Mars once featured sun-soaked, sandy beaches with gentle, lapping waves from an ancient ocean, a new study suggests.

Why it matters: The research marks the "clearest evidence yet" that the Red Planet once contained a major body of water and a more livable environment for life, per a statement from study co-author Benjamin Cardenas, assistant professor of geology at Pennsylvania State University.

• "When we look back at where the earliest life on Earth developed, it was in the interaction between oceans and land, so this is painting a picture of ancient habitable environments, capable of harboring conditions friendly toward microbial life," Cardenas said.

Driving the news: A team of Chinese and U.S. researchers identified hidden layers of rock under Mars' surface that strongly suggested the presence of a past northern ocean while analyzing data from China's Zhurong Mars rover, according to the study, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

• Zhurong sent back data in 2021 while searching for signs of ancient water or ice after landing in an area known as Utopia Planitia.

What they found: The scientists discovered "extensive dipping deposits in the subsurface" of this area, the study notes.

• Analysis of radar data indicated "foreshore deposits" similar to beaches on Earth with sediments.
• The research indicates the presence of "coastal sedimentary deposits formed by ancient ocean waves and possibly composed of sand and pebble gravels transported by tidal currents," per the study.
• Cardenas said this "stood out to us immediately because it suggests there were waves, which means there was a dynamic interface of air and water."
• Contributing author Michael Manga, a University of California, Berkeley, professor of Earth and planetary science, said in a statement the research showed "classic indications of sloping, sandy beaches lining an ocean."

Zoom in: Manga said the "sand that's on those beaches is coming in from the rivers, and then it's being transported by currents in the ocean and continually being transported up and down the beaches by the waves coming and going up and down the beach."

• He noted that Mars has many features that resemble ancient rivers. "So there must have been rivers transporting sediment to the ocean, though there's nothing in the immediate vicinity that would have disturbed these beach deposits," Manga added.

The bottom line, via Cardenas: "We're finding places on Mars that used to look like ancient beaches and ancient river deltas.

• "We found evidence for wind, waves, no shortage of sand — a proper, vacation-style beach."

Between the lines: Aaron Cavosie, a planetary scientist at Curtin University in Australia, said the find marked an "extraordinary contribution" to research into water on the Red Planet, per the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

• "There is abundant evidence from orbital images and mineral mapping that surface water was present during the Noachian period from 4.1–3.7 billion years ago," added Cavosie, who was not involved in the study.
• "Its origin and duration continue to be debated."

Go deeper: Setting up the next scientific era on Mars

A government watchdog who oversees federal workers' whistleblower reports said Monday his office is seeking to halt some of the Trump administration's mass firings of federal workers.

The big picture: Hampton Dellinger, who's suing the administration after President Trump tried to remove him from his role leading the Office of Special Counsel, said he's requested that the firing of six probationary agency workers be halted due to concerns the action may violate the law — and he indicated he may intervene in more cases.

• The Trump administration is facing several lawsuits as it conducts mass firings of federal workers that officials say is part of a drive to save money and reduce bloat.

Driving the news: Dellinger filed a request on Friday for a 45-day stay in the probationary workers' firings "across various executive branch agencies" with the independent agency the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), which reviews the Office of Personnel Management actions, per a statement from the special counsel's office.

• "Firing probationary employees without individualized cause appears contrary to a reasonable reading of the law, particularly the provisions establishing rules for reductions in force," Dellinger said in the statement.
• "I believe I have a responsibility to request a stay of these actions while my agency continues to investigate further the apparent violation of federal personnel laws," he added, citing a Congressional direction for watchdogs to protect government employees from prohibited personnel practices.
• "The Special Counsel believes other probationary employees are similarly situated to the six workers for whom he currently is seeking relief. Dellinger is considering ways to seek relief for a broader group without the need for individual filings."

Zoom in: Dellinger recommended halting the firings following a class complaint brought by advocacy group Democracy Forward and the Alden Law Group seeking to reinstate federal workers, Government Executive first reported Monday.

Zoom out: Dellinger sued the Trump administration after Trump moved to fire him on Feb. 7 and a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order temporarily blocking his dismissal.

• Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris called the judge's action an "unprecedented assault on the separation of powers," but the U.S. Supreme Court declined to weigh in on the matter until the judge's order expires this Wednesday.

Meanwhile, MSPB chair Cathy Harris was also removed from her role by Trump before filing a lawsuit against the administration and being reinstated after a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order.

• Representatives for the Trump administration did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening.

Go deeper: Supreme Court delays Trump's firing of agency head

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more context.

President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed during a White House meeting on Monday to deploy European peacekeeping forces to Ukraine following a peace deal with Russia to end the war.

The big picture: While the meeting on the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine was cordial, the peacekeepers deployment was about the only significant plan the two world leaders agreed during a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office.

What they're saying: Trump said during a briefing he believed the war could end "soon" and said he and his representatives had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and "they want to do something."

• The war could end "within weeks... if we're smart," Trump told reporters. "If we're not smart, it'll keep going and we'll keep losing."
• Macron said: "We want peace, peace swiftly, but we don't want an agreement that is weak.
• "Peace must not mean a surrender of Ukraine, it must not mean a ceasefire without guarantees."

Meanwhile, Trump declined to call Putin a "dictator" after describing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as that last week and said he planned to meet with the Russian leader soon.

• Macron said Russia "is the aggressor" and noted "President Putin violated the peace."

Zoom in: At one point, Macron moved to correct Trump after the U.S. president said, "Europe is loaning the money to Ukraine, they're getting their money back."

• Macron responded: "No, in fact, to be frank, we paid. We paid 60% of the total effort. It was like the US: loans, guarantees, grants."

More from Axios...

• Mapped: Control in Ukraine three years on from Russia's invasion
• U.S. votes against UN resolution condemning Russia for Ukraine invasion

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more comment from Presidents Trump and Macron from the briefing.

Germany's CDU/CSU conservative alliance won Sunday's general election and the Elon Musk-endorsed far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party came second, preliminary results show.

The big picture: Friedrich Merz, of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), is set to become Germany's chancellor and he's indicated that Europe's biggest economy and the largest EU member intends to move away from the U.S. once coalition talks have concluded.

By the numbers: While preliminary results show CDU/CSU won 28.6% of the vote and AfD 20.8%, the conservative alliance has ruled out working with the anti-immigration AfD, as did all other major parties.

• Outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats won 16.4% of the vote and the Greens secured 11.6%, per the preliminary results.

Driving the news: Merz singled out the U.S. in claiming victory, days after Vice President JD Vance accused the Munich Security Conference of not allowing far-right and far-left politicians to attend the annual event in a speech that criticized European allies.

• "My impression over the last few days is that Russia and America are finding common ground — over the heads of Ukraine, and consequently over those of Europe," said the 69-year-old former lawyer Merz, who's previously worked for U.S. law firms, on X.
• "Therefore, everyone is turning their attention to Germany. How quickly are the Germans going to form a government after this complicated election result? For me, this is now a priority."

Zoom in: Merz said on a TV show that his "absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the USA," according to a translation.

• President Trump's statements on Ukraine last week as the U.S. pushes for talks with Russia make it "clear that the Americans, at least this part of the Americans, this administration, are largely indifferent to the fate of Europe," Merz said.
• "I am very curious to see how we are heading toward the NATO summit at the end of June," he added. "Whether we will still be talking about NATO in its current form or whether we will have to establish an independent European defense capability much more quickly."

What he's saying: Trump on Truth Social called the CDU/CSU win a "great day for Germany," saying: "Much like the USA, the people of Germany got tired of the no common sense agenda, especially on energy and immigration."

• Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening.

Go deeper: Trump's first month turns U.S. foreign policy upside down

Conservative commentator Dan Bongino was named deputy FBI director, President Trump announced on Sunday night.

The big picture: The "Dan Bongino Show" podcast host will serve in the role that doesn't require Senate confirmation under newly confirmed FBI director Kash Patel, a fellow Trump loyalist.

• The appointment comes as Trump seeks to test the limits of presidential authority and expand the powers of law enforcement.

Background: Bongino lacks FBI experience, but he previously served in the New York Police Department (NYPD) before joining the U.S. Secret Service and working in the Presidential Protective Division during the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush and Obama.

What they're saying: Bongino thanked Trump on X as he shared the president's original post praising the former Fox News host as "a man of incredible love and passion for our Country."

Go deeper: What to know about Kash Patel, Trump's pick for FBI director

Editor's note: This article has been updated with further context.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday he's "ready" to "give up" his leadership in exchange for peace in his nation or Kyiv becoming a member of NATO.

The big picture: Zelensky made the comments on the eve of the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as U.S. and Russian officials hold talks on the war ahead of a possible summit between President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

What he's saying: "If to achieve peace you really need me to give up my post — I'm ready," said Zelensky, who was democratically elected in 2019, in response to a question during a briefing Sunday. "I can trade it for NATO membership, if there are such conditions."

• Zelensky shrugged off Trump's claims that Ukraine's leader is "a dictator without elections" — in reference to Kyiv postponing going to the polls in 2024.
• "I wasn't offended, but a dictator would be," Zelensky said. "I am focused on Ukraine's security today, not in 20 years, I am not going to be in power for decades."

Context: Ukraine's Constitution "does not allow national elections during martial law, which was introduced in 2022 and remains in place" due to Russia's war on Ukraine, per the Atlantic Council think tank.

Between the lines: Ukraine's possible membership of NATO has been a source of tension between the Kyiv and Moscow officials for years.

• Putin used the matter in part to try and justify his forces' invasion of Ukraine, while Zelensky sees NATO membership as an essential guarantee of his country's long-term security.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said Ukraine joining NATO would not be a "realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement" with Russia.

Go deeper: Trump puts Ukraine in a vise

Editor's note: This article has been updated with further context.

Pope Francis' 10th night in the hospital "went well," according a brief Monday update from the Vatican.

The big picture: But the Vatican did not provide any information on whether the 88-year-old Catholic church leader's health has improved.

• Pope Francis sent a message from his hospital bed as the Vatican said in a health update Sunday that he remains in "critical" condition but "has not presented any further respiratory crises."
• The Vatican said in its Sunday statement that he is being treated for a kidney problem in addition to his respiratory issues, but it is "currently under control." He remains "alert and well-oriented," according to the Vatican.
• The pontiff was admitted to Rome's Agostino Gemelli Hospital with bronchitis and tests revealed "a complex clinical picture" that saw him diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs.

What he's saying: Pope Francis in a statement on Sunday thanked medical professionals for taking care of him and expressed gratitude for the warm wishes he'd received.

• "In recent days I have received many messages of affection, and I have been particularly struck by the letters and drawings from children," the pope said.
• "Thank you for this closeness, and for the prayers of comfort I have received from all over the world! I entrust you all to the intercession of Mary, and I ask you to pray for me."

Zoom in: The pope noted that Monday "will be the third anniversary of the large-scale war against Ukraine: a painful and shameful occasion for the whole of humanity!"

• He added: "As I reiterate my closeness to the suffering Ukrainian people, I invite you to remember the victims of all armed conflicts, and to pray for the gift of peace in Palestine, Israel and throughout the Middle East, Myanmar, Kivu and Sudan."

Flashback: Pope Francis compares Russia's invasion of Ukraine to Stalin-era famine

Editor's note: This story was updated with new developments.

The Trump administration moved Sunday to fire some 2,000 U.S. Agency for International Development workers and place most others on administrative leave, according to an email the agency sent to staff.

The big picture: The action that's set to take effect on Sunday just before midnight comes days after a federal judge permitted the administration to move ahead with the mass firings and continue the DOGE-led dismantling of the large-scale operation at what was the world's largest humanitarian aid organization.

Driving the news: "As of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, 2025, all USAID direct hire personnel, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and/or specially designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave globally," per the email to staff that was obtained by outlets including Axios.

• "Concurrently, USAID is beginning to implement a Reduction-in-Force that will affect approximately 1,600 USAID personnel with duty stations in the United States," added the email that's now posted on USAID's website.

Context: The Trump administration moved earlier this month to place direct hires on administrative leave globally and announced that it would pay for USAID personnel posted overseas to return travel to the U.S. within 30 days.

• Unions representing USAID workers sued the Trump administration, calling the action to dismantle the agency "unconstitutional and illegal."
• However, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols on Friday lifted a temporary restraining order he had issued in the case after finding that "initial assertions of harm were overstated" by the plaintiffs.

Zoom out: Elon Musk has been leading a drive to dismantle USAID amid his DOGE cost-cutting efforts across all federal agencies.

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio, USAID's acting administrator, said the administration's goal was to "identify programs that work and continue them and to identify programs that are not aligned with our national interest" and address them.
• In a separate case, a federal judge paused the Trump administration's freeze on foreign aid.
• Representatives for the State Department and White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening.

Go deeper: Agencies, unions tell fed workers: Don't answer Musk's threat email

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Pope Francis was in critical condition after an "asthma-like respiratory crisis" the Vatican said on Saturday following its earlier update on his treatment for pneumonia in both his lungs.

The big picture: The 88-year-old pontiff was admitted to Rome's Agostino Gemelli Hospital earlier this month with bronchitis symptoms and his treatment was changed after doctors found he had a polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract.

What they're saying: "Today's blood tests also revealed thrombocytopenia, associated with anemia, which required the administration of blood transfusions," the Vatican said Saturday.

• "The Holy Father remains alert and spent the day in an armchair, although he is more uncomfortable than yesterday. At the moment, the prognosis remains guarded."

Catch up quick: The Vatican said the earlier polymicrobial infection arose "in the context of bronchiectasis and asthmatic bronchitis" and which required antibiotics, "makes the therapeutic treatment more complex."

• A follow-up chest X-ray Tuesday afternoon "demonstrated the onset of bilateral pneumonia that required further pharmacological therapy," said the Vatican of the pope, who has a history of respiratory health issues.
• "The Holy Father remains alert and spent the day in an armchair, although he is more uncomfortable than yesterday," the Vatican said Saturday. "At the moment, the prognosis remains guarded."

Go deeper: Pope jabs Vance, criticizes Trump admin for mass deportations

Editor's note: This story has been updated with the pope's latest condition.

• Axios' Lauren Floyd contributed reporting.

Canada beat Team USA 3-2 in an overtime 4 Nations Face-Off Championship Game thriller in Boston on Thursday night, which saw political tensions spill into the arena.

The big picture: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took a swipe at President Trump's call for Canada's annexation as the 51st U.S. state moments after the win, saying on X: "You can't take our country — and you can't take our game."

• Trump said on Truth Social earlier Thursday he was calling Team USA "to spur them on towards victory tonight against Canada, which with FAR LOWER TAXES AND MUCH STRONGER SECURITY, will someday, maybe soon, become our cherished, and very important, Fifty First State."

Zoom in: Ahead of the game, U.S. hockey fans booed Canada's national anthem — after Canadian fans booed a rendition of the "Star-Spangled Banner" before Team USA's winning game in Montreal last week.

• And singer Chantal Kreviazuk confirmed to CBC News she changed the lyrics to "O Canada" on Thursday from "True patriot love, in all of us command" to "that only us command" in response to Trump's annexation calls.

In photos: Highlights from politically charged U.S.-Canada hockey final

Go deeper: Trump's first month turns U.S. foreign policy upside down

Editor's note: This article and the headline have been updated to reflect Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's comment and further context has been added.

The Trump administration has "not complied" fully with a court order pausing a freeze on foreign aid, a federal judge in D.C. ruled Thursday evening.

The big picture: U.S. District Court Judge Amir Ali decided not to hold the State Department and Office of Management and Budget in contempt, but said to the extent they "have continued the blanket suspension, they are ordered to immediately cease it."

Driving the news: The Trump administration said it had complied with the order Ali issued last week that it temporarily reinstate foreign aid funding, as two nonprofits challenge in a lawsuit the axing of the assistance via USAID and the State Department.

• "By enjoining Defendants and their agents from implementing any directives to undertake such blanket suspension, the Court was not inviting Defendants to continue the suspension while they reviewed contracts and legal authorities to come up with a new, post-hoc rationalization for the en masse suspension," Ali wrote.
• The judge found the Trump administration had continued a funding freeze "pending review of agreements," something the temporary restraining order "enjoined pending the parties' requested briefing schedule and the Court's prompt resolution of whether to issue a preliminary injunction."
• However, the judge said "contempt is not warranted on the current record and given Defendants' explicit recognition that 'prompt compliance with the order' is required."

Context: The groups that filed the motion for civil contempt, the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC) and Journalism Development Network, Inc. (JDN), cited a Trump administration status report that they said showed it had not restarted any funding or allowed the resumption of work despite the court order.

• They brought the lawsuit after President Trump on Jan. 20 signed an executive order pausing U.S. foreign aid amid a wider, DOGE-led cost-cutting overhaul of the federal workforce and agencies.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio later issued waivers for "life-saving humanitarian assistance programs." Rubio also ordered a stop on most foreign assistance funded via the State Department and USAID.
• The nonprofits say the Trump administration's actions are illegal and "harming global health and security."
• Trump said in his order the "foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values."

Zoom out: The U.S. government has been the world's single largest humanitarian donor, per the United Nations.

Read the order in full, via DocumentCloud:

Go deeper: Courts become the final guardrail against Trump

Editor's note: This article has been updated with further context.

President Trump remains blocked from ending birthright citizenship in the U.S. after a federal appeals court ruling on Wednesday night.

The big picture: Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship is facing multiple lawsuits, including from Democratic attorneys general and civil rights groups who say it violates the Constitution. The case is likely to end up in the U.S. Supreme Court.

• The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' decision to decline an emergency request from the Department of Justice to stop a lower-court Seattle-based judge's order from taking effect marks the first time an appellate court has ruled in the matter.
• Courts in Maryland, Massachusetts and New Hampshire have also issued rulings blocking the order.

Zoom in: The three judges in the San Francisco-based appeals court, comprising appointees of Presidents Trump, Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush, found the DOJ had failed to make a "strong showing that they are likely to succeed on the merits of this appeal."

• The case has been set down for further review, with arguments due to be heard in June.
• Representatives for the Trump administration did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening.

Go deeper...

• Scoop: Democrats target Trump's birthright citizenship order
• Trump offers first defense of birthright citizenship order in court filing
• 18 Republicans cite 1600s case law to defend Trump birthright citizenship order

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Wednesday evening President Trump's goal is to "abolish" the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

The big picture: Lutnick's remarks on Fox News, which come as the IRS is reportedly poised to lay off thousands of workers, build on a pledge Trump made to create an "External Revenue Service" to oversee tariffs and other potential foreign revenue.

• Trump has also floated the idea of abolishing federal income taxes as part of his plans of "tariffing and taxing foreign nations to enrich our citizens."

Driving the news: Lutnick said on "Jesse Watters Primetime" that Elon Musk, in his capacity as a senior White House adviser leading DOGE, was "going to cut" $1 trillion "and then we're going to get rid of all these tax scams that hammer against America, and we're going to raise a trillion dollars of revenue."

• Fox News host Jesse Watters asked Lutnick if he'd give the savings from DOGE cuts back to the American people.
• "Think about it, Donald Trump announces the External Revenue Service, and his goal is very simple ... his goal is to abolish the Internal Revenue Service and let all the outsiders pay," Lutnick replied.

Zoom out: While the reported mass firings were not discussed during the interview, an official with a Kansas City, Mo., union that represents IRS workers in the area said she had been notified on Wednesday about the layoffs, which are part of a DOGE-led drive to slash federal workforce numbers.

• Shannon Ellis, president of the city's National Treasury Employee Union chapter, said in a Facebook video they "received notification" that workers in the agency's Small Business/Self Employed Division "who are on probation are scheduled for termination" as early as Thursday.
• Representatives for the White House, Commerce Department and IRS did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment in the evening.

Go deeper: Musk's DOGE dismantles the job security of federal work

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered military officials to find $50 billion in budget cuts for fiscal year 2026 to be redirected to align with President Trump's priorities for the department, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

Why it matters: The review to identify offsets from the Biden administration's FY26 budget is set to overhaul Defense Department priorities, with a Pentagon official noting its mandate is border security, ending diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and building Trump's planned Iron Dome missile defense shield.

By the numbers: Robert Salesses, performing the duties of the deputy defense secretary, said these offsets are targeted at 8% (about $50 billion) of the Biden administration's budget, "which will then be spent on programs aligned" with Trump's priorities.

What they're saying: "The Department of Defense is conducting this review to ensure we are making the best use of the taxpayers' dollars in a way that delivers on the President Trump's defense priorities efficiently and effectively," Salesses said in an emailed statement Wednesday.

• "Through our budgets, the Department of Defense will once again resource warfighting and cease unnecessary spending that set our military back under the previous administration, including through so-called 'climate change' and other woke programs, as well as excessive bureaucracy," he added.
• Salesses' comments echo those of Hegseth at a conference in Germany last week. "The Defense Department is not in the business of climate change, solving the global thermostat. We're in the business of deterring and winning wars," Hegseth said.
• "So, things like that we want to look for to find efficiencies and many others — the way we acquire weapons, system procurement."

Zoom out: The Defense Department, which has 128 coastal military installations in the U.S. alone, had previously identified climate change as a key threat and the Navy has held exercises to help be better prepared for extreme weather.

• The Navy in its Climate Action 2030 report described it as "one of the most destabilizing forces of our time, exacerbating other national security concerns and posing serious readiness challenges."
• A 2023 Congressional Research Service report citing Pentagon officials warned climate change "has growing implications for the costs of operating U.S. military installations and associated equipment," noting recent hurricanes and storms had caused billions of dollars in damage to bases.

Go deeper: Climate change poses growing threat to NATO

President Trump and Elon Musk defended the DOGE-led overhaul of the federal workforce and agencies during an interview on Fox News' "Hannity" that aired on Tuesday night.

The big picture: The pair praised each other during the interview as they pushed back against Democrats' criticism of DOGE, Trump declared "inflation is back" and the president revealed how much X paid him to settle a lawsuit, while Fox News' Sean Hannity noted: " I feel like I'm interviewing two brothers."

Trump says X paid him $10 million to settle lawsuit

Trump said in the interview that was pre-taped on Tuesday night that Musk "got a big discount" as X settled the lawsuit over the platform — then known as Twitter — permanently suspending his account after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

• "It's very low. I was looking to get much more money than that," Trump said as Musk sat beside him.
• Musk said he "left it up to the lawyers and the team running Twitter."

"Inflation's back. ... I had nothing to do with that"

Trump acknowledged inflation concerns, following The Consumer Price Index rising 3% in the year through January, compared to the 2.9% increase in December. Economists warn higher U.S. inflation is a risk of his global tariffs drive.

• "I'm only here for two and a half weeks. Inflation is back," Trump said.
• "Inflation's back and they said, 'Oh, Trump.' I had nothing to do with it. These people have run the country," he said, in an apparent reference to the Biden administration. "They spent money like nobody's ever spent."

Trump and Musk on conflict of interest concerns

Hannity raised the matter of potential conflicts of interest surrounding government contracts that Musk's companies SpaceX and Tesla have.

• Trump said Musk "won't be involved," while the world's richest person said: "I'll recuse myself if it is."

Defending criticism of DOGE

With DOGE's move to cut costs and the Trump administration's related mass firings of federal workers triggering a wave of lawsuits and nationwide protests, Hannity raised criticism of the drive.

• "This is what you get for it from the Democrats ... nobody voted for Elon. Well, nobody voted for any of your cabinet nominees, OK? People are dying because of DOGE cuts," Hannity said.
• "I'll give you a chance to respond to that. What DOGE is doing is illegal. Elon Musk is street vernacular for a male body part. It's a constitutional crisis," he added.
• Musk responded: "Why are they reacting like this?"
• He said all they're "really trying to do here is restore the will of the people through the president" and "what we're finding is that there's an unelected bureaucracy."

DOGE's $1 trillion goal

Musk in January pledged to slash at least $2 trillion from the federal budget, before later saying: "If we try for $2 trillion, we've got a good shot at getting $1 (trillion)."

• During the "Hannity" interview, he said: "The overall goal is to try to get $1 trillion out of the deficit. And if the deficit is not brought under control, America will go bankrupt."
• Trump said Musk, the face of DOGE, had identified 1% in waste, fraud and abuse, which he called "massive" and "huge money," and said he thinks the billionaire is "going to find $1 trillion."

Go deeper: Legal challenges to DOGE's data access hinge on outdated laws

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more details from the interview.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was charged Tuesday over an alleged coup plot to overturn his 2022 election loss and accused of being involved in plans to kill his rival, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The big picture: Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet's office made the allegations in announcing the charges against 34 people — including the 69-year-old populist leader, who's denied any wrongdoing in the case and accused investigators of political persecution.

• The charges follow proposed indictments from the Brazilian federal police in November after a two-year investigation into the fallout from the election that Bolsonaro never formally conceded, which saw his supporters storm the presidential palace and other government buildings on Jan. 8, 2023.

Zoom in: Bolsonaro and his co-accused face charges including coup d'état, criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law and damage qualified by violence, per a statement from Gonet.

• Prosecutors allege the plot began in 2021 with "systematic attacks on the electronic voting system, through public statements and on the internet."
• "Allied with other individuals, including civilians and military personnel, they attempted to prevent, in a coordinated manner, the result of the 2022 presidential elections from being fulfilled," Gonet alleged.

Zoom out: Brazil's highest court, the Supreme Court, in 2023 banned Bolsonaro from running for office for eight years after finding he had undermined democracy in Latin America's largest nation by making false claims about its voting system.

What's next: Gonet submitted an indictment to the Supreme Court and if it deems there is a case to answer, Bolsonaro will stand trial.

Flashback: Lula sworn in as Brazil's president in ceremony Bolsonaro skipped

Editor's note: This a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Thousands rallied against President Trump in D.C. and across the U.S. on Monday to protest policies including his administration's efforts to make sweeping cuts to government agencies and its push to deport undocumented immigrants.

The big picture: The Presidents Day demonstrations, driven by the 50501 Movement, a grassroots effort that calls for 50 protests in 50 states, also featured signs protesting Elon Musk, the billionaire face of DOGE.

• Protest organizers said the rallies were against "anti-democratic and illegal actions of the Trump administration and its plutocratic allies."
• Many protesters turned out in cities impacted by polar-vortex related frigid temperatures.

What they're saying: White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said Monday night Trump "received a resounding mandate from the American people," in reference to November's win that saw him triumph in the electoral college and become the first Republican president to win the popular vote since 2004, though by the narrowest margin since 2000.

• Trump "swiftly took action to deliver on his promises of restoring common sense policies, strengthening the economy, and re-establishing America's dominance on the world stage," Fields added in his email.
• "President Trump is a leader for all Americans, and he will continue to prioritize America's interests in every decision."

In photos: Anti-Trump protests across the U.S.

Go deeper: Photos from earlier rallies against the Trump administration's government overhaul

Elon Musk is not the administrator of DOGE nor is he an employee of the department that's overseeing massive cuts to the federal workforce and agencies, per a Monday night White House court filing.

Why it matters: President Trump described Musk as a leader of the operation when he announced the department in November, and the billionaire has become the face of the drive.

Driving the news: "Like other senior White House advisors, Mr Musk has no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself," per the filing, signed by Joshua Fisher, director of the Office of Administration at the White House, and filed in D.C. federal court.

• Musk is a "Special Government Employee" (SGE) and in that job he's a senior adviser to the president, said Fisher, per the declaration in the case, which the state of New Mexico brought against the SpaceX owner and others.
• The Tesla CEO "has no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself," Fisher said.
• He said Anita Dunn was an "influential" senior adviser to former President Biden "while serving as an SGE."

Zoom out: Musk appeared alongside Trump at the White House to speak about government cuts as recently as last week.

• Trump said during a Fox News Super Bowl special interview he'd had "great help" in the DOGE drive "with Elon Musk" and he was going to tell him "to go check to the Department of Education" soon.
• Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening on whether Musk is still considered a leader of DOGE.

Go deeper: Musk's double-edged sword on government shutdowns

The Trump administration fired "less than 400" of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) 45,000 employees, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday evening.

The big picture: The Trump administration's push to make large-scale reductions in the federal workforce in a cost-cutting drive has been criticized by some, including the union that represents the FAA and Duffy's Democratic predecessor, Pete Buttigieg.

Driving the news: Duffy's comments on X were in response to Buttigieg's criticism.

• Those "let go" were "all probationary, meaning they had been hired less than a year ago," Duffy said.
• He added: "Zero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go."

Zoom out: David Spero, the leader of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) union, which represents FAA employees, said in a Saturday statement that the agency "is already challenged by understaffing."

• Spero said the action was "unconscionable in the aftermath of three deadly aircraft accidents in the past month," including the fatal collision near Reagan Washington National Airport outside D.C. between a passenger plane and Army helicopter, which killed 67 people.
• Duffy's post did not address Spero's comments that the affected employees had been sent messages "from an 'exec order' Microsoft email address," rather than an official .gov address.

Read the full X exchange between Duffy and Buttigieg below:

Mayor Pete failed for four years to address the air traffic controller shortage and upgrade our outdated, World War II-era air traffic control system. In less than four weeks, we have already begun the process and are engaging the smartest minds in the entire world.

Here’s the… https://t.co/LCL1dswC2T

— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 18, 2025

Go deeper: Musk's SpaceX personnel visiting FAA to suggest improvements

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said she's meeting with "key leaders" at her Manhattan office Tuesday to discuss a "path forward" after four top officials in NYC Mayor Eric Adams' administration resigned.

Why it matters: Hochul said in her Monday statement the resignation of First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer and the other officials "raises serious questions about the long-term future" of Adams' administration and acknowledged she has the power to remove the mayor from office.

The big picture: Torres-Springer and Deputy Mayors Meera Joshi, Chauncey Parker and Anne Williams-Isom resigned after a top Justice Department official requested federal prosecutors drop federal bribery and fraud charges against the indicted mayor and Adams' cooperation with the Trump administration on border security.

• The mayor, who has denied any wrongdoing in the case and pleaded not guilty to all charges, has resisted pressure to resign.

Zoom in: Hochul noted that "in the 235 years of New York State history," the governor's power to remove an elected mayor had never been used and that "overturning the will of the voters is a serious step that should not be taken lightly."

• However, she said "the alleged conduct at City Hall that has been reported over the past two weeks is troubling and cannot be ignored."

What they're saying: Adams' press secretary Kayla Mamelak Altus said Monday night the mayor has been "clear that his loyalty is solely to the 8.3 million New Yorkers" and he's "always available to speak with the governor about how we can continue to deliver for them."

• She pointed to his record in housing, jobs, providing for New Yorkers and immigrants, among other projects that came despite "this investigation and case."
• Mamelak Altus added that "all deputy mayors remain in their roles for the time being to ensure a seamless transition and we are actively working to find their replacements."
• Adams earlier said in a media statement he's "disappointed" to see the deputies go, "but given the current challenges, I understand their decision and wish them nothing but success in the future."

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.