President Donald Trump addressed his first cabinet meeting on a Wednesday, asking Elon Musk for an update on efforts to reduce the federal workforce and government expenditures. Musk, sporting a “Make America Great Again” baseball cap and a “TECH SUPPORT” T-shirt, detailed plans to slash $1 trillion from budgets and further downsize staff. He acknowledged instances where his teams had overstepped, citing a mishap that led to the inadvertent cutoff of funding for Ebola prevention. “We may not be flawless, but we will rectify our mistakes promptly,” Musk assured.
However, these errors are proving costly and embarrassing, as the administration’s cuts impact crucial government functions such as nuclear security, pandemic preparedness, and veteran support, prompting officials to backtrack. In less than six weeks of Trump’s presidency, the administration has already reversed its decisions more than a dozen times in high-profile cases.
While the numerous reversals do not diminish the administration’s efforts to reshape a significant portion of the federal government in line with Trump’s agenda, many of the changes enacted are irreversible. Thousands of federal employees from agencies like the IRS, Defense, Energy, and Veterans Affairs have been terminated, while numerous others have resigned under pressure from Musk. USAID, responsible for managing substantial food and medical aid globally, has been significantly reduced. Even Musk’s statement about fully restoring Ebola prevention funding has been questioned by current and former USAID officials.
The frequency of these reversals highlights an administration operating with unusual speed. Unlike the first term, where Trump’s initial actions faced delays and legal challenges, his team is now more adept at moving past mistakes. Despite some tactical reversals, the core policies remain consistent.
Expectations are that the pace will continue unabated. Trump has ousted senior career officials from key agencies and taken steps to diminish checks on his authority, potentially paving the way for more sweeping changes ahead. While administration officials stress their commitment to efficiency and willingness to adjust course, critics argue that the frequent reversals are eroding public trust in their leadership.
Democrats view the chaos as indicative of Republican Party dysfunction, speculating that it could bolster their position in upcoming elections.
During the midterm challenge, Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, shared with TIME his belief that the party embracing chaos is destined for failure. The Trump Administration has made significant reversals in policy decisions up to this point.
Initially, a memo from the Office of Management and Budget had frozen all federal loans and grants early in Trump’s second term. However, following widespread concern and legal challenges from states, schools, and community organizations reliant on federal funding, the administration rescinded the order. Although a federal judge temporarily blocked part of the aid freeze, the administration has appealed the decision to the Supreme Court. Despite the reversal, many programs, including medical research, infrastructure projects, and food aid, are yet to see a resumption of funds.
In mid-February, the Trump Administration reversed its decision to shut down the government’s free COVID-19 test distribution program, which provides tests directly to US households. The Department of Health and Human Services opted to keep the unused tests in inventory to avoid potential consequences should the virus resurge.
Following layoffs targeting probationary federal workers, including those involved in critical tasks like nuclear safety monitoring and pandemic response, the administration faced backlash and rehired some employees. This included workers at the National Nuclear Security Administration, bird flu experts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and food supply regulators at the Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, the Department of Veterans Affairs reinstated some employees, including those staffing the Veterans Crisis Line, after pressure from Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat and military veteran.
The American Federation of Government Employees filed a lawsuit on February 19, alleging that the Trump Administration wrongfully terminated employees. The head of the Office of Special Counsel, a federal watchdog whom Trump has attempted to dismiss, filed complaints with the Merit Systems Protection Board, stating that the terminations were unjustified and violated the law under 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(12) governing terminations and reductions in force. The Office of Special Counsel noted that probationary employees can only be terminated if their performance or conduct renders them unsuitable for federal employment.
In another development, there was an accidental cancellation of the Ebola prevention program at USAID by DOGE. During Trump’s initial cabinet meeting, Musk acknowledged this mistake and mentioned that efforts to prevent the spread of Ebola in Uganda were quickly reinstated. Despite limited details on the restored cuts, former USAID officials claimed that Ebola prevention initiatives had been hindered since Musk and DOGE allies attempted to dismantle the global-assistance agency. The CDC reported nine confirmed cases of Sudan virus in Uganda since the outbreak was declared on January 30.
Following criticisms, the Trump Administration reversed its decision to cut funding and staff at a healthcare program for individuals affected by the 9/11 attacks. This change came after pressure from first responders’ families and New York Republicans, urging Trump to reconsider the cuts. As a result, the CDC reinstated research grants and rehired laid-off employees at the World Trade Center Health Program.
Regarding tariffs, the Trump Administration provided conflicting information about the timeline for imposing tariffs on trading partners. Initially, there were announcements of a delay in imposing 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico to April 2, contradicting previous statements. However, Trump later clarified that the tariffs would indeed begin on March 4.
Trump announced an additional 10% tariff on imports from China to take effect on March 4, on top of the 10% already imposed in February. The U.S. Postal Service caused confusion by briefly halting and then resuming the acceptance of packages from China within a 24-hour period in early February. This abrupt decision had ripple effects on the international parcel system and suppliers relying on efficient deliveries between China and the U.S. Customers of Chinese discount retailers like Temu and Shein faced potential delays in their online purchases. The initial suspension was attributed to concerns that small package deliveries could be used to evade the tariffs on Chinese imports. However, the Postal Service quickly reversed its stance, stating that all international mail and packages from China and Hong Kong would be accepted starting on February 5, with plans to collect the tariffs to minimize disruption.
In a separate incident, Trump initially claimed on February 18 that Ukraine had initiated the conflict with Russia three years ago, drawing criticism. He later backtracked, acknowledging Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and expressing regret over his initial statement. The conflict escalated on February 24, 2022, with Russian forces entering Ukraine from multiple directions and launching attacks across the country.
Furthermore, there was confusion over an email sent by the Trump Administration to federal employees, prompting them to share their activities from the previous week. Elon Musk’s involvement added to the uncertainty, as he suggested that not responding to the email would be considered a resignation. However, several agencies advised their employees to disregard Musk’s directive, emphasizing that agency leaders had the authority to interpret the situation. At a subsequent Cabinet meeting, Trump’s remarks appeared to contradict the earlier guidance provided by his administration.
A person who hadn’t responded to the email remarked, “We are on the bubble as they say, maybe they’re gonna be gone.” In a recent conversation with TIME, a federal worker at the Veterans Health Administration, who chose to remain anonymous, expressed concern over the administration’s “inconsistency.” He noted that he and his colleagues have been feeling stressed out, attributing this to the administration’s actions aimed at causing turmoil within the federal workforce, possibly in hopes that they will resign. The worker described Elon Musk’s recent directive as part of the administration’s ongoing efforts to harass federal employees.
President Trump has made conflicting statements regarding Musk’s role within the administration. While he claimed that Musk is responsible for DOGE, the White House contradicted this by stating in a previous court filing that Musk serves as a White House employee and senior adviser to the President, without authority over DOGE and not being an employee of the program. For further information, contact Nik Popli at nik.popli@time.com.
