TV News LIES

According to February Gallup polling, 42 percent of Americans are giving a thumbs up to Trump’s economic stewardship while 54 percent are giving him a thumbs down.

Approval of Trump’s handling of the economy also fell to 39 percent from 43 percent in polling released last week by Reuters/Ipsos.

This is notably a lower mark compared to the start of Trump’s first term in 2017, when his economic approval stood at 53 percent. While this could reflect less enthusiasm about the economy more generally, it is also a notable thing to watch for the president’s team.

On the economy, some polls still indicate Americans are worried about the direction.

Polling released this week by Reuters/Ipsos shows that 44 percent of Americans think the employment and jobs situation is heading in the wrong direction, compared to 33 percent who think it’s heading in the right direction.

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The US Department of Education sent an email to employees department-wide on Friday offering up to $25,000 to voluntarily resign or retire, or take severance, whichever is less.

The email, obtained by the Guardian, states “this is a one-time offer in advance of a very significant Reduction In Force for the US Department of Education” and gives employees until the end of day Monday to accept.

According to a Department of Education employee, the email was sent, retracted, then sent back out to employees.

“This is beyond manipulative and misleading,” claimed the worker, who requested to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. “Also, if you leave voluntarily, you are not eligible for unemployment.”

They noted their severance and unused leave compensation that they would receive through a reduction in force order would be several times more than the buyout offer. But with the buyout offer, they would only receive the lesser amount. They provided the Guardian a copy of their benefits, which notes their current severance amount and eligibility.

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Joshua Stueve, a top spokesperson for the Department of Justice (DOJ), has resigned, citing a “toxic work environment” in his letter to leadership.

“Simply put, I cannot continue to serve in such a hostile and toxic work environment, one where leadership at the highest levels makes clear we are not welcomed or valued, much less trusted to do our jobs,” wrote Stueve, who is not a political appointee and has served in administrations run by both parties.

Stueve’s resignation is the latest in federal resignations and firings since the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) began examining various agencies to cut spending.

DOGE, the brainchild of Elon Musk, has won unprecedented access to internal systems of the federal government since Jan. 20. It has worked to dismantle parts of the government while pushing federal workers to resign.

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