WASHINGTON: A series of decisions revealed Friday provided a glimpse of the turmoil engulfing federal agencies since President Donald Trump and Elon Musk launched their campaign of disruption, upending how government functions in ways big and small.
Some changes appeared designed to increase political control over agencies that have historically operated with some degree of autonomy, such as requiring Environmental Protection Agency officials to seek approval from the Department of Government Efficiency for any contracts exceeding $50,000.
Other directives increased burdens on federal workers, who have already endured insults, layoffs and threats from the president and other top officials. For example, government credit cards issued to civilian employees at the Pentagon were altered to have a $1 limit, choking off their ability to travel for work.
The Transportation Security Administration became another target. The administration canceled a collective bargaining agreement with 47,000 workers who screen travelers and luggage at airports around the country, eliminating union protections in a possible prelude to layoffs or privatization.
The cascading developments are only a fraction of the upheaval that’s taken place since Trump took office, but they still reshaped how hundreds of thousands of public servants do their jobs, with potentially enduring consequences. The ongoing shakeup is much more intense than the typical whiplash that Washington endures when one administration gives way to another, raising fundamental questions about how government will function under a president who has viewed civil servants as an obstacle to his agenda.
The White House has wrestled with political blowback over Musk’s role and legal challenges that have tried to block or slow down his work. Republicans who are facing growing pressure in contentious town halls have started to speak up.
“I will fully admit, I think Elon Musk has tweeted first and thought second sometimes,” said Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Michigan, during a virtual meeting with constituents on Friday. “He has plunged ahead without necessarily knowing and understanding what he legally has to do or what he is going to be doing.”
Mistakes are being made
The overhaul of the federal government is happening at lightning speed, reflecting years of preparation by Trump’s allies and the president’s decision to grant Musk sweeping influence over his administration. Musk, a billionaire entrepreneur with no previous experience in public service, has shown no interest in slowing down despite admitting that he’ll make mistakes in his crusade to slash spending and downsize the workforce.
The government is facing even more dramatic changes in the coming weeks and months. Trump has directed agencies to prepare plans for widespread layoffs, known as reductions in force, that will likely require more limited operations at agencies that provide critical services.
The Department of Veterans Affairs could shed 80,000 employees, while the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration are considering plans that would cut their workforces in half.
Trump has vowed not to reduce Social Security benefits, but Democrats argue that layoffs would make it harder to deliver payments to 72.5 million people, including retirees and children.
There are also concerns that politics could interfere with Social Security. Trump has feuded over transgender issues with Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, and his administration recently said children born in the state would no longer have a Social Security number assigned at birth. Instead, parents would have to apply for one at a local office.
Leland Dudek, the acting commissioner of Social Security, rescinded the order on Friday.
“In retrospect, I realize that ending these contracts created an undue burden on the people of Maine, which was not the intent,” he said in a statement. Dudek added that “as a leader, I will admit my mistakes and make them right.”
A startup mindset takes hold
More than a month after Trump took office, there’s still confusion about Musk’s authority. In public statements and legal filings, administration officials have insisted that Musk does not actually run DOGE and has no direct authority over budgets.
But Trump has contradicted both statements. He said Tuesday that DOGE is “headed by Elon Musk” in a prime-time speech to a joint session of Congress, and he said Thursday that “Elon will do the cutting” if agency leaders don’t reduce their spending.
Their approach has energized people like David Sacks, a venture capitalist serving as a Trump adviser on cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence, who praised the administration as moving “faster than any startup that I’ve been part of.”
Trump denied reports of friction between Musk and Cabinet officials, particularly Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a meeting Thursday.
“Elon gets along great with Marco,” the president said. The State Department had no immediate comment.
Norm Eisen, executive chair of State Democracy Defenders Fund, an organization that has been suing the Trump administration, said the president “made clear that Musk and DOGE have been calling the shots.”
Musk serves as a presidential adviser, not a Senate-confirmed official, which Eisen argued makes his role unconstitutional. He said Trump’s comments are “an admission that the vast chaos that Musk and DOGE have wrought without proper approval and documentation is illegal — and so must be completely unwound.”
Trump is using executive orders to reshape government
Many of the changes sweeping through Washington were ignited by Trump’s executive orders. One order issued last week said agencies must develop new systems for distributing and justifying payments so they can be monitored by DOGE representatives.
The EPA distributed guidance intended to ensure compliance.
“Any assistance agreement, contract or interagency agreement transaction (valued at) $50,000 or greater must receive approval from an EPA DOGE team member,” said the documents obtained by The Associated Press.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said the involvement of Musk’s “unvetted, inexperienced team raises serious concerns about improper external influence on specialized agency decision-making.”
Republicans have shied away from holding town hall meetings with constituents after critics started using them to vent their frustration.
Some protesters gathered outside Huizenga’s district office in Holland, Michigan, calling on him to answer questions in person.
“I would like to ask him why he thinks that someone like Musk can go in and simply blow up agencies without seemingly even knowing what they’re doing,” said Linda Visscher, a Holland resident.
She said increasing the efficiency of government was a good idea, but she doesn’t agree with “just taking the blowtorch to it.”
A single day of Trump and Musk’s cost-cutting campaign remakes huge sections of government
https://arab.news/4m45s
A single day of Trump and Musk’s cost-cutting campaign remakes huge sections of government

- Some changes appeared designed to increase political control over agencies that have historically operated with some degree of autonomy
- Other directives increased burdens on federal workers, who have already endured insults, layoffs and threats from the president and other top officials
UN refugee agency fears more than 400 fleeing Rohingya died this month in separate boat incidents

- UNHCR said it has collected reports from family members and others of two separate boat tragedies off the coast of Myanmar
- About 1 million Rohingya, who are predominantly Muslim, are in camps in Bangladesh after leaving Myanmar
GENEVA: The UN refugee agency said Friday it fears that 427 Rohingya fleeing Myanmar and a refugee camp in Bangladesh may have died at sea this month.
UNHCR said it has collected reports from family members and others of two separate boat tragedies off the coast of Myanmar in May. It acknowledged that details remained unclear but that enough information has been collected and verified to bring the incidents to light publicly.
About 1 million Rohingya, who are predominantly Muslim, are in camps in Bangladesh after leaving Myanmar. They include about 740,000 who fled a brutal “clearance campaign” in 2017 by Myanmar’s security forces, who were accused of committing mass rapes and killings.
A first boat that left from a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, and traveled to Rakhine State in neighboring Myanmar to pick up more people sank on May 9, with only 66 survivors among a total of 267 people on board, UNHCR said.
The Geneva-based agency said reports indicated a second boat with 247 people on board that made a similar journey capsized a day later, with only 21 survivors.
“Reports have been coming in and it has been very hard to confirm what has happened, but the fear is that this number of people may have lost their lives at sea in the region,” said UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch.
“Before these two tragedies, some 30 Rohingya were reported to have died or gone missing in boat journeys in 2025,” he said. “So if confirmed, this is a huge jump.”
Thousands of Rohingya each year attempt to cross the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, and often the fates of those who have gone missing go unexplained. Even when officials knew the boats’ locations, maritime authorities to rescue some of them have gone ignored, UNHCR has said.
A total of 657 people died or went missing in the regional waters in more than 150 boat journeys by fleeing Rohingya last year, UNHCR said.
The recent monsoon season brought perilous maritime conditions including strong winds, rain and rough seas, UNHCR said, adding that it was investigating reports about the fate of a third boat carrying 188 Rohingya that left Myanmar on May 14.
Many Rohingya have fled by sea to Indonesia, which has reported an increase in the number of Rohingya refugees in recent months.
Trump’s latest tariff threats knock Wall Street, European stocks and Apple lower

- Trump threatened to impose 50 percent tariffs on the European Union, saying that trade talks “were going nowhere”
- Apple dropped 3 percent after Trump warned a tariff “of at least 25 percent” if the company does not move production to the US
NEW YORK: US stocks fell Friday after President Donald Trump threatened 50 percent tariffs on the European Union that could begin in a little more than a week.
The S&P 500 lost 0.7 percent to close out its worst week in the last seven. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 256 points, or 0.6 percent, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1 percent.
Trump threatened the tariffs before the US stock market opened, saying on his Truth Social platform that trade talks with the European Union “were going nowhere” and that “straight 50 percent” tariffs could go into effect on June 1. The European Union is one of the United States’ largest trading partners.
Stocks fell immediately afterward in Europe, with France’s CAC 40 index losing 1.7 percent. The US market also took a quick turn lower, and futures for US stock indexes tumbled after earlier suggesting only modest moves at the open of trading.
The S&P 500 lost as much as 1.3 percent shortly after trading began, but it pared its loss as traders weighed whether Trump’s latest threats were just negotiating tactics aimed in hopes of getting a deal or something more.
Apple dropped 3 percent and was the heaviest weight on the S&P 500 after Trump went after the company specifically. He said he’s been pushing Apple CEO Tim Cook to move production of iPhones to the United States, and he warned a tariff “of at least 25 percent must be paid by Apple to the US” if it doesn’t.
Trump later clarified his post to say that all smart phones made abroad would be taxed and the tariffs could be coming as soon as the end of June.
“It would be also Samsung and anybody that makes that product,” Trump said. “Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair.”
Trump has been criticizing companies individually when he’s frustrated with how they’re acting because of his tariffs and because of the uncertainty his trade war has created. He earlier told Walmart it should “eat the tariffs,” along with China, after the retailer said it would likely have to raise prices to cover the increased cost of imports.
Deckers Outdoor, the company behind the Hoka and Uggs brands, became one of the latest companies to say all the uncertainty around the economy means it won’t offer financial forecasts for the full upcoming year. Instead, it gave forecasts only for the upcoming quarter, and they fell short of analysts’ expectations for revenue and profit.
That sent its stock down 19.9 percent, even though the company reported a stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than expected.
Ross Stores fell 9.8 percent after it pulled its financial forecasts for the full year, citing how more than half the goods it sells originate in China. “As such, we expect pressure on our profitability if tariffs remain at elevated levels,” CEO Jim Conroy said.
The off-price retailer gave a forecast for profit in the current quarter that included a hit taken from tariffs, and it fell short of analysts’ expectations. That dragged its stock down even though the company also reported a better profit for the latest quarter than expected.
On the winning side of Wall Street was Intuit, which rose 8.1 percent after the company behind TurboTax and Credit Karma reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Perhaps more importantly, Intuit also raised its forecasts for revenue and profit over its full fiscal year.
Stocks in the nuclear industry also rallied after Trump signed executive orders to speed up nuclear licensing decisions, among other measures meant to charge up the industry. Oklo, which is developing fast fission power plants, jumped 23 percent.
All told, the S&P 500 fell 39.19 points to 5,802.82. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 256.02 to 41,603.07, and the Nasdaq composite sank 188.53 to 18,737.21.
Trump’s latest tariff threats stirred up Wall Street after it had recovered most of the losses it had earlier taken because of the trade war. The S&P 500 dropped roughly 20 percent below its record at one point last month, when worries were at their height about whether Trump’s stiff tariffs would cause a global recession. The index then climbed back within 3 percent of its all-time high after Trump paused his tariffs on many countries, most notably China.
In the bond market, Treasury yields fell after swinging back and forth a few times. The yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.51 percent from 4.54 percent late Thursday.
It had been running higher earlier in the week, in part on worries about how Washington’s efforts to cut taxes could add trillions of dollars to the US government’s debt.
In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed in Asia, where markets closed before Trump issued his latest tariff threats. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.5 percent, while stocks fell 0.9 percent in Shanghai.
Kardashian ‘grateful’ after Paris robbers convicted

- Kardashian described the heist as the most terrifying experience of her life
- Gang of robbers convicted for stealing $10 million in jewelry from the reality TV star
PARIS: A French court on Friday convicted a gang of robbers who stole $10 million in jewelry from reality TV star Kim Kardashian in a Paris hotel in 2016, although they will not return to jail and the verdicts were more lenient than requested by the prosecution.
Describing the heist as “the most terrifying experience of my life,” Kardashian swiftly expressed her gratitude to the French authorities for pursuing “justice” in the case.
Nine men and one woman have been on trial since April and prosecutors sought the toughest jail terms — 10 years — for the four men accused of carrying out the robbery.
Aomar Ait Khedache, 69, the ringleader, was handed the heaviest sentence of three years in prison plus five years suspended, but due to time served in jail will not return to detention, like all the others convicted.
Two other suspects accused of handing information about the American superstar’s whereabouts were acquitted. All the sentences were substantially lower than the terms demanded by the prosecution.
Kardashian, then 35, was robbed while staying at an exclusive hotel in the French capital on the night of October 2-3, 2016.
She was threatened with a gun to the head and tied up, with her mouth taped.
Kardashian said after the verdict she she was “deeply grateful to the French authorities for pursuing justice.”
“The crime was the most terrifying experience of my life, leaving a lasting impact on me and my family,” she said in a statement sent by her lawyers.
“While I’ll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all,” she added.
After the hearing adjourned, the convicted men embraced their loved ones in relief and slowly left the courtroom, taking with them the bags and suitcases they had prepared in case of imprisonment.
“The sentences are quite lenient; I understand that you understand that you have caused harm,” presiding judge David De Pas told them as he read out the verdicts.
He also said “the state of health of the main protagonists ethically prohibits incarcerating anyone. It would have been unjust to take you to prison this evening.”
Aomar Ait Khedache had begged to be forgiven in his final statement ahead of sentencing.
Khedache is now virtually mute and completely deaf, and his statement was read out by his lawyer.
“I ask for forgiveness. I can’t find the words. I am very sorry,” he wrote, asking for “a thousand pardons” from his son Harminy, who was convicted for acting as a driver on the night of the heist.
Two other men convicted of carrying out the robbery on the night, Yunice Abbas, 71, and Didier Dubreucq, 69, were sentenced to seven years jail including five suspended. Dubreucq was absent as he is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer.
The fourth member of the robbery gang, Marc-Alexandre Boyer, at 35 the only youngster, was given the same sentence.
Kardashian’s lawyers said in a statement that the star “looks forward to putting this tragic episode behind her, as she continues working to improve the criminal justice system on behalf of victims, the innocent, and the incarcerated seeking to redeem themselves.”
Most of the stolen valuables were never recovered, including a diamond ring given to Kardashian by her then-husband, rapper Kanye West.
The ring alone was valued at 3.5 million euros ($3.9 million).
The robbery was the biggest against a private individual in France in 20 years.
Most of the accused are now in their 60s and 70s and have been dubbed the “Grandpa robbers” by French media.
But making the sentencing demands earlier this week, the prosecutor urged the judges and jury to remember that Kardashian was targeted by a violent attack and not to be taken in by the “wrinkles” of the defendants.
The American star testified at the trial, wearing a diamond necklace valued at $3 million, according to its New York-based creator Samer Halimeh.
During the trial, Kardashian told the court she forgave Khedache after hearing a letter of apology from him.
“I forgive you for what has taken place but it does not change the emotion, the feelings, the trauma and the way my life changed,” she told Khedache, adding that she believed in a “second chance.”
Kardashian, sometimes described as “famous for being famous,” became well known in the early 2000s through TV reality shows, before launching fashion brands and appearing in films.
France’s Deneuve joins over 900 cinema figures on Gaza petition

CANNES: France’s Catherine Deneuve has joined over 900 cinema figures who have signed an open letter denouncing alleged “genocide” in Gaza and the movie industry’s failure to speak up about it, organizers said on Friday.
The petition began circulating during the buildup to the Cannes film festival and had garnered around 380 names, including “Schindler’s List” star Ralph Fiennes, when the event kicked off on May 13.
An update by organizers on Friday included more than 900 names, including Deneuve, British director Danny Boyle, and Swedish actor Gustaf Skarsgard.
The initiative, called “Artists for Fatem,” was sparked by the killing of Palestinian photojournalist Fatima (“Fatem“) Hassouna, who was the subject of a documentary that premiered at Cannes week.
Hassouna, 25, was killed in an Israeli airstrike along with 10 relatives in her family home in northern Gaza last month, the day after the documentary was announced as part of the ACID Cannes selection.
“As artists and cultural players, we cannot remain silent while genocide is taking place in Gaza and this unspeakable news is hitting our communities hard,” the open letter says.
Other signatories include Juliette Binoche, who is chairing the jury at Cannes, Rooney Mara, Jonathan Glazer, US indie director Jim Jarmusch, “Lupin” star Omar Sy, Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Pedro Almodovar, and
Mark Ruffalo.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, who is in Cannes to promote a documentary about his life, has also signed the letter, organizers said Friday.
He posed for photographers on Tuesday with a T-shirt bearing the names of killed Gaza children.
On Thursday, Gaza’s Health Ministry said at least 3,613 people had been killed in the territory since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,762, mostly civilians.
Hamas’s October 2023 attack triggered the war.
2026 election: Djibouti president leaves door open to sixth term

ADDIS ABABA: Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh, in power since 1999, did not rule out running for a sixth term in next year’s election despite a constitutional ban on doing so, in an interview published on Friday.
Asked about a potential candidacy in April 2026 in the interview with The Africa Report, the 77-year-old said: “I won’t answer that.”
“What I can say is that I love my country too much to lead it into a reckless venture or sow division,” he added.
Running in the 2026 race would require changing the constitution, which prohibits candidates older than 75.
Guelleh won 97 percent of the vote in the 2021 election, and his UMP party currently holds a majority in parliament.
BACKGROUND
Ismail Omar Guelleh won 97 percent of the vote in the 2021 election, and his UMP party currently holds a majority in parliament.
Guelleh, known as “IOG,” succeeded Hassan Gouled Aptidon — who led Djibouti to independence from France in 1977 — after serving as his chief of staff for 22 years.
Djibouti is a stable state in a troubled region that has become a key strategic base for major powers, with the US, France, and China all maintaining a military presence there.
The Horn of Africa country, bordering Ethiopia, Somalia, and Eritrea, is one of the least populated on the continent, with around one million inhabitants.