Judge Won't Block Musk & DOGE From Data Access, Firing Workers
Plus: Russia-U.S. summit and a look at NYC Mayor Eric Adams debacle
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Good afternoon & welcome to our new PM Mo Newsletter edition —
The White Lotus is back, and I have thoughts (SPOILERS AHEAD). First of all: THE ORIGINAL THEME MUSIC?! GONE?! After two seasons of setting the absolute vibe, and inspiring a thousand TikToks? Jail.
I also need to talk about the accents, specifically those of this season’s “dysfunctional moneyed family” (Southern Edition), the Ratliffs. As someone who is from the Deep South (and has spent plenty of time in North Carolina), I found myself feeling something between confused and offended every time British actor Jason Isaacs attempted a Carolina drawl. If we find out later that this family is actually Australian and in witness protection, I’ll take it all back. Until then? Bless their hearts. 🙃
That said, the tension, suspense, and “eat-pray-murder” vibes this season are shaping up to be 🤌 *chef’s kiss*, which should be a nice break from the 2025 news cycle.
Another positive note: Aimee Lou Wood’s Chelsea is teed up to be the unhinged but deeply lovable agent of chaos that I needed this season.
For now, Mike White has my Sunday evenings, my curiosity, and — begrudgingly — my trust, because even a “meh” season of White Lotus with ghastly accents is better than almost anything else streaming these days, and also because (spoiler) GREG IS BACK (⁉️) and I need to see justice for Tanya.
Ren
Mo News COO
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🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING
U.S.-Russia Summit: "First Step" Toward Ending Ukraine War, Improve Relations
A meeting between the U.S. and Russia kicked off in Saudi Arabia Tuesday – a first step the Trump administration says it is making to end the war in Ukraine. It was the first face to face high-level meeting between the countries in more than 3 years. Not invited: Ukrainian leaders.
🚨 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday rejected any deal made without Ukraine’s involvement, stating, “We cannot recognize … any agreements about us without us.” He is worried the US and Russia will carve up his country for Putin without him and present him with an “ultimatum.”
Intelligence and U.S. congressional officials tell NBC News that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made no indication he is seriously interested “in a real peace deal right now” and still believes he can gain control of all of Ukraine….eventually.
A LOOK AT THE MEETING
The U.S. delegation, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, positioned the meeting as a precursor to official peace negotiations and a way for the U.S. and Russia to resume diplomacy.
“Today is the first step of a long and difficult journey but an important one,” Rubio told reporters.
Putin's top foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov framed the meeting as a way to “begin a real normalization of relations between us and Washington.”
In the wake of Tuesday’s meeting, the Trump administration has sought to reassure Ukraine that they will be able to negotiate directly with Russia for peace when formal talks begin.
EUROPE REACTS
European leaders gathered at an emergency summit Monday to discuss increasing military aid to Ukraine, sanctions on Russia, and the possibility of European peacekeeping troops in the region if an agreement is reached. France is taking the lead on talks — it is the only EU country with nuclear weapons — but European nations are split on what to do, after depending on the U.S. for security assurances since WWII. Trump officials indicated last week that they will no longer be Europe and Ukraine’s security guarantor.
MORE FROM AROUND THE WORLD
📌 Hamas says it will return bodies of four hostages including Bibas family (MO NEWS)
📌 Vatican cancels audiences, Holy Year events as pope remains hospitalized with pneumonia in both lungs (AP)
📌 South Korea accuses Chinese AI startup DeepSeek of sharing user data with TikTok owner ByteDance (BBC)
📰 ONE THING WE ARE FOLLOWING
Judge Sides With DOGE Over Firing Federal Employees, Accessing Data
We are watching a number of developments as Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are gaining access to a number of government agencies, and moving forward with plans to fire hundreds of thousands of workers.
Musk employed the strategy at Twitter (now called X), where he made massive, quick cuts. Critics argue this approach does not easily translate to national security and governing bodies, leading to dozens of legal challenges. But, today, a judge ruled in DOGE’s favor.
THE CASE WE ARE WATCHING
Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan – an Obama appointee who oversaw Trump's election interference case – ruled Tuesday that Musk and DOGE can access agencies’ data and fire federal employees.
Attorneys general from 14 Democratic-led states filed the lawsuit, arguing that Musk and Trump's administration engaged in illegal executive overreach. They sought to bar Musk from continuing to exert influence on seven federal agencies.
Chutkan, who was appointed to the bench by President Obama, expressed skepticism during arguments, calling the request for a restraining order "prophylactic.”
While acknowledging concerns, she stated the court can't act on media reports alone and said she could only intervene if there was proof that DOGE had caused imminent, irreparable harm.
"The court is aware that DOGE's unpredictable actions have resulted in considerable uncertainty and confusion for Plaintiffs and many of their agencies and residents. But the 'possibility' that defendants may take actions that irreparably harm plaintiffs 'is not enough.'"
Judge Tanya Chutkan
Adding to the 🤔: In a court filing for the case, submitted Monday, a top White House official characterized Musk as a “senior adviser to the president,” a role in which he has “no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself.” The statement highlights what many continue to question: is Trump or Musk leading the effort to overhaul government agencies?
MORE FROM THE COURTS
The Social Security Administration’s Acting Commissioner Michelle King stepped down from her post this weekend after a clash with DOGE, following its attempt to gain access to sensitive agency records. About a fifth of the U.S. federal budget goes toward Social Security payments.
Groups representing unionized workers, taxpayers, and small businesses sued Monday to block DOGE from obtaining sensitive IRS files.
➕ MORE TO KNOW: Tonight, we may get a clearer glimpse of how Musk and Trump’s working relationship operates. At 9 p.m. ET on Fox News, the first joint interview with Trump and Musk will air. In a clip shared by Fox, Musk discusses what he calls 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' — when people get outraged at just the mention of the president’s name.
MORE FROM THE U.S.
📌 Death toll in Kentucky storms rises to 14 as state braces for another round of winter weather (NBC)
📌 Leonard Peltier released from prison after Biden's sentence commutation in FBI killings (CBS)
📌 Senior DOJ prosecutor quit after being told to investigate Biden climate spending (CNN)
🚨 ONE THING PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT
Latest On NYC Mayor Eric Adams’s Corruption Case
A whirlwind of resignations has followed news of the Justice Department’s move to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Four of Adams’s deputy mayors resigned Monday citing the need "to stay faithful to the oaths we swore to New Yorkers and our families." They reportedly felt that Adams’s personal interests outweighed those of the city.
Prosecutors had accused Adams of accepting $100,000 worth of free plane tickets and luxury hotel stays from Turkish citizens, including at least one government official.
When the charges were dropped, the Justice Department said it was because they “unduly restricted” the mayor’s ability to execute Trump’s immigration agenda and impacted Adams’s reelection campaign. There was speculation that Adams agreed to a quid pro quo where he would cooperate with Trump’s immigration plans, in exchange for the dropped charges; his team denies those allegations.
RESIGNATION AFTER RESIGNATION
At least seven federal prosecutors have resigned in New York and Washington, D.C. since the Justice Department announcement.
In her resignation letter, Danielle Sassoon – a conservative prosecutor recently appointed by Trump to temporarily lead the jurisdiction that brought the case against Adams – characterized the agency’s move as a back-room “quid pro quo” deal and revealed that her office had been planning to add new obstruction of justice charges against Adams.
WHAT ADAMS SAYS
On Monday, Adams addressed the news at a Brooklyn’ church, calling it a “modern-day ‘Mein Kampf’” — referencing Adolf Hitler’s manifesto.
“If you repeat a lie long enough, loud enough people will believe it is true, and that’s what you’re seeing right now. This is a modern day ‘Mein Kampf,'” he said.
WHAT’S NEXT
On Tuesday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was set to meet with key leaders in Manhattan to discuss “the path forward” for Adams. Hochul acknowledged her constitutional power as governor to remove a mayor – which has never been done before in New York State history – but said “overturning the will of the voters is a serious step that should not be taken lightly.”
We’re also watching: U.S. District Judge Dale Ho has requested a hearing on Wednesday with Adams and federal prosecutors, to discuss the move to dismiss his case. It is rare for judges to question a prosecutor's decision to seek a dismissal of charges, but New York University law professor Stephen Gillers told the New York Times that this could be a rare exception.
⏳ A FEW MORE QUICK HEADLINES
📌 Head of FDA's food division resigns after dozens of terminations at the agency (FOX)
📌 Asteroid now has a 3% (1-in-32) chance of hitting Earth in 2032 (FOX WEATHER)
📌 Nike teams up with Kim Kardashian shapewear brand Skims as it looks to reach more women (CNBC)
📌 Meghan unveils As Ever, her renamed lifestyle brand (CNN)
📌 ‘White Lotus’ Season 3 premiere scores 2.4 million viewers (VARIETY)
ICYMI FROM THE 📲
In case you missed it… A Delta flight crash-landed in Toronto on Monday. Miraculously, all 76 passengers and 4 crew members survived. Watch the video above for one passenger’s dramatic account.
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