Trump Reflects on Federal Employee Overhauls and Politics at CPAC
Oxon Hill, MD – President Donald Trump addressed a fervent crowd on Saturday at the Conservative Political Action Conference, touting his administration’s unprecedented initiative to reduce the federal workforce and minimize government size. He expressed pride in “dominating” the political landscape of Washington and noted that bureaucrats are being “sent packing.”
In his lengthy speech, Trump outlined his vision for a robust and lasting political majority that he believes will influence American politics for years to come. He insists that voters granted him a clear mandate for transforming government, reinforcing control at the U.S.-Mexico border, and extending the tax cuts that characterized his initial term in office.
Transitioning smoothly into campaign rhetoric, Trump confidently predicted that the Republican Party would continue to achieve electoral victories, defying historical trends that often see sitting presidents’ parties falter during midterm elections. He asserted that the GOP is experiencing unprecedented levels of support.
Comparing his administration’s efforts to a strong start in a game of golf, Trump stated, “Nobody’s ever seen anything like this,” drawing parallels to a successful run through the first four holes, which he interprets as a positive sign moving forward.
Billionaire Elon Musk has been brought on board to facilitate the dismissals of federal employees, with Musk hinting that more firings are anticipated. In a post on social media, Musk indicated that all federal employees would soon receive an email requesting a summary of their accomplishments from the previous week, warning that non-responses could be interpreted as resignations.
Federal employees from various agencies received a message titled “What did you do last week,” asking for a list of their achievements, with instructions to copy their supervisors on the response. The email cautionarily reminded recipients to avoid including sensitive information, setting a deadline of Monday at 11:59 p.m. ET for submissions.
In addition to discussing workforce changes, Trump reiterated his commitment to strict immigration policies, although those efforts have been somewhat eclipsed by the focus on federal employee reductions. He announced that the U.S. Agency for International Development, which had seen a substantial workforce decline, would have its Washington office integrated into Customs and Border Protection operations. “The agency’s name has been removed from its former building,” he declared during the speech.
Trump also revisited his previous claims regarding the gold reserves held at Fort Knox, asking the audience if they would be interested in investigating whether the gold remains intact. His rhetoric about the gold reserves drew cheers from attendees as he joked about potential administration “forces” checking the facility.
Much of Trump’s speech was dedicated to recollections of the past presidential campaign, where he took jabs at former President Joe Biden and mispronounced the name of Kamala Harris, proclaiming, “I haven’t said that name in a while.” He used crude language to criticize Biden’s border security approach, contrasting it with the sensitivities requested by evangelical conservatives not to use profanity.
Conversely, Trump expressed favorable sentiments toward Chinese President Xi Jinping, stating, “I happen to like him,” while lamenting what he described as unfair treatment from China and other nations.
On the conference’s sidelines, Trump interacted with Polish President Andrzej Duda amid escalating tensions in Europe due to Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine. After his speech, he acknowledged both Duda and Argentine President Javier Milei, celebrating their shared views.
Trump categorized Duda as “a fantastic man and a great friend” while mentioning Milei as a “MAGA guy,” alluding to the “Make Argentina Great Again” slogan. He commented on Poland’s longstanding alliance with Ukraine, addressing how he had altered U.S. foreign policy by sending high-level advisers to Saudi Arabia for discussions with Russian officials aimed at curbing the violence in Ukraine.
Notably, those discussions excluded Ukrainian and European representatives, raising concerns among U.S. allies. Upcoming meetings for Trump include a visit with French President Emmanuel Macron and a discussion later in the week with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Trump’s rhetoric towards Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has become increasingly contentious, with the U.S. president labeling him a “dictator” and suggesting that it was Ukraine’s actions that instigated the conflict—although he recognized that Russia was the aggressor in a separate statement.
Amid these remarks, Trump claimed to be actively engaging with both Zelenskyy and Putin regarding the Ukraine crisis, asserting, “It affects Europe. It doesn’t really affect us.” Zelenskyy responded by stating that Trump is operating within a Russian-created “disinformation space.”
Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, the U.S. under Biden has maintained that Ukraine should be included in all significant negotiations to resolve the conflict. In contrast, Trump’s administration is pursuing an independent approach to find a resolution.
“I think we’re pretty close to a deal, and we better be close to a deal,” Trump remarked during the conference.
Following this, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt informed reporters that Trump and his team are dedicated to negotiations aimed at resolving the ongoing war, and that the president is “very confident we can get it done this week,” although the feasibility of such a timeline appears questionable.
Leavitt is among several administration officials facing litigation from a news agency over claims of violation concerning the First and Fifth Amendments. The agency argues it is being penalized for editorial choices, while the White House maintains that there is non-compliance with an executive order regarding geographical naming conventions.
In a lighter moment, Trump hosted a formal dinner for governors in attendance for the National Governors Association meeting, joking that he might prioritize addressing Democrats’ concerns. He underlined the need for collective efforts to strengthen the nation, advocating for unity among Americans.
Dressed in a tuxedo and bow tie, Trump praised first lady Melania Trump for her hard work in organizing the dinner. He offered attendees a tour of the Lincoln Bedroom afterward, calling it “the most important room in the whole country.”
