'WRITTEN IN BLOOD'

Glenn kicked things off by performing to Andra Day’s "Rise Up" and broke down in tears at center ice when she finished. Weir, whose family moved to Newark, Delaware, when he was 12 for him to pursue his skating career, dedicated his performance to the members of the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club who were on American Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, following a national development camp there coinciding with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

"It was a very traumatic experience for me and really just devastating for me to hear when all that happened, and I really wanted to have something that everyone could remember as a family, as a whole community that we remember them," Malinin said. "All of our daily lives, every time we step on the ice, we’ll always think of them. Every time we’re competing, they’ll always be in our hearts."

Peggy Fleming, 1968 Olympic champion, said she hopes the event "will heal and give strength to our skaters in the future." Alysa Liu wants to try to honor the memory of those lost so she "can keep going."

"It’s still a struggle and was a struggle," said Liu, who performed to "Hero" by Mariah Carey. "Coming together and seeing everyone again has definitely been the most reassuring feeling. And it’s just because everyone knows exactly how everyone feels."

Forty-one years after winning gold at the Olympics, Scott Hamilton skated onto the ice and led a prayer. "Imagine" blared from arena speakers during one ensemble performance, Malinin dazzled the crowd with his jump-filled routine and Lady Gaga's "Hold My Hand" was the soundtrack of the grand finale of the emotional two-plus-hour show.

"It was just an amazing show," U.S. Figure Skating interim CEO Sam Auxier said. "You could see even with Ilia the passion and the feelings about what happened coming through in their skating."

Among the sellout crowd of over 15,000 were hundreds of first responders and their family members. Some came from as far away as Baltimore to be part of the rescue and recovery efforts.

"This was an incredibly challenging scene for those first responders," DC Fire and EMS Foundation executive director Amy Mauro said. "The things that they witnessed are very difficult and will stay with them for a long time. This is part of their grieving and healing process, as well."

In addition to being a gathering place for figure skaters, first responders and all the families affected by the crash, the intent was to raise money for all of them.

"We’ve heard from the families about things like college tuition for young children who are in elementary school today but also things like therapy and health care that they need," Monumental president of external affairs and chief administrative officer Monica Dixon said. "Every family will choose how to use those funds in the best way that they choose."

The event aired live on Monumental Sports Network and streamed on Peacock. NBC will show an encore performance March 30.

"That’s what we’re hoping: We raise a lot of donations that way," Leonsis said. "People care. The lesson in this is that, to me, if you personalize something like this, you can come together and do the right things in the right way."

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer put forward a framework for a peace plan between Ukraine and Russia on Sunday, though he acknowledged it relies heavily on assumed U.S. support.

Starmer revealed the plan along with French President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday. In a concession to President Donald Trump's administration, Starmer emphasized that European countries would need to "step up their own share of the burden" toward security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a peace deal.

Starmer said the U.K. is prepared to deploy boots on the ground in Ukraine as well as air force assets to ensure Russia does not infringe on a peace agreement. He nevertheless stated that the plan would rely heavily on U.S. backing as well.

Macron told French media that European leaders were discussing a plan that would freeze strikes from the air, sea and on energy infrastructure for 30 days in Ukraine. He said the window could be used to negotiate a wider peace deal.

ZELENSKYY MEETS WITH BRITISH PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER IN LONDON FOLLOWING TRUMP OVAL OFFICE CLASH

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy himself has been on damage control since a disastrous meeting with Trump and Vice President JD Vance at the White House on Friday. Zelenskyy has emphasized that he is still willing to sign a rare earth minerals deal with the White House. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday ruled out "security guarantees" for Ukraine before beginning peace talks.

"The security guarantees, which I actually like to call deterrence, is all contingent upon there being a peace," Rubio told ABC "This Week." "Everybody saying security guarantees to secure the peace, you first have to have a peace."

The Ukrainian leader remains largely unapologetic, saying after Sunday's meetings in Europe that the "best security guarantees are a strong Ukrainian army."

ZELENSKYY SPEAKS OUT AFTER PUBLIC SPAT WITH TRUMP, VANCE, SAYS DUSTUP ‘BAD FOR BOTH SIDES'

"The failure of Ukraine would not just mean Putin's success, it would be a failure for Europe, it would be a failure for the U.S.," he said.

Many Republicans on Capitol Hill have rallied behind Trump's criticism of Zelenskyy. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called on the Ukrainian leader to resign on Sunday.

"He either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change," Graham said after Friday's meeting.

TRUMP SAYS ZELENSKYY CAN ‘COME BACK WHEN HE IS READY FOR PEACE’ AFTER FIERY WHITE HOUSE EXCHANGE

Zelenskyy retorted that Graham could weigh in on Ukrainian leadership when he became a Ukrainian citizen, to which Graham responded: "Unfortunately, until there is an election, no one has a voice in Ukraine."

According to the senator, he doesn't think Americans saw the Ukrainian president as someone they feel comfortable going "into business with" following the televised dispute.

Graham also stressed that the Ukrainian-American relationship is "vitally important." However, he cast doubt on whether Zelenskyy could ever "do a deal with the United States."

Fox News' Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump's seventh week in office will spotlight his first joint session of Congress address since his return to the Oval Office in January. 

Trump is scheduled to speak before all members of Congress on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET. 

The speech is not officially called the State of the Union, as Trump has not been in office for a full year, though it operates in a similar fashion. The yearly presidential address is intended to showcase the administration's achievements and policies. 

Trump and his administration have been working at a breakneck pace to realign the federal government with the president's Make America Great Again policies, including Department of Government Efficiency chair Elon Musk and his team poring through federal agencies in the search for overspending, fraud and mismanagement, and prioritizing border security. The 47th president has signed at least 76 executive orders since his inauguration in January, in addition to dozens of other executive actions and proclamations. 

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED DURING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S 6TH WEEK IN OFFICE

The address comes after Trump and Vice President JD Vance had a fiery meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, which was cut short when Trump asked the Ukraine leader to leave. 

The White House meeting grew tense in approximately its final 10 minutes after Vance said that peace would be reached between Russia and Ukraine through U.S. diplomacy efforts.

"You're gambling with the lives of millions of people," Trump added at one point during the meeting. "You're gambling with World War III. You're gambling with World War III. And what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country."

TRUMP SAYS ZELENSKYY CAN ‘COME BACK WHEN HE IS READY FOR PEACE’ AFTER FIERY WHITE HOUSE EXCHANGE

Vance interjected, asking Zelenskyy whether he had "said thank you once this entire meeting." He also added that Zelenskyy "went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October" and that he should "offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who's trying to save your country."

Trump said on social media after the meeting that Zelenskyy could return to the White House "when he is ready for peace." 

Zelenskyy traveled to the U.K. over the weekend, joining European leaders to hash out a potential peace deal. 

WORLD LEADERS BACK ZELENSKYY FOLLOWING TRUMP, VANCE OVAL OFFICE SPAT

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer told local media that he had spoken with Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the U.K. and France taking the reins on crafting a plan for peace that will be presented to the U.S. 

"Let me be clear, we agree with Trump on the urgent need for a durable peace. Now we need to deliver together," Starmer said at a press conference on Sunday. He added that the U.K. is willing to put "boots on the ground" in its support of Ukraine. 

"The U.K. is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air. Together with others, Europe must do the heavy lifting. But to support peace in our continent and to succeed, this effort must have strong U.S. backing," he added. 

TOP CANADIAN OFFICIAL SLAMS TRUMP FOR TARIFF PLAN AS TRUDEAU LEAVES OFFICE: ‘YOU LOSE PROSPERITY’

In addition to his address to Congress and the ongoing efforts related to the war in Ukraine this week, Trump is also expected to hit Canada and Mexico with tariffs on Tuesday. 

Trump signed an executive order last month authorizing tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China through the new International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The tariffs included 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on imports from China. 

EUROPEAN LEADERS FLAMED FOR 'CREEPY' PRO-ZELENSKYY POSTS THAT READ EXACTLY THE SAME

Both Canada and Mexico agreed to concessions with Trump the day before the tariffs were set to take effect, pledging to send additional security personnel to their respective borders with the U.S. Trump agreed to pause the tariffs on the two nations for one month in light of the border security concessions. 

The month's pause ends this week, with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick saying on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" that tariffs will go into effect on Tuesday, but he did not elaborate on what the tariffs will entail. 

"That is a fluid situation," Lutnick said. 

"There are going to be tariffs on Tuesday on Mexico and Canada. Exactly what they are, we’re going to leave that for the president and his team to negotiate," he added. 

FIRST ON FOX: A group of top Republican lawmakers, MAGA world personalities and key allies of President Donald Trump are descending on Washington D.C., to gather and chart even more accomplishments under his leadership in his first 100 days. 

Republican Sens. Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee will be guests at an event next week, hosted by Rescuing the American Dream (RAD), a group run by Scott allies. 

"The First 100 Days: How Conservatives Can Help President Trump Accomplish His Agenda" will also feature Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and businessman and star of Shark Tank Kevin O'Leary, among others. 

GABBARD SAYS BIDEN ADMIN IGNORED 'HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE' CHATS HAPPENING AT NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCIES

"Rescuing the American Dream is looking forward to hosting this event next week to highlight the accomplishments of the Trump Administration and Republicans in Washington and plan for more successes to come. We’re looking forward to hearing from leaders from across Washington and the conservative movement for in depth and insightful conversations," RAD spokesperson Chris Hartline said in a statement. 

The guests will come together in the U.S. capital over March 5 and 6 to discuss how they can best work with the Trump administration to deliver more wins in the president's first 100 days, which he will hit on April 30. 

Representatives for Ramaswamy and O'Leary did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.

BIPARTISAN DUO LOOKS TO FEND OFF FOOD SUPPLY CYBER THREATS AS GLOBAL TENSIONS PERSIST

The event will specifically explore how allies can best assist Trump in the crucial budget reconciliation process on Capitol Hill, in American business and manufacturing and through shutting down lawfare in and out of the Department of Justice (DOJ), Fox News Digital has learned. 

SCOOP: INSIDE ELON MUSK'S MEETING WITH THE SENATE DOGE CAUCUS

Other speakers include Trump-world familiar faces regulars such as Alex Bruesewitz, campaign advisor to the president and CEO of X Strategies LLC and Senate Leadership Fund (SLF) Executive Director Alex Latcham, as well as Tiffany Smiley, Founder of Endeavor Pac and Political Commentator, Founder and CEO of American Majority Ned Ryun and Sentinel Action Fund President and Founder Jessica Anderson.

TOP INTEL REPUBLICAN TOM COTTON SEEKING RE-ELECTION TO SENATE IN 2026

After an action-packed first month of his second administration, Trump shows no signs of slowing down. He will mark 50 days in office on March 11, followed by 100 on April 30. 

With Republican control of both houses of Congress, the president has more ability to usher through his policies than ever before, and many GOP lawmakers are working to do their part and help rack up swift wins for Trump. 

• Some posts on social media fueled panic that Washington's housing market was rapidly weakening.
• Agents and an economist said the president's efficiency efforts haven't yet affected the DC market.
• While return-to-office mandates and layoffs sow uncertainty, it may take time to see their impact.

A federal worker renting outside Washington, DC, is house-hunting for a property to buy — in Baltimore.

According to the worker's real-estate agent, Shanna Moinizand, they've been summoned back to the office and extended their house hunt to Baltimore, about 40 miles outside the nation's capital, because properties are less expensive and the commute is reasonable.

"They can't afford to be in DC proper," Moinizand told Business Insider. "They reached out to me about the possibility of buying in Baltimore near Penn Station so they can afford their house, be a little bit closer, and feel like they can get a cheap house — and feel stable and commute to DC."

As thousands of workers await news of layoffs or firings as a result of the Trump administration's efforts to reduce the federal government's size, the Washington, DC, housing market is in limbo.

Some residents fear that newly jobless federal workers will leave the city en masse, causing for-sale and rental inventory to skyrocket and prices to fall dramatically. Others believe that return-to-office mandates might prompt people to flood into the city, heightening demand as they look to move closer to work.

Multiple videos posted to TikTok in February saying that nearly thousands of homes had been listed for sale in recent weeks stirred anxiety that inventory had already started to pile up.

Listing data, however, shows that the number of homes currently on the market is typical for this time of year. Local brokers told BI that any conclusions about the Washington market so far are premature.

While high-end real-estate in Washington, DC, has experienced a "Trump bump" as a few of the president's appointees buy up luxury mansions and power players try to sidle up to the White House, brokers said they are waiting to see if the rest of the housing market follows suit or falters.

The DC market has not crashed since Trump took office

Washington- and Maryland-based Compass agent Jaime Willis said that while some federal workers she's heard from feel uncertain about their job security, that uneasiness has yet to affect the market meaningfully.

"There was some histrionics happening on social media about how the price of homes in DC has gone down $150,000, and there are a million more listings than normal — and that is not true," she said. "Neither one of those is true."

New listings data from Bright MLS, which operates a major multiple listing service in the Mid-Atlantic region, show that the return-to-office and reduction in the federal workforce have had little impact so far on the number of homes for sale in Washington, DC.

During the first half of February 2024, 423 listings hit the market. In 2025, during the same time span, a total of 452 were on the market — about a 7% increase. In the greater Washington, DC, region, which Bright MLS defined as 18 surrounding counties and cities in Maryland and Virginia, there was no significant change in new listings.

Factors outside DOGE's reforms, like interest rates and cold weather, contribute to any fluctuation in listings, Bright MLS Chief Economist Lisa Sturtevant told BI. It's also unlikely that the tumult across federal agencies over the last month would affect the sales market immediately, she added.

"Walking through the exercise of how a household or family might respond to a job cut, the first thing you'd do is not list your home for sale," Sturtevant said. "We wouldn't have expected an onslaught of new listings as a result of federal cuts."

Part of an explanation for the relatively steady listing volume might be that while Washington, DC, has a large number of federal employees, they do not completely dictate what happens to its housing market.

Office of Personnel Management data from September 2024 showed over 162,000 federal civilian employees assigned to offices in Washington, DC.

To put that number in perspective, Washington's population is 702,250, according to the US Census Bureau's 2024 estimates. If every federal worker assigned to a DC office actually lived within city limits, they would make up only about 23% of the population.

DC's luxury market is humming along

What anxiety? Washington's luxury market is doing just fine.

Washington, DC, Sotheby's agent Daniel Heider told BI that the market for homes priced $5 million and up is going "absolutely gangbusters" with record-setting purchases. One is the $25 million sale of a French Château-style property with five bedrooms across about 16,000 square feet to commerce secretary appointee Howard Lutnick, a transaction that Heider confirmed he brokered in December.

Heider also said that his brokerage had its best fourth quarter ever in 2024 and is carrying the momentum into the first quarter, with over $130 million in deals in 2025 so far. BI was unable to independently verify that sales figure.

According to the New York Post, Trump's nominee for Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Jacob Helberg, spent $7 million in February on a home in Kalorama, the same Washington, DC, neighborhood where Ivanka and Jared Trump used to live.

Even though the luxury sector is having a moment, Heider said he thinks people could soon start vacating the suburbs in favor of areas closer to offices in the city center.

"As those return-to-work mandates come into effect — and not just for the federal government, but for private business — I would expect that more in-town markets are going to see a reaction from that," he added.

Willis, the other agent in DC, said she hasn't received calls from clients trying to offload their farther-away homes or find new ones near work. She has, however, heard from people trying to figure out what to do who haven't taken action — yet.

"Yeah, people are nervous," she said. "People have lost their jobs. People haven't lost their jobs, but they're just worried about what's happening. The market doesn't like people afraid."

A judge in California blocked the Trump administration on Thursday from ordering departments and agencies to begin dismissing recently hired probationary federal workers, saying the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) lacks the power to fire employees.

The move came during a court hearing over a lawsuit from labor unions and other groups challenging OPM’s mass terminations.

In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim the mass terminations violate the Administrative Procedure Act requirements and congressional laws that deal with agency hiring and firing practices.

The judge ruled that OPM lacks the power to fire workers, including probationary employees who may have less than a year of civil service on the job.

TRUMP'S DOGE STAYS ON TRACK AFTER PAIR OF FEDERAL JUDGE RULINGS

Last week, a federal judge declined to stop the Trump administration from firing federal workers and conducting mass layoffs, which allowed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to remain on track with its mission of finding and slashing wasteful government spending.

In one of the cases, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper shot down a request from several labor unions, including the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), to issue a pause on the mass firings of federal workers.

NTEU and four other labor unions representing the federal employees filed a complaint on Feb. 12, challenging the firing of probationary employees and the deferred resignation program.

JUDGE ISSUES RESTRAINING ORDER AFTER TRUMP BLOCKS FEDERAL FUNDS FOR YOUTH SEX CHANGE OPERATIONS

Under the resignation program, federal employees were presented with a fork in the road, meaning they could either return to office or they could resign from their positions and continue to get paid through September. 

The deadline to decide was originally Feb. 6, though the date was ultimately deferred to Feb. 12, then subsequently closed that day.

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The unions moved for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to prevent the firing of probationary employees across all federal agencies and furtherance of the resignation program on Feb. 14, and the next day it was sent to Cooper’s court.

Cooper denied the request, though, saying the court lacks jurisdiction over the unions’ claims.

Instead, Cooper ruled the unions must pursue their challenges through the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, which provides for administrative review by the Federal Labor Relations Authority.

Doctors around the US have anecdotally reported an uptick of children critically ill with the flu developing severe, life-threatening neurological complications, which can be marked by seizures, delirium, hallucinations, decreased consciousness, lethargy, personality changes, and abnormalities in brain imaging.

It's long been known that the seasonal flu can cause such devastating complications in some children, many with no underlying medical conditions. But doctors have begun to suspect that this year's flu season—the most severe in over 15 years—has taken a yet darker turn for children. On February 14, for instance, health officials in Massachusetts released an advisory for clinicians to be on alert for neurological complications in pediatric flu patients after detecting a "possible increase."

With the anecdata coming in, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed all the data it has on neurological complications from flu this year and seasons dating back to 2010. Unfortunately, existing surveillance systems for flu do not capture neurological complications in pediatric cases overall—but they do capture such detailed clinical data when a child dies of flu.

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• Tech leaders are spending more time in Washington, DC, these days, Keith Rabois said Friday.
• Rabois recently had a chance meeting with Mark Zuckerburg and Jensen Huang while in the capital.
• But that doesn't mean DC has become a great scene for founders and VCs, he said.

One month after Donald Trump's swearing-in, big names in tech appear to be spending more time in Washington, DC, according to venture capitalist Keith Rabois.

Many tech leaders, from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, attended Trump's inauguration last month.

But if a chance meeting that Khosla Ventures' Rabois had last week is any indication, some of them have kept coming back to the nation's capital.

"Without any pre-existing knowledge, I ran into Mark Zuckerberg and Jensen from Nvidia," he said at a conference on Friday, referring to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. "That never would've happened in my entire life before in DC, like zero chance."

Rabois spoke onstage at the Venture in the Capital conference hosted at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. He previously lived in the Washington, DC, area while working as a lawyer and said he still visits to see family.

Rabois, a self-identified conservative, welcomed Trump's victory in November's election. He's known in the tech world for his early role at PayPal.

Lately, the nation's capital has been attracting more visits from big names in the tech world. Elon Musk has spent lots of time in DC over the past month as he oversees DOGE's efforts to cut government spending from a perch adjacent to President Donald Trump's administration.

Those kind of chance meetings with other high-profile figures can lead to new investment ideas or follow-ups that wouldn't have otherwise happened, Rabois said.

But that doesn't mean DC will become a hotspot for founders or venture capitalists looking to invest.

Being in DC is "unlikely to drive me to meet some undiscovered talent who's going to create the next iconic company," Rabois said.

"It definitely still is not where early-stage venture capitalists should be spending too much time," Rabois said.

The Bay Area remains the place for startups to get noticed by venture capitalists in the US, Rabois said.

During the pandemic, some venture capitalists left the Bay Area in California for other parts of the US, seeking a change of pace. Rabois himself moved to Miami and became an evangelist for the city, trying to convince others from Silicon Valley to make the move.

But the rise of AI, including the growth of Sam Altman's OpenAI, has pulled many founders and venture capital players back to the Bay, Rabois said on Friday.

"If anything saves the Bay Area, it's going to be this AI wave led by OpenAI," he said.

An unvaccinated, school-aged child in Texas has died of the measles amid an ongoing outbreak in the state that has so far infected at least 124 people, mostly children, sending at least 18 to the hospital. Additionally, nine measles cases have been confirmed across the border in New Mexico.

On Wednesday morning, the Lubbock health officials and the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) confirmed the death, which occurred within the last 24 hours.

It is the first death in the mushrooming outbreak in Texas, and it marks the first measles death in the country since 2015, when a woman with underlying health conditions in Washington state died amid an outbreak. The death highlighted the importance of maintaining high community vaccination rates to prevent the spread of the extremely infectious disease to vulnerable people. Prior to that, the US hadn't recorded a measles death since 2003.

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More than one million federal workers participated in the Elon Musk and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) directive to provide a bullet-point list of their work accomplishments from the previous week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday in a press briefing. 

"I can announce that we've had more than one million workers who have chosen to participate in this very simple task of, again, sending five bullet points to your direct supervisor or manager and CC'ing OPM," Leavitt told Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich when asked about the directive during Tuesday's briefing. "I actually participated in it myself. It took me about a minute and a half to think of five things I did last week. I do five things in about ten minutes, and all federal workers should be working at the same pace that President Trump is working and moving." 

"We have a country to save, and we want this federal government to be responsive to the needs of the American people who reelected this president to have historic, massive reform. And that's what the intention of this idea is," she said. 

TRUMP OFFICIALS LIST 5 WEEKLY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AHEAD OF MUSK MIDNIGHT DEADLINE

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Chair Musk announced Saturday that federal employees would receive an email directing them to list their accomplishments from the week prior, with the DOGE leader adding later that day that the assignment should take less than five minutes to accomplish. 

Employees had until 11:59 p.m. Monday to send the list or risk losing their employment, according to emails regarding Musk's directive that were sent by the Office of Personnel Management.

Musk added to X on Monday evening that, "subject to the discretion of the President, (federal employees) will be given another chance. Failure to respond a second time will result in termination."

FLASHBACK: MUSK USED HIS 'WHAT DID YOU GET DONE THIS WEEK' DIRECTIVE BEFORE GUTTING TWITTER

"The email request was utterly trivial, as the standard for passing the test was to type some words and press send!" he wrote in a separate post. "Yet so many failed even that inane test, urged on in some cases by their managers. Have you ever witnessed such INCOMPETENCE and CONTEMPT for how YOUR TAXES are being spent?" 

When asked Tuesday about the "actual deadline" for federal employees to comply with the directive following Musk's X post that employees will "be given another chance," Leavitt explained that "agency heads will determine the best practices for their employees at their specific agency."

"This was an idea that Elon [came] up with.  DOGE  worked with OPM to actually implement the idea. And the secretaries are responsible for their specific workforce. And this is true of the hirings and the firings that have taken place. And we advise federal workers, unless your agency has dictated you not to, to respond to this email," she said.

The White House told Fox News Digital earlier Tuesday that individual federal agencies are in control as to what actions will be taken against government employees who did not respond to an Office of Personnel Management email asking for a bullet-point list of what they accomplished during the previous work week

"Agencies should consider any appropriate actions regarding employees who fail to respond to activity," a White House official told Fox News Digital Tuesday. "It is agency leadership’s decision as to what actions are taken." 

A handful of federal departments that deal with sensitive and classified information told staffers to ignore the order to list their accomplishments, which President Donald Trump said on Monday was a "friendly" rejection due to the sensitive materials some government employees handle on a regular basis. 

FBI Director Kash Patel, the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security were among the agencies and departments that informed staff to not respond to the email. 

"That was done in a friendly manner," Trump said Monday while speaking with the media alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. "Only things such as, perhaps Marco at State Department, where they have very confidential things. Or the FBI, where they're working on confidential things. And they don't mean that in any way combatively with Elon. They're just saying there are some people that you don't want to really have them tell you what they're working on last week."

MUSK'S DEMAND THAT FED EMPLOYEES LIST THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ROILS WORKFORCE: 'MASS CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE'

Other Trump officials, such as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Small Business Association Administrator Kelly Loeffler and Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, publicly reported their accomplishments for the previous work week on social media or in comments to Fox News Digital. 

Following the deadline, Musk posted a meme on X showing Greek mythology warrior Achilles and an arrow piercing his heel. A caption over the Greek figure reads, "Largest most entrenched bureaucracy on earth," while a caption over the arrow reads, "What did you get done last week?"  

Trump lauded the directive Monday, arguing that it will expose government employees who aren't actually carrying out tasks.

"There was a lot of genius in sending it," Trump said Monday from the White House. "We're trying to find out if people are working. And so we're sending a letter to people. Please tell us what you did last week. If people don't respond, it's very possible that there is no such person or they're not working." 

Individual federal agencies are in control as to what actions will be taken against government employees who did not respond to an Office of Personnel Management email asking for a bullet-point list of what they accomplished during the previous work week, a White House official told Fox News Digital. 

"Agencies should consider any appropriate actions regarding employees who fail to respond to activity," a White House official told Fox News Digital Tuesday. "It is agency leadership’s decision as to what actions are taken." 

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Chair Elon Musk announced Saturday that federal employees would receive an email directing them to list their accomplishments from the week prior, with the DOGE leader adding later that day that the assignment should take less than five minutes to accomplish. 

Employees had until 11:59 p.m. Monday to send the list or risk losing their employment, according to emails regarding Musk's directive that were sent by the Office of Personnel Management.

TRUMP OFFICIALS LIST 5 WEEKLY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AHEAD OF MUSK MIDNIGHT DEADLINE

"Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week," Musk wrote on X Saturday. "Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation." 

"To be clear, the bar is very low here," Musk wrote. "An email with some bullet points that make any sense at all is acceptable! Should take less than 5 mins to write." 

Musk added to X on Monday evening that, "subject to the discretion of the President, (federal employees) will be given another chance. Failure to respond a second time will result in termination."

FLASHBACK: MUSK USED HIS 'WHAT DID YOU GET DONE THIS WEEK' DIRECTIVE BEFORE GUTTING TWITTER

"The email request was utterly trivial, as the standard for passing the test was to type some words and press send!" he wrote in a separate post. "Yet so many failed even that inane test, urged on in some cases by their managers. Have you ever witnessed such INCOMPETENCE and CONTEMPT for how YOUR TAXES are being spent?" 

A handful of federal departments that deal with sensitive and classified information told staffers to ignore the order to list their accomplishments, which President Donald Trump said on Monday was a "friendly" rejection due to the sensitive materials some government employees handle on a regular basis. 

FBI Director Kash Patel, the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security were among the agencies and departments that informed staff to not respond to the email. 

"That was done in a friendly manner," Trump said Monday while speaking with the media alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. "Only things such as, perhaps Marco at State Department, where they have very confidential things. Or the FBI, where they're working on confidential things. And they don't mean that in any way combatively with Elon. They're just saying there are some people that you don't want to really have them tell you what they're working on last week."

MUSK'S DEMAND THAT FED EMPLOYEES LIST THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ROILS WORKFORCE: 'MASS CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE'

Other Trump officials, such as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Small Business Association Administrator Kelly Loeffler and Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, publicly reported their accomplishments for the previous work week on social media or in comments to Fox News Digital. 

Following the deadline, Musk posted a meme on X showing Greek mythology warrior Achilles and an arrow piercing his heel. A caption over the Greek figure reads, "Largest most entrenched bureaucracy on earth," while a caption over the arrow reads, "What did you get done last week?"  

Trump lauded the directive Monday, arguing that it will expose government employees who aren't actually carrying out tasks.

"There was a lot of genius in sending it," Trump said Monday from the White House. "We're trying to find out if people are working. And so we're sending a letter to people. Please tell us what you did last week. If people don't respond, it's very possible that there is no such person or they're not working." 

Individual federal agencies are in control as to what actions will be taken against government employees who did not respond to an Office of Personnel Management email asking for a bullet-point list of what they accomplished during the previous work week, a White House official told Fox News Digital. 

"Agencies should consider any appropriate actions regarding employees who fail to respond to activity," a White House official told Fox News Digital Tuesday. "It is agency leadership’s decision as to what actions are taken." 

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Chair Elon Musk announced Saturday that federal employees would receive an email directing them to list their accomplishments from the week prior, with the DOGE leader adding later that day that the assignment should take less than five minutes to accomplish. 

Employees had until 11:59 p.m. Monday to send the list or risk losing their employment, according to emails regarding Musk's directive that were sent by the Office of Personnel Management.

TRUMP OFFICIALS LIST 5 WEEKLY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AHEAD OF MUSK MIDNIGHT DEADLINE

"Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week," Musk wrote on X Saturday. "Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation." 

"To be clear, the bar is very low here," Musk wrote. "An email with some bullet points that make any sense at all is acceptable! Should take less than 5 mins to write." 

Musk added to X on Monday evening that, "subject to the discretion of the President, (federal employees) will be given another chance. Failure to respond a second time will result in termination."

FLASHBACK: MUSK USED HIS 'WHAT DID YOU GET DONE THIS WEEK' DIRECTIVE BEFORE GUTTING TWITTER

"The email request was utterly trivial, as the standard for passing the test was to type some words and press send!" he wrote in a separate post. "Yet so many failed even that inane test, urged on in some cases by their managers. Have you ever witnessed such INCOMPETENCE and CONTEMPT for how YOUR TAXES are being spent?" 

A handful of federal departments that deal with sensitive and classified information told staffers to ignore the order to list their accomplishments, which President Donald Trump said on Monday was a "friendly" rejection due to the sensitive materials some government employees handle on a regular basis. 

FBI Director Kash Patel, the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security were among the agencies and departments that informed staff to not respond to the email. 

"That was done in a friendly manner," Trump said Monday while speaking with the media alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. "Only things such as, perhaps Marco at State Department, where they have very confidential things. Or the FBI, where they're working on confidential things. And they don't mean that in any way combatively with Elon. They're just saying there are some people that you don't want to really have them tell you what they're working on last week."

MUSK'S DEMAND THAT FED EMPLOYEES LIST THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ROILS WORKFORCE: 'MASS CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE'

Other Trump officials, such as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Small Business Association Administrator Kelly Loeffler and Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, publicly reported their accomplishments for the previous work week on social media or in comments to Fox News Digital. 

Following the deadline, Musk posted a meme on X showing Greek mythology warrior Achilles and an arrow piercing his heel. A caption over the Greek figure reads, "Largest most entrenched bureaucracy on earth," while a caption over the arrow reads, "What did you get done last week?"  

Trump lauded the directive Monday, arguing that it will expose government employees who aren't actually carrying out tasks.

"There was a lot of genius in sending it," Trump said Monday from the White House. "We're trying to find out if people are working. And so we're sending a letter to people. Please tell us what you did last week. If people don't respond, it's very possible that there is no such person or they're not working."