Exodus in Washington: Tens of Thousands of Federal Workers Resign
Amid mounting threats from the Trump administration, many government employees choose to step down rather than risk being fired.
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Tens of thousands of U.S. government workers have chosen to resign rather than endure what many view as a torturous wait for the Trump administration to carry out its threats to fire them, say unions, governance experts and the employees themselves. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on taking office to dramatically slash the size and cost of government. Four months later, mass layoffs at the largest agencies have yet to materialize and courts have slowed the process. Instead, most of the roughly 260,000 civil servants who have left or will leave by the end of September have taken buyouts or other incentives to quit. Some told Reuters they could no longer live with the daily stress of waiting to be fired after multiple warnings from Trump administration officials that they could lose their jobs in the next wave of layoffs. As a result, Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk'sDepartment of Government Efficiency have managed to cut nearly 12% of the 2.3 million-strong federal civilian workforce largely through threats of firings, buyouts and early retirement offers, a Reuters review of agency departures found. Since January, many government workers have spoken of living in fear of being fired. Many agencies have sent regular emails to staff that couple incentives to quit with warnings that those who stay face the possibility of being laid off. They have also endured cramped offices after Trump ordered all remote workers to return to work and dysfunction inside their agencies caused by a brain drain of experienced workers - Reuters
A federal district judge on Monday tossed out the takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace by the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency, declaring that actions by "illegitimately-installed leaders" were "unlawful" and had to be declared "null and void." U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled that "the removal of USIP’s president, his replacement by officials affiliated with DOGE, the termination of nearly all of USIP’s staff, and the transfer of USIP property to the General Services Administration" were "effectuated by illegitimately-installed leaders who lacked legal authority to take these actions, which must therefore be declared null and void." The decision came two months after a dramatic showdown at the building's headquarters in Washington, when the acting head of the Institute of Peace issued a statement saying that "DOGE has broken into our building." After members of the DOGE team took over the building with the help of law enforcement. most institute employees were subsequently laid off. Howell wrote in her decision that the institute's acting president, George Moose, would continue to serve as president of the organization and banned defendants from "further trespass against the real and personal property belonging to the Institute and its employees, contractors, agents, and other representatives." The Institute of Peace was founded under President Ronald Reagan, and Howell wrote that it is "unique in its structure and function" because it was neither a "traditional Executive branch agency nor an entirely private nonprofit corporation." Meanwhile, the White House suggested it would appeal the ruling. "The United States Institute of Peace has existed for 40 years on a $50 million annual budget, but failed to deliver peace. President Trump is right to reduce failed, useless entities like USIP to their statutory minimum, and this rogue judge’s attempt to impede on the separation of powers will not be the last say on the matter," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said - NBC News
Experts said the call yesterday between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump was the latest example of Moscow offering the U.S. president something he could tout as a victory without making any substantial concessions in its three-year invasion of Ukraine. When Trump called Putin days after renewed talks between Moscow and Kyiv in Istanbul, many expected him to take a harder stance toward the Kremlin leader, who has been deftly evading Trump’s calls for peace for months. Instead, both leaders said the call “went very well” and was “substantive and quite candid.” While Trump declared that Russia-Ukraine talks would begin “immediately,” he made no mention of a ceasefire or having put pressure on Putin to commit to peace. Political analyst Ivan Preobrazhensky said that despite the renewed discussion around peace efforts, nothing has fundamentally changed following Monday night’s call. “It seems clear that there was no serious talk of a ceasefire during the conversation — or at least, we haven’t been informed of any such discussion,” Preobrazhensky told The Moscow Times. “In fact, this has been the defining characteristic of all negotiations so far: Russia has consistently refused to discuss any kind of military ceasefire,” he said. “Putin’s aim is to avoid alienating Trump while also not engaging seriously in peace talks,” Preobrazhensky said. “So instead of talking about a ceasefire, he offered to discuss a memorandum that could take a long time to produce — and that’s likely the point. Putin’s strategy is to stall for time, dragging out the process until the window for Ukraine to conduct effective military operations begins to close.” - Moscow Times
The United Kingdom, France and Canada have threatened to take “concrete actions” against Israel if it does not stop its renewed military offensive in Gaza and lift aid restrictions, as its military doubles down on its deadly campaign in the enclave. “We strongly oppose the expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable,” said a joint statement issued by the countries’ leaders – Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Mark Carney – on Monday, which also condemned the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, warning of “targeted sanctions”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has launched Operation Gideon’s Chariots in a bid to control all of Gaza after cutting off food, fuel and medical aid in early March, accused the three countries of offering a “huge prize” to the Palestinian group Hamas, which is currently holding dozens of Israeli captives. The three leaders slammed Netanyahu’s move the previous day to allow a few trucks into the besieged enclave after nearly three months of total blockade as “inadequate”, warning that the Israeli government risked breaching international humanitarian law. Israel reportedly allowed in just a few trucks on Monday. - Al Jazeera
Hungary's parliament approved a bill on Tuesday that would kickstart the country's year-long withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC). The vote formalises a process started in early April by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who announced his country would quit the global court that prosecutes those accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. "Hungary firmly rejects the use of international organisations - in particular criminal courts - as instruments of political influence," the bill, submitted by Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen, made public on parliament's website, said. According to Orbán, the court is no longer "impartial" but rather a "political court.” Budapest has rejected the ICC's arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is being sought for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. According to the warrant, Netanyahu should be threatened with arrest in ICC member countries such as Hungary - Euronews
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has cast doubt over ongoing negotiations with the United States on Iran's nuclear program, saying Washington is making a "big mistake" in demanding a full ban on uranium enrichment inside the Middle Eastern country. Speaking at a ceremony marking the first anniversary of the death of former hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, Khamenei said on May 20 that he "does not think" negotiations with the United States over Tehran's nuclear program will come to fruition. In particular, he pointed to recent US statements, including one by President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff last week that any new deal between Washington and Tehran must include an agreement to refrain from enrichment -- a possible pathway to developing nuclear weapons. "The American side that is participating in these indirect negotiations should talk, negotiate, and try not to talk nonsense," he said. "It's a big mistake for them to say we won't allow Iran to enrich. No one is waiting for permission for this or that. The Islamic republic has a policy, it has a method, and it follows its own policy...The enrichment discussion is not a negotiable issue at all." Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful civilian purposes, but government officials caused alarm late last year by saying it could change its "nuclear doctrine" if it is attacked or its existence is threatened by Israel - RFE/RL
A resident of a Bangkok condominium that has a no-pets policy released two large snakes in the corridor to warn a neighbour who kept a noisy dog. The resident was angry because the dog had been making noise for about two years. The building management had ignored complaints from other residents. The incident became known when a video appeared on Facebook showing the snakes moving outside an apartment door in the corridor. The snake owner posted the video. He said he loved animals and was responding to his neighbour who claimed to also love animals. "Today I brought two. Tomorrow I'll bring more. I could not carry the bigger one today," he wrote in his post. The video spread quickly online. Some people were worried about safety. Others criticised the condominium management for not taking action. One comment said, "If they fine only the snake owner, and not the dog owner, they might find snakes in their office next." The condo has a strict no-pets rule, but some residents keep dogs and cats that make noise. The man said he had complained for years without any result. He apologised to neighbours not involved in the dispute - Bangkok Post
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