Reading archive 2025-01-30

Musk team’s push to gut federal workforce bypassed key Trump officials: Billionaire Elon Musk has worked behind the scenes on an initiative aimed at depleting the civil service, prompting questions about its legality.

Va. Gov. Youngkin says voters asked for Trump disruption as fallout continues Virginia’s governor has become a close ally of Trump and defended his plan to freeze federal spending as other officials reeled from changing guidance.

Trial begins for man accused of neo-Nazi plot to shoot up Baltimore power grid: Federal prosecutors say Brandon Russell wanted to sow chaos and start a race war.

Departing the New York Times: I left to stay true to my byline [ed. note: Paul Krugman]

I Have Resigned from The Washington Post, effective today: Why I left to help launch a vibrant, new, independent media outlet - "The Post’s own headline last month warned: 'Trump signals plans to use all levers of power against the media; Press freedom advocates say they fear that the second Trump administration will ramp up pressure on journalists, in keeping with the president-elect’s combative rhetoric.' And yet The Post’s owner quashed a presidential endorsement for Trump’s opponent, forked over $1M for Trump’s inauguration through Amazon, and publicly lauded Trump’s agenda." [ed. note: Jennifer Rubin]

Do Americans really want urban sprawl?: Although car-dependent suburbs continue to spread across the nation, they’re not as popular as you might assume.

Who Goes MAGA?

A new era of government censorship has dawned: Donald Trump fancies himself a champion of free speech. Oh, really?