Executive Orders
President Donald Trump signed the following Executive Orders:
None.
Key Events
- Rep. Dan Newhouse introduced a motion to censure Rep. Al Green over his protest during Trump’s speech on Tuesday
- An internal federal review board ruled that the USDA’s mass firings violated employee due process procedures; all 6,000 probationary employees are to be rehired
- The CIA paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine to further pressure President Zelenskyy into US-led peace negotiations
- Panama countered Trump’s statement that the US is “reclaiming” the Panama Canal, said he is lying
- US automakers were granted a one month reprieve from tariffs
Congress
On Wednesday, Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced a resolution to censure Representative Al Green (D-TX) for a “breach of proper conduct” related to his protest during Trump’s speech to Congress Tuesday evening.
ABC News reports that Al Green is believed to be the first lawmaker in modern history to be thrown out of a joint session of Congress or a State of the Union address, according to a presidential historian.
While there have been a handful of US House censures in recent years, none involved protests of presidential actions, which are generally seen as falling under freedom of speech.
Representatives Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) repeatedly challenged President Joe Biden during each of his State of the Union speeches. In 2023, when Biden said “some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security to sunset,” a chorus of boos erupted from Republicans and Greene repeatedly yelled “liar” but no lawmakers were removed from the Chamber, or censured.
Green told ABC News that he was “following the wishes of conscience,” as he spoke of the fears his constituents have about the deep Medicaid funding cuts being proposed by the Trump administration, amounting to $880B over the next decade.
“There are times when it is better to stand alone than not stand at all,” he said, adding “I would do it again.”
National
Government
USDA firings deemed unlawful
In their ruling on Wednesday, the Merit Systems Protection Board found that the mass firings of probationary workers at the US Department of Agriculture violated standard protocols and declared the terminations unlawful.
The decision grants a 45-day stay on the firings of all probationary workers at the USDA, and reinstates nearly 6,000 employees who were recently terminated since February 13.
The Office of Special Counsel filed the stay request on February 28, claiming the USDA violated personnel laws that govern the terminations of federal government probationary workers and reductions in force (RIF) procedures.
Unlike corporate and other private sector jobs, where oftentimes employees can be terminated without cause, most federal government positions adhere to merit system principles that require disciplinary action prior to termination.
While the threshold for terminating a probationary employee is significantly lower than for a tenured employee, it is not zero – probationary employees cannot be terminated ‘at will.’ Agencies must inform probationary employees of the specific reasons for their termination, which necessarily requires agencies to conduct an individualized assessment of their performance and conduct.
Source: US Office of Special Council v. Department of Agriculture, February 28, 2025
OSC argued that the agency stated the terminations were based on performance, however the employees received mass letters that did not specify the criteria for each employee’s dismissal.
“The agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the agency would be in the public interest,” the letters stated. Furthermore, many employees had received positive performance reviews prior to being fired.
In situations where workforce reductions are needed, such as lack of funding, RIF guidelines require merit-based factors to guide decisions on employee terminations, and that attempts should be made to reassign employees. They should also be given a 60-day notice, along with re-employment information and career transition assistance.
OSC gave evidence of instructions from the Office of Personnel Management to identify positions as “mission critical” (retainable) or non critical (dispensable), thereby, in this context, basing “performance” on “the current needs and best interest of the government, in light of the President’s directive to dramatically reduce the size of the federal workforce.”
The MSPB agreed with OSC’s argument that the USDA effectively used the terminations of the probationary employees to circumvent RIF guidelines.
OSC asserts in this regard that proper application of RIF regulations could allow some probationers to keep their jobs or be reassigned to new positions, and the agency’s failure to follow RIF procedures deprived [employees] of an additional period of employment, compensation, benefits, career transition assistance information, possible accrual of tenure, as well as due process rights.
Source: US Office of Special Council v. Department of Agriculture, March 5, 2025
In Wednesday’s ruling, MSPB member Cathy Harris wrote, “Particularly considering the deference that must be afforded to OSC at this initial stage, I find that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the agency engaged in a prohibited personnel practice.”
The ruling allows the employees to remain at work until April 18 while OSC continues their investigation of the mass terminations at USDA and other government agencies. In a statement Wednesday, the OSC called on all agencies to rescind their mass firings.
I want to thank the MSPB for granting this important stay. Agencies are best positioned to determine the employees impacted by these mass terminations. That’s why I am calling on all federal agencies to voluntarily and immediately rescind any unlawful terminations of probationary employees.
My agency will continue to investigate and take appropriate action on prohibited personnel practices including improper terminations of probationary employees. Voluntarily rescinding these hasty and apparently unlawful personnel actions is the right thing to do and avoids the unnecessary wasting of taxpayer dollars.
Source: OSC Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger, OSC.gov
World
Ukraine intelligence sharing halted
CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed on Wednesday with Fox Business Network that the US has “paused” intelligence sharing with Ukraine in an apparent push to further pressure President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on peace negotiations.
Ratcliffe suggested the restrictions were an effective tactic — after announcing on Monday the halt of military aid, Trump received a letter from Zelenskyy on Tuesday reaffirming his commitment to peace and willingness to sign Trump’s minerals agreement, which Zelenskyy also shared on social media:
We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky — ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure — and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, via X
Ratcliffe indicated the action was temporary and that negotiations would resume again soon.“I think we’ll work shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine,” he said.
Panama: Trump is lying
During Tuesday’s speech to Congress, Trump said the US is “reclaiming the Panama Canal” and “we’ve already started doing it.”
“Just today, a large American company announced they are buying both ports around the Panama Canal and lots of other things having to do with the Panama Canal and a couple of other canals,” he added.
The president was referring to a $23B deal announced this week between Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holding and US-based BlackRock Inc. to sell its ownership stake in the Panama Canal ports.
On Wednesday morning, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino responded that Trump was “lying again.”
President Trump is lying again. The Panama Canal is not in the process of being restored, and it is even less a task that has not even been discussed in our conversations with Secretary Rubio or anyone else. On behalf of Panama and all Panamanians, I reject this new affront to the truth and our dignity as a nation. Cooperation between our governments requires clear understandings on issues of mutual interest, as has been the case. This has nothing to do with "restoring the Canal" or with undermining our national sovereignty. The Canal is Panamanian and will remain Panamanian!
Source: Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino, via X, translated with Google Translate.
Canada: Not your #51
In a media conference on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about Trump’s repeated behavior of calling Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a “governor” and if plans are moving forward to make Canada the 51st state.
“The president … feels strongly that it would be very beneficial for the Canadian people to be the 51st state of the United States. They wouldn’t be paying for these tariffs, they’d have much lower taxes if they were part of our great country,” Leavitt explained.
On Tuesday, Trudeau said Trump is trying to facilitate “a total collapse of the Canadian economy because that will make it easier to annex us”.
“That is never going to happen, “ he said. “We will never be the 51st state.”
Celebrities
Media
Economics
Tariff today, gone tomorrow
In Wednesday’s media conference, Leavitt also read a statement from Trump regarding the tariffs imposed Tuesday (Day 44):
We spoke with the Big Three auto dealers, we are going
to give a one month exemption on any autos coming through USMCA. Reciprocal tariffs will still go into effect on April 2nd.Source: US President Donald Trump
Leavitt said the three companies that Trump spoke to were Stellantis, Ford, and General Motors, and that the companies had requested the call with the president.
USMCA is a free trade agreement between the US, Canada, and Mexico that was enacted in July 2020. It replaced the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), each having the goal of removing investment and trade barriers between the countries.
When asked about the one month timeline for the exemption, she said it was “so they are not at an economic disadvantage,” and clarified that Trump told the automakers they should quickly start shifting production to the US “where they will pay no tariff — that’s the ultimate goal.”
Business
Culture
String Board Notes
Further Reading
OPM alters memo about probationary employees but does not order mass firings reversed; NPR; March 4, 2025
Why has Trump halted military aid to Ukraine and what will it mean for the war? Here’s what to know; CNN; March 5, 2025