Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
Read more
Donald Trump’s administration remains mired in chaos after Elon Musk issued a new ultimatum on Monday night. He gave federal workers one more chance to reply to his email threatening their jobs after multiple agency heads told their staff to ignore him.
With just hours to go before the proclaimed midnight deadline for his first ultimatum, the mercurial billionaire renewed his demand for government employees to tell him the five things they accomplished last week – or be fired.
The latest warning came shortly after the Trump administration’s Office of Personnel Management told agencies that responding to Musk’s edict was “voluntary.”
By then several agencies had already told employees to ignore the demand.
Musk apparently left himself a path to back off from his latest ultimatum by saying it was “subject to the discretion of the President,” adding to the chaos and confusion for workers.
More than 20 staffers at Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have resigned, after refusing to use their technical expertise to “dismantle critical public services.”
“We swore to serve the American people and uphold our oath to the Constitution across presidential administrations,” they wrote in a joint resignation letter on Tuesday. “However, it has become clear that we can no longer honor those commitments.”
Musk to attend first Trump cabinet meeting tomorrow
Elon Musk will be at President Donald Trump’s cabinet meeting tomorrow, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, said at today’s briefing.
He will be there “considering he’s working alongside the president and other cabinet secretaries,” she said.
Oliver O’Connell25 February 2025 18:42
Maine governor’s MAGA opponents petition for her recall after showdown with Trump – but there’s a problem
Janet Mills, the Democratic governor of Maine, is facing a petition for her recall after sparring bitterly with Donald Trump at the White House last week on the issue of transgender rights.
The change.org petition, organized by local conservative activist Melissa Moulton, already has 12,362 of the 15,000 signatures it is seeking at the time of writing.
But there’s one big problem: Maine is one of 30 American states that does not have any provision to recall a governor.
Oliver O’Connell25 February 2025 18:40
Judge orders Trump administration to unfreeze foreign aid by midnight Wednesday
A judge is ordering the Trump administration to unfreeze foreign aid and promptly pay all invoices and reimbursements by midnight tomorrow.
Judge Amir Ali also wants the Trump administration to provide the court with any notices or guidance that officials sent out (if they did) about complying with the previous court order to unfreeze aid.
He has given them until noon tomorrow to do that.
Alex Woodward25 February 2025 18:22
IN FOCUS: From Ukraine’s minerals to the Gaza Riviera – why Trump’s foreign policy is all about money
Alex Hannaford writes that whether it is real estate or precious resources, Donald Trump is treating global geopolitics like a monopoly board. And that is why no one should rely on his loyalty, not even Benjamin Netanyahu or Vladimir Putin.
Oliver O’Connell25 February 2025 18:20
Watch LIVE: Press secretary Karoline Leavitt gives White House briefing
Oliver O’Connell25 February 2025 18:14
Rachel Maddow slams MSNBC’s ‘unnerving’ decision to drop Joy Reid
MSNBC star Rachel Maddow lambasted her own network for parting ways with longtime host Joy Reid and canceling a number of shows anchored by women of color, calling the decision “indefensible” and a “bad mistake.”
Oliver O’Connell25 February 2025 18:00
COMMENT: Trump’s new axis of friendly dictators is a threat to US allies – and decades of joint intelligence
Sam Kiley, The Independent’s world affairs editor, writes that after the US abandoned the UK and the EU to vote with Russia at the United Nations, the West can no longer trust the Americans, which is a blow to our secret services.
Oliver O’Connell25 February 2025 17:40
Watch: Alina Habba talks about the five things she does in her job
Oliver O’Connell25 February 2025 17:32
White House press secretary dismissive of the mass DOGE resignations
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is dismissive of mass resignations over the work of the Department of Government Efficiency.
“Anyone who thinks protests, lawsuits, and lawfare will deter President Trump must have been sleeping under a rock for the past several years,” Leavitt said in a statement reported by the Associated Press.
“President Trump will not be deterred from delivering on the promises he made to make our federal government more efficient and more accountable to the hardworking American taxpayers.”
Oliver O’Connell25 February 2025 17:25
Fired MSNBC host leaves viewers with dire message after controversial axing
Hours after MSNBC boss Rebecca Kutler officially announced that Joy Reid’s show was ending and the longtime host was leaving the network amid a programming overhaul, Reid devoted her final broadcast to instructing her viewers on the ways to resist throughout Donald Trump’s presidency, warning them that fascism is “already here.”
Justin Baragona has the story.
Oliver O’Connell25 February 2025 17:20
