Administration

• A Politico analysis of data from Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) reveals the administration saved less than 5 percent of its claimed savings through nearly 10,100 contract terminations. • DOGE, led by efficiency advocates, was tasked with reducing government waste and cutting unnecessary spending across federal agencies. • The significant gap between claimed and actual savings raises questions about the effectiveness of the administration's cost-reduction strategy and the accuracy of reported figures.

• Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly stated on CBS's Face the Nation that the Trump administration's $1.5 trillion Defense Department budget request is outrageous. • Kelly highlighted that the proposed amount is nearly equal to what the rest of the world collectively spends on defense. • The criticism underscores Democratic concerns over excessive military spending amid fragile ceasefires and other national priorities.

• The Pentagon released dozens of files on unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs) on Friday, May 8, 2026, per President Trump's directive. • Documents detail previously classified sightings and investigations, aimed at increasing transparency on aerial threats. • This move addresses congressional demands for disclosure amid national security concerns over unexplained incursions.

• Reporters Without Borders has documented the first significant and prolonged decline in press freedom in the United States in modern history, directly attributing deterioration to Trump's return to office. • The organization reports that Trump has attempted to pressure media companies to soften coverage and install administration-allied leaders in key positions. • The concerning trend reverses a century of gradual press freedom expansion, marking a critical moment for media independence and democratic institutions.

After January order from US department of the interior, managers across 55 sites have lifted prohibitionsDonald Trump’s administration is quietly pushing national park, refuge and wilderness area managers to dramatically scale back hunting restrictions, raising questions about visitor safety and the impact on wildlife.Doug Burgum, the US Department of the Interior secretary, issued an order in January directing multiple agencies to remove what he termed “unnecessary regulatory or administrative barriers” to hunting and fishing, to and justify regulations they want to keep in place. Continue reading...

• The Trump administration requires congressional approval to prolong a 30-day federal takeover, announced May 8, 2026. • The measure targets unspecified federal operations, highlighting inter-branch power dynamics. • Extension could impact national policy enforcement, drawing bipartisan scrutiny on executive overreach.

The Guardian wanted to know who, exactly, would be pulled into the mass-deportation dragnet of Trump’s second termDonald Trump entered his second term promising “mass deportations”. He also promised he’d target the “worst of the worst”. The Guardian wanted to know who, exactly, would be pulled into this deportation dragnet.That question led us to “Record of Deportable/Inadmissible Alien” forms, also known as I-213 forms. Immigration agents fill out these forms each time they make an arrest, alleging that the person is in the country without authorization. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) then uses these forms in court to prove that a person is in the country illegally. Continue reading...