Trump and Melania host White House dinner; Musk emails ultimatum to federal workers

Trump and Melania host White House dinner; Musk emails ultimatum to federal workers
Trump brags of ‘liberating’ America in CPAC speech

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump held their first public engagement together in a month as they hosted a dinner for the National Governors Association on Saturday night at the White House.

In his remarks, the president spoke of unity and said all governors could call on his administration — even those from the Democratic Party, some of whom he admitted were doing a good job.

Earlier, the president gave a meandering speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference at which he boasted: “We’re liberating our country right now.”

Following his bizarre CPAC appearance, Elon Musk sent an email ultimatum to federal workers: list what they achieved last week by Monday night or be assumed to have resigned.

Senator Tina Smith mocked Musk, whose official status at DOGE is unclear, tweeting: “This is the ultimate d*** boss move from Musk — except he isn’t even the boss, he’s just a dick.”

On Friday evening, Trump announced that he is replacing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General C.Q. Brown and will soon replace five other high-level positions in an unprecedented shake-up of the U.S. military leadership. He is nominating retired Lieutenant General Dan “Razin” Caine to succeed Brown.

Dr Oz holds millions from companies he’d wield power over in top Trump job

According to a newly filed government ethics report, Dr. Mehmet Oz, the celebrity heart surgeon nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has accumulated wealth in part from for-profit healthcare companies over which he would wield significant power if confirmed.

Read on…

AP23 February 2025 04:00

Australian treasurer to meet with Bessent on trade and tariffs this week

Australia’s Treasurer Jim Chalmers said on Sunday that he would visit the U.S this week to meet with his counterpart, Scott Bessent, to discuss tariffs.

Chalmers told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that he plans to depart for Washington on Sunday “to hold one-on-one conversations with my Treasury counterpart,” and noted that they will discuss trade and tariffs.

The trip follows President Donald Trump’s agreement this month to consider exempting Australia from his steel and aluminum tariffs due to its trade surplus with the U.S., after a phone call with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Chalmers said he did not expect to finalize discussions on steel and aluminum during his time in Washington but was looking forward to meeting Bessent for the first time since taking on his role.

Albanese said this month that he remained confident that a deal could be reached with Trump, given the “tremendous start” of Australia’s relationship with the new U.S. administration.

As a vital U.S. security ally in the Indo-Pacific, Australia is a small global steel exporter, yet it holds the title of the world’s largest exporter of iron ore, the primary raw material for steelmaking.

Trump, during his first term, exempted Australia from U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum.

With reporting by Reuters

Oliver O’Connell23 February 2025 03:40

Meanwhile, in Pasadena…

(L-R) Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, NAACP, Doug Emhoff, Former Vice President Kamala Harris, winner of the Chairman's Award, Leon W. Russell and Karen Boykin-Towns pose in the press room during the 56th NAACP Image Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium
(L-R) Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, NAACP, Doug Emhoff, Former Vice President Kamala Harris, winner of the Chairman’s Award, Leon W. Russell and Karen Boykin-Towns pose in the press room during the 56th NAACP Image Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium (Getty Images)

On the other side of the country — and the other side of the political divide — former Vice President Kamala Harris was presented with the Chairman’s Award at the 56th Annual NAACP Image Awards.

You can watch the presentation and her remarks below:

Oliver O’Connell23 February 2025 03:23

Kid Rock reportedly splits from fiancée after being seen with Lauren Boebert

Kid Rock is reportedly no longer with his fiancée of seven years Audrey Berry.

Brittany Miller has the story.

Oliver O’Connell23 February 2025 03:00

Air traffic controllers also received Musk ultimatum

Oliver O’Connell23 February 2025 02:51

Kash Patel tells FBI employees to ignore Elon Musk’s ultimatum email

Newly sworn-in FBI director Kash Patel has instructed his employees to ignore Elon Musk’s email, which, along with other federal workers, gave them an ultimatum to justify their jobs.

“The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures,” Patel writes in his own message.

Oliver O’Connell23 February 2025 02:38

Full story: Musk says all federal employees must answer email about what they did last week — or lose their jobs

“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 Friday afternoon. “Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”

Katie Hawkinson reports from Washington, D.C.

Oliver O’Connell23 February 2025 02:20

Trump says ‘good chance’ of breakthrough between PGA Tour and LIV Golf

President Donald Trump speaks during the National Governors Association Dinner in the East Room
President Donald Trump speaks during the National Governors Association Dinner in the East Room (EPA)

President Donald Trump was asked on Saturday evening about the status of negotiations between the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf after his discussions with the parties this week about the dispute.

At a White House dinner for visiting state governors, Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis asked Trump whether a breakthrough was possible.

“I think there’s a good chance that we’ll do that,” Trump said. “I think there’s a very good chance.”

The PGA Tour said on Thursday that it held a “constructive working session” at the White House with Trump and LIV Golf Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan to discuss efforts to resolve the schism between the two professional golf bodies. Golfers Tiger Woods and Adam Scott and PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan also attended.

When LIV Golf was founded in 2021, it attracted some of the world’s top golfers. However, the best players from both LIV and the PGA Tour compete only at golf’s four majors, and efforts are being made to unify the professionals.

With reporting from Reuters

Oliver O’Connell23 February 2025 02:06

Trump stresses ‘unity’ at White House dinner for governors

President Donald Trump gave brief remarks before the dinner began, saying First Lady Melania Trump had put a lot of work into the event, to which the room stood and applauded her. He added that she looked “beautiful.”

Trump then asked eight new or recently elected governors to stand, to more applause.

President Donald Trump addresses the National Governors Association Evening Dinner and Reception
President Donald Trump addresses the National Governors Association Evening Dinner and Reception (AFP via Getty Images)

The president said governors, including Democratic governors, could always call on his administration. He also mentioned the importance of “unity”—something he had previously mentioned in his earlier Truth Social Post. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stood up and mentioned Trump’s PGA-LIV golf meeting as an example of unification.

Trump said he wants all governors to succeed so that the country succeeds. He also mentioned that tonight is President Washington’s 293rd Birthday.

The president said some Democratic governors are doing a really good job, and jokingly suggested some not so much, which elicited some laughs.

He said it was a “nasty journey” back to the White House but added, “Let us all commit ourselves to strengthening America and making it even more special than it has been. We’re going to be one united nation.”

Trump offered to give a tour of the Lincoln Bedroom at the end of the meal, saying: “It’s beautiful.”

The president concluded his remarks by asking Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner to give a prayer.

Also spotted in attendance alongside the governors were Vice President JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

Oliver O’Connell23 February 2025 01:53

In pictures: Donald and Melania Trump host the National Governors Association Dinner

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive for the National Governors Association Evening Dinner and Reception
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive for the National Governors Association Evening Dinner and Reception (AFP via Getty Images)
President Trump addresses the nation’s governors
President Trump addresses the nation’s governors (AFP via Getty Images)
This is first lady Melania Trump's first public engagement since January 24, when she and the president toured flood-ravaged North Carolina, and parts of Los Angeles devastated by wildfires
This is first lady Melania Trump’s first public engagement since January 24, when she and the president toured flood-ravaged North Carolina, and parts of Los Angeles devastated by wildfires (AFP via Getty Images)
The dinner is taking place in the East Room of the White House
The dinner is taking place in the East Room of the White House (AFP via Getty Images)
Oliver O’Connell23 February 2025 01:33

Source: independent.co.uk