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Federal workers get another Musk email, but no explicit firing threat

Federal workers reportedly got another email Friday night asking them to document their weekly activities β€” though so far this time, there's been no explicit threat from Elon Musk they'll lose their jobs if they don't reply.

Why it matters: The Musk-led campaign to slash the federal workforce is accelerating, and the emails may end up being another way to justify cutting thousands of jobs.


Catch up quick: NPR and Government Executive reported the new emails went out late Friday night, asking workers to send five bullet points documenting their activities by 11:59 p.m. ET Monday night.

  • The emails do not mention any consequences for failing to respond.
  • "The President has made it clear that this is mandatory for the executive branch," Musk posted on X Saturday morning.

Flashback: A week ago, federal workers got a similar email, with a warning from Musk posted to X that failing to respond would be considered a resignation.

  • The White House later clarified that responses were actually entirely voluntary, and many federal agencies told their employees not to answer.
  • About half the federal workforce ultimately responded. Unions representing large chunks of that workforce sued, alleging the emails were illegal and that the Office of Personnel Management didn't have the authority to fire anyone who didn't answer.
  • President Trump later said those who didn't answer were "on the bubble."
  • Musk, for his part, described the email as a test to see if people were actually alive and working.

What we're watching: How agencies actually respond this time, and whether they order their employees to comply or not.

  • The emails may have a different urgency now, given White House directives to agencies this week to prepare large-scale layoffs by March 13.

My teens would rather stay home than travel. I've learned how to make the experience more bearable for them.

A blond woman and a teenage daughter are walking in an old town
The author (not pictured) has found ways for her teens to enjoy traveling as a family a bit more.

Cavan Images / Liza Zavialova/Getty Images/Cavan Images RF

  • Before I had kids I had visited 80 countries.
  • I knew I wanted to show my kids the world once we could all travel.
  • Now that they are teens, they rather stay at home and stare at a screen.

I was born with wanderlust. Before I had kids, I visited over 80 countries. Once I had children, I knew I wanted to show them the world. I hoped that by doing so, I could instill in them a love of travel and help them become curious, empathetic humans.

For years, they loved to pack their suitcases. They eagerly listened to me explain the basics of the history and culture of wherever we were headed.

However, once they hit their teen years, things changed. They decided they would rather stay home, usually attached to a device. Getting them to willingly go on trips became a struggle. However, I refused to give up. I changed how I thought about traveling. Ever since, our trips have been much better.

I ask them where they want to go

When my teens started complaining that they didn't like the destinations I chose, I asked them for input. I am a more adventurous traveler who would rather explore trails and ruins. My daughter, on the other hand, is a city girl through and through. She told me she prefers urban destinations.

Although I had been eyeing an African safari, once my teen suggested Tokyo, I started doing some research. I am now close to booking a trip to Japan, and I think we will all be happy.

My teens have been less grumpy once I started planning trips that consider their wishes instead of simply expecting them to enjoy the same things as me. Plus, if they grumble, I get to remind them that the trip was their idea, not mine.

I make time to do things they enjoy

I would rather hike than shop, but my teenage daughter has yet to find a mall she doesn't like. I try to work in some time for her to browse local shopping areas wherever we go. I wanted to pull my hair out when she brought me to the same chain store that we have close to our home when visiting Rome.

However, at times, I am glad I followed her lead. I'm not sure I would have visited the jaw-dropping Mall of Dubai or the high-end Connaught Place shopping area in New Delhi, complete with a huge underground shopping area full of faux-designer goods directly underneath. Both were cultural experiences.

I always give my daughter a budget or insist she spend her money. She still walks away happy, and the rest of the trip goes more smoothly. As much as I detest shopping trips, it's a small price to pay.

I find ways for them to connect with other teens

When they travel, my teens miss their friends. While I would like to think that their siblings and parents are great company, I know they don't see things the same way.

To make up for it, I try to find ways for them to connect with other teens when we travel. This has meant altering my usual independent, always on-the-go travel style. Although I first booked a group tour reluctantly, I am getting ready to book a third family tour with Intrepid Travel. On these tours, my teens find other kids their age to connect with and are much happier.

When we want a more relaxed pace, I've sought out resorts like Beaches with dedicated teen clubs. My teens have made friends from all over the world this way. They are much better travel companions when sharing part of the experience with their peers. I'd be lying if I didn't admit I like some alone time, too.

I try to accommodate their need for alone time

Even when things go smoothly, my teens still need time away from me. Although I find this a little hurtful, I try to give them space.

Sometimes, this means leaving a teen alone in a hotel room while I play Uno with a sibling in the lobby. Other times, one of my teens might take a shuttle bus from an amusement park back to the hotel by themselves or stay in our room at a resort while the rest of the family goes to the pool.

It's not always possible to give my teens time alone exactly when they want it, but finding some way for us to be apart makes the time we are together better.

I remind them of the ways travel enriches their lives

Like most teens, my kids are reluctant to admit they learned anything or had fun. However, my daughter recently showed me her high school art portfolio. I was surprised and pleased to see that it included a painting of a door inspired by our trip to Morocco and a whale inspired by our trip to Iceland. I've overheard my son talking about a trip to the Caribbean.

Although these moments are rare, I take the opportunity to remind my teens of the value and fun of travel.

Read the original article on Business Insider

I followed my career dreams instead of chasing a higher-salary job. I'm not sure I want my children to do the same.

Job seekers look over job opening fliers at the Job Fair
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David McNew/Getty Images

  • I followed my dreams and became a teacher instead of chasing a high salary.
  • Now that my kids are in college and everything is more expensive, I want them to find a stable job.
  • Hopefully, they can find a high-paying job that they love.

As a little girl, my favorite place was the town library, where I would check out stacks of books as tall as I was. As soon as I could read, my head was full of dreams.

I wanted to develop a life-saving cancer treatment, circumnavigate the globe as a prize-winning journalist, and perform as a famous ballerina. I believed a life worth living was a life spent pursuing passions, especially when it came to a dream career.

With so many dreams, choosing one path felt impossible. As a result, I changed my college major more times than I changed my boyfriends. Eventually, I graduated with a master's degree in English teaching. I wanted to pass on my passion for discovering new worlds and words to students.

Over the past 20 years, I've taught high school and college classes. I've seen students slam their books shut in frustration at the end of "Animal Farm" and sit in stunned silence after turning the final page of "Of Mice and Men." I've helped freshman college comp students hone thesis statements and calmed the nerves of dozens of high school students preparing for speech contests. I've been sworn at and threatened, and I've been invited to weddings and baby showers.

Teaching has been, in a word, a dream. But dreams don't always come with a livable wage.

Dream jobs don't pay the bills

Because of my parents and scholarships, I received an advanced degree without debt. I have a husband whose job provides a decent wage and good benefits, so we can afford eggs (for now), take modest vacations, and send our children to college.

But if I had to care for a family of four on just my wages, it would be impossible.

I followed my dreams, not the money. But is that still good advice in today's world?

I'm the mom of two young adult sons embarking on their own college and career paths, and I'm not sure if I should tell them to follow their passions.

One son expressed an interest in journalism, but in a world of AI generators and mass layoffs, that might not be a wise decision. Even the tech world no longer feels like a safe bet.

"Find a career that invigorates you, is AI-proof, pays well, and comes with great benefits," I want to tell them. I might as well be telling them to find me a pet unicorn while they're at it.

I know the world is different now when I talk to my sons

When I chose to follow my dreams decades ago, rent for my studio apartment cost $400 a month. Gas cost $1.50 a gallon, and a dozen eggs was less than $1. The economy and world news weren't all optimistic, but I didn't have social media throwing negativity in my face every minute.

I nearly fell off my chair when my son told me how much rent would cost to share an apartment with three friends next year β€” over $850 for each tenant. What will expenses be like when they graduate in a few years and try to make it on their own? With rising housing prices, I picture my sons living in our basement and subsisting on beans and rice. They won't be able to afford eggs.

I want my sons to have fulfilling careers and experience the same energetic boost I get after leading a class discussing or seeing a student have that magical a-ha moment. I want them to have jobs without the Sunday Scaries, where they build community and make a difference in a world that can feel hopeless.

But I also want them to be able to pay their bills, take some amazing vacations, and generously give to causes they care about.

I dream they can have the best of both worlds

I realize this is a false dichotomy. My husband's career doesn't fill him with great passion, but his work is satisfying and pays decently. I have friends with successful corporate careers that don't kill their souls and come with great benefits.

I can tell my sons to pick a career that pays the bills without making them miserable. And whenever possible, they can chase life-giving passions β€” whether inside work or outside it. Maybe they volunteer at an after-school program or do some freelance writing so they can feed their dreams and put food on the table.

The world has changed, but purpose still matters. I discovered this in my childhood books and have experienced it in a fulfilling career. Now, as my sons chase their own paths, I dream they find a way to make a living and truly live.

Read the original article on Business Insider

"Three strikes": Inside the Trump-Vance fury with Zelensky

The Oval Office shouting match Friday was shocking. But it wasn't too surprising to anyone close to President Trump or Vice President Vance.

Why it matters: Privately, Trump sees Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a pro-Biden, ungrateful lightweight destined to lose to Russia.

  • And Trump advisers believe Zelensky sees Trump as a pro-Putin, delusional fool destined to make him lose to Russia.

To Trump's team, it was three strikes β€” and now officially out of favor β€” for Zelensky. In their eyes, Zelensky already had two strikes against him when he sat down with Trump and Vance.

  • That was the backdrop for a conversation that would become perhaps the most epic televised foreign policy row in history β€” an argument that rattled Europe and vividly illustrated a sharp turn in U.S. foreign policy toward Russia.

It began with what Trump's team saw as Strike 3 against Zelensky: He disagreed publicly with Vance, who accused Zelensky of trying to "litigate" his case before the media.

  • Vance said Zelensky didn't show enough thanks to the U.S. for funding Ukraine's defense β€” or to Trump for trying to bring peace.
  • After a tense nine-minute exchange, it ended with Trump stopping the 50-minute meeting and essentially showing Zelensky the door.

Strike 2 came just before Friday's meeting, when Zelensky arrived at the White House without a suit or jacket, as requested. It was perceived by White House staffers as disrespectful.

  • Strike 1, as first reported by Axios, came Feb. 15, when Zelensky publicly trashed a proposed mineral rights deal with Ukraine that he privately had discussed the day before in Munich with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
  • The plan Friday was for Zelensky to sign a new version of the deal as part of a plan to end the war. That didn't happen.

The big picture: At the heart of the discord is Trump's view of the conflict, which continues to challenge the United States' long-held alliances in Europe.

  • Trump sees geopolitics in terms of negotiations between powerful countries and big personalities. Russian President Vladimir Putin is a coequal in this paradigm. Zelensky β€” the leader of a smaller country surviving thanks to American largesse β€” isn't.

Trump also approaches politics like a business deal or, as a former casino owner, as a type of poker. In one telling moment, he told Zelensky he had a bad hand without the U.S.

  • "I'm not playing cards. I'm very serious," Zelensky said. Trump shot back: "You're playing cards. You're gambling with the lives of millions of people."
  • Quick to temper and desiring of flattery, Trump demands a high degree of obeisance from supplicants. Zelensky didn't show that β€” and Vance was quick to try to put him in his place.

Trump's expectation of deference from Zelensky is particularly high because of the massive aid the U.S. has sent to Ukraine (an amount Trump inflates). The two have had a fraught relationship since 2019, when Trump was impeached for trying to leverage Zelensky for political gain against Joe Biden.

  • Vance has long had antipathy for Zelensky and funding Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion. In his 2022 Senate race in Ohio, Vance ran on a platform of ending Ukraine aid.
  • During the presidential election, Zelensky visited a Pennsylvania arms factory and signed missiles with President Biden. Vance cited that episode Friday, accusing Zelensky of "campaigning with the opposition."

Between the lines: Democrats and European allies, who were far more aligned with Biden than Trump, were aghast at the Oval Office spectacle and at how Trump seemed to be shrugging off Putin's aggression against Ukraine.

  • But Trump's close Republican allies loved the tag-teaming against Zelensky. White House officials said a message was sent.
  • Zelensky "has refused to accept that people are tired of funding this war, and that there is a new sheriff in town," a senior White House adviser said. "He did not come in with that understanding of reality."

What they're saying: Critics say Trump acted more like a crime figure than a president or law enforcement officer.

  • "Trump runs the White House like a mob boss. He looks at Russia and China like they're other mob families; he sees Zelensky as a nobody," said Trump critic Lev Parnas, who was Trump's Ukraine fixer during the president's first term, spent time in prison afterward, then penned a tell-all book and a documentary.
  • "He thinks [Zelensky] should just beg and then shut up," Parnas said.
  • On Friday, "the wildcard was Vance," Parnas added. "I think [Zelensky] would've swallowed whatever Trump was gonna offer, but JD Vance set it off. ... He never liked Zelensky."

Vance advisers say he hadn't plotted to blow up the negotiations, though one privately acknowledged he's "prone to think Zelensky is a liar."

  • The meeting was largely uneventful until Zelensky addressed Vance directly and asked how diplomacy would work with a lying killer like Putin.
  • "No one expected Zelensky to walk in there and act like such a petulant child, constantly frowning and shaking his head and DJT and JD had had enough," one Republican close to the administration told Axios via text.
  • "I'm not sure this is salvageable," the senior White House adviser summed up. "Three strikes and you're out."

Zoom in: Inside the White House, there was a feeling of unease among Trump advisers Friday when they saw Zelensky arrive without a business suit or a blazer. He was dressed instead in a three-button, skintight, long-sleeved black athletic shirt.

  • "Wow look, you're all dressed up today," Trump said in a seemingly friendly way that advisers say masked annoyance.
  • Brian Glenn, a conservative reporter and boyfriend of Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), seemed to voice the attitude of Trump's team in the Oval Office when he asked Zelensky, "Why don't you wear a suit? … Do you own a suit?" Vance laughed out loud.
  • "I will wear a [suit] after this war will finish," Zelensky said. "Maybe something like yours. Maybe something better ... maybe something cheaper."

After Trump canceled a lunch and press conference that was planned after the Oval Office meeting, Zelensky left the White House.

  • Later he posted on X, thanking "POTUS, Congress and the American people" for the visit.
  • That was interpreted differently by members of the administration. Some thought he was tweaking Vance for having scolded Zelensky. Others thought Zelensky was bending a knee.

What we're watching: Whether Trump and Zelensky can get back to the negotiating table and arrive at a peace deal for Ukraine. If not, Friday's clash could go down in U.S. foreign policy history as even more significant than it already appears.

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