Trump’s DOGE Double Down & Federal Worker Competency | 3.10.25

Summary

Morning Wire Summary: "Trump’s DOGE Double Down & Federal Worker Competency" | March 10, 2025

Hosted by John Bickley and Georgia Howe

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1. Introduction

In this episode of Morning Wire, hosts John Bickley and Georgia Howe delve into President Donald Trump's latest initiatives aimed at reducing federal spending and reshaping the federal workforce. They also explore the rising protests against Elon Musk's Tesla facilities and address a recent security incident near the White House.

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2. Trump’s Support for Elon Musk's Budget Cuts

Protests Against Tesla and Doge Influence

Timestamp: [00:03]
John Bickley opens the discussion by highlighting protests targeting Dogecoin (DOGE) and Tesla, juxtaposed with Trump's endorsement of Elon Musk’s efforts to decrease government expenditures.

Timestamp: [00:39]
Georgia Howe introduces a key topic: whether federal employees should undergo competency tests for hiring—a stance supported by the Trump administration but hindered by longstanding laws.

Ben Shapiro’s Critique
Timestamp: [00:10]
Ben Shapiro critiques the current government spending:
"I mean, the money they're spending on all of this stuff, the whole thing's a scam."

Trump Endorses Musk’s Fiscal Strategy
Timestamp: [01:34]
Shifting focus, Shapiro praises Trump as a patriot for backing Musk:
"Now he's done a great job. He actually is a real patriot. This is something that's really not good for him and yet he's doing it. But he's opened a lot of eyes."

Timestamp: [01:44]
Trump expresses confidence in Musk's ability to reduce federal spending through enhanced government efficiency.

Megan Basham on Budget Cuts and Protests
Timestamp: [02:21]
Culture reporter Megan Basham discusses the delicate PR management surrounding Musk's budget proposals, noting pressures from Democrats and the resulting protests across the nation. She highlights high-profile participation, such as former NIH head Francis Collins leading a protest song at the Lincoln Memorial.

Timestamp: [05:59]
Basham reports on public opinion polls:
"54% said some or a lot, compared to 46% who said only a little or none. A narrow majority, 51%, also said that they want to see that federal workforce reduced."

Escalation of Protests
Timestamp: [03:56]
Basham details escalating protests, including violent attacks on Tesla properties with Molotov cocktails and shootings, citing incidents in Portland, Oregon, and Massachusetts.

Timestamp: [02:54]
Shapiro adds enthusiasm for Musk’s involvement:
"There's no one watching this TV right now who, if Elon Musk said he was going to come over their house and help them, wouldn't like cheer."

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3. Federal Worker Competency and the Consent Decree

Trump Administration Challenges Longstanding Hiring Laws

Timestamp: [06:42]
Georgia Howe introduces the Trump administration’s plan to challenge a 40-year-old consent decree affecting federal hiring practices.

Exclusive Report by Luke Rosiak
Timestamp: [07:10]
Government efficiency reporter Luke Rosiak provides an in-depth analysis:

• Background:
  In the 1970s, minorities filed a lawsuit against the federal government's use of the Professional Administrative Career Examination, alleging racial bias due to lower average scores among black and Hispanic applicants. The Hoover Consent Decree prohibited objective testing in federal hiring to ensure zero statistical differences in hire rates by race.

• Current Developments:
  After decades of ineffective attempts to replace the test, resulting in reliance on subjective self-assessments, the Trump administration seeks to dissolve the decree, arguing it conflicts with recent Supreme Court rulings against affirmative action (2023 Harvard decision).

• Implications:
  If successful, this move would allow the federal government to implement objective competency tests, potentially transforming the federal workforce into a merit-based elite group.

Timestamp: [08:13]
John Bickley likens the situation to college admissions without the SAT:
"So this is like telling colleges they can't use the SAT to admit students."

Timestamp: [09:25]
Rosiak emphasizes the potential legacy of this action for Trump, noting that current federal employee demographics show minorities are overrepresented by 50%, rendering the consent decree legally untenable.

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4. Government Funding Bill and Budget Negotiations

Speaker Johnson’s Stopgap Proposal Supported by Trump

Timestamp: [10:07]
Georgia Howe reports on Speaker Johnson’s proposed seven-month funding bill aligned with the Trump administration, aiming to prevent a government shutdown by September.

Representative Andy Harris Discusses the Bill

Timestamp: [10:24]
Rep. Andy Harris outlines the bill’s components:

• Spending Freeze and Adjustments:
  The bill proposes freezing overall spending, with minor reductions and reallocations towards defense, deportations, the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, and veterans' healthcare.

• IRS Funding Cuts:
  By eliminating funds for new IRS agents planned by the Biden administration, the bill achieves a net decrease in spending.

Timestamp: [11:17]
Harris confirms a $6 billion increase for specific programs against a $13 billion cut in non-defense discretionary funding, expressing confidence in Republican support:
"I think that's why it's gonna pass with Republican votes this week. And then again in the Senate."

Inflation and Economic Recovery

Timestamp: [12:08]
Harris addresses inflation concerns, attributing past economic struggles to the Biden administration and expressing optimism that reinstating energy exploration will reduce energy costs:
"When that comes down, the cost of energy and electricity and all the things that run our economy is going to go down."

Republican Stance on Spending Control
Timestamp: [12:44]
Harris stresses the necessity of controlling federal spending to manage the debt and deficit, emphasizing the importance of incorporating savings identified by the Doge Committee into future budgets.

Debate on Congressional Control vs. Executive Discretion
Timestamp: [13:06]
The discussion touches on concerns over giving the White House more discretion in budget allocations. Harris defends the bill, stating it maintains Congressional spending ceilings while allowing the administration to address waste and fraud:
"We don't give up that much control...We're still setting the ceiling on spending."

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5. Recent Security Incident Near the White House

Armed Confrontation and Secret Service Response

Timestamp: [14:00]
Georgia Howe introduces a breaking news segment regarding an armed individual near the White House.

Report by Mary Margaret Olihan
Timestamp: [14:10]
Olihan details the incident where the Secret Service engaged a suicidal suspect threatening with a firearm near the White House. The individual was subdued and hospitalized, with no injuries reported among Secret Service personnel. The incident occurred while President Trump was in Florida, and further details remain pending.

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6. Conclusion

John Bickley wraps up the episode by reinforcing the commitment to delivering essential news and encouraging listeners to share the episode. The discussions highlighted Trump's strategic collaborations to reduce federal spending, the contentious debates surrounding federal hiring practices, and the ongoing political maneuvers to shape the nation's budget and workforce.

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Notable Quotes:

• Ben Shapiro [00:10]: "I mean, the money they're spending on all of this stuff, the whole thing's a scam."

• John Bickley [01:34]: "That was President Trump on Sunday voicing his confidence in Elon Musk's continued efforts to cut federal spending through the Department of Government efficiency."

• Ben Shapiro [02:54]: "There's no one watching this TV right now who, if Elon Musk said he was going to come over their house and help them, wouldn't like cheer."

• Luke Rosiak [08:18]: "Exactly. OPM finally came up with one test that would result in a high proportion of minorities. And it's basically just a self assessment."

• Andy Harris [12:36]: "Joe Biden took four years to increase the cost of everything and to bring on the inflation and to stop energy exploration, for instance."

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For more updates, tune in to the next episode of Morning Wire.

Transcript

[John Bickley]

Protesters target Doge and Tesla, but Trump makes clear he stands behind Musk in his efforts to slash government spending.

[Ben Shapiro]

I mean, the money they're spending on all of this stuff, the whole thing's a scam.

[Georgia Howe]

How do Americans feel about Musk and Doge?

[John Bickley]

I'm Daily Wire Editor in Chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Monday, March 10th, and this is Morning Wire. Should federal employees have to pass a competency test to be hired? The Trump administration thinks so, but a decades old law stands in the way. We have the Daily Wire exclusive.

[Georgia Howe]

And Trump calls on Republicans to back a government funding bill that would give him time to put the country's financial house in order.

[Andy Harris]

We have to bring down the federal deficit and control the federal debt.

[John Bickley]

Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned. We have the news. You need to know.

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[Ben Shapiro]

Now he's done a great job. He actually is a real patriot. This is something that's really not good for him and yet he's doing it. But he's opened a lot of eyes.

[John Bickley]

That was President Trump on Sunday voicing his confidence in Elon Musk's continued efforts to cut federal spending through the Department of Government efficiency. Though popular with voters, the independent agency has sparked left wing protests and violent attacks on Tesla facilities.

[Georgia Howe]

Here with more is Daily Wire culture reporter Megan Basham. So Megan Doge is continuing to identify some really eye popping expenditures in the federal budget. But there's been a lot of pressure from the left for the president to rein musk in, with some interpreting Trump's recent statements as doing just that. What are we seeing on the Trump Musk front?

[Megan Basham]

Well, you know, I think what you're seeing is some careful PR management surrounding a program that has been stated significantly slowed down by the courts and has become a key target for Democrats. I think some of that has spooked Republican lawmakers. Reportedly the president has been hearing from them and then last Thursday, he posted on Truth Social that these cuts are going to be made using a scalpel rather than a hatchet. And he also stressed that the Cabinet secretaries will be making the final calls on these cuts. And that's something that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick emphasized on Meet the Press on Sunday.

[Ben Shapiro]

There's no one watching this TV right now who, if Elon Musk said he was going to come over their house and help them, wouldn't like cheer. You have the best technologists and the richest guy in the world said, I'll help you. Come on. We want his help.

[Megan Basham]

But at the same time that Trump is being careful to note that Musk is only advising, and we want to be clear, presidents have every right to call on private sector advisors. He's also touting the waste, fraud and abuse that Musk's team has identified. This is what he told Fox yesterday.

[Ben Shapiro]

He's found hundreds of billions of dollars worth of fake contracts. And I read them just a tiny portion of them the other night. And you'll find ultimately that the money that they sent comes back to a lot of the people that made those deals.

[Megan Basham]

Trump added that Musk has convinced him that some government departments do need to see deep cuts, as much as 50 to 70%.

[Georgia Howe]

So it sounds like a good deal of solidarity between Trump and Musk at this point.

[Megan Basham]

Yeah.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, all of this has led, though, to protests at Tesla facilities. Where are we seeing those?

[Megan Basham]

So they're calling these Tesla takedown protests, and I'd say that none have been particularly large. You're mostly hearing about gatherings of hundreds, but they are actually happening all across the country and they're getting substantial media attention. Now, part of that is because some pretty high profile people are participating in these rallies. Like on Friday, former head of the National Institutes of Health, Francis Collins led a protest song at the Lincoln Memorial over potential research cuts.

[John Bickley]

This is a song for all the good people. We're joined together by this noble dream.

[Megan Basham]

Okay, so that's not something that you see every day. But as for the less famous protesters, the GOP says that many of them are actually being paid by power brokers like George Soros and Lyn LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman. And they say that Democrat fundraising platform ActBlue is also playing a role in funding some of these groups. Unfortunately, other protests are making news because they're going far beyond peaceful singing or carrying signs. We're now seeing protesters attacking Tesla dealerships, manufacturing facilities, and even charging stations with Molotov cocktails. Gunfire, arson, things of that nature. Just a sampling Here. Over the weekend, someone shot up a Tesla dealership in Portland, Oregon, damaging cars and shattering windows. In Massachusetts, arsonists set a number of Tesla charging stations on fire. And then last week, a woman was caught trying to plant explosives at a Colorado Tesla dealership. But we do wanna note that for all of those protests, the latest polling says that the majority of Americans do. Backdoosh Asked how much influence Musk and Doge should have on government spending, 54% said some or a lot, compared to 46% who said only a little or none. A narrow majority, 51%, also said that they want to see that federal workforce reduced.

[Georgia Howe]

Well, let's see if he can hold on to that majority. Megan, thanks for reporting.

[Megan Basham]

Anytime.

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[Georgia Howe]

The Trump administration will ask a D.C. court to throw out a 40 year old order that it says puts race over merit when it comes to federal hiring. The move could allow Donald Trump to permanently reshape the federal workforce.

[John Bickley]

The Daily Wire's government efficiency reporter Luke Rosiak has obtained documents showing that the Trump administration will seek to dissolve that 1981 decree on the grounds that it's no longer legal under Supreme Court precedent. Hey, Luke. So tell us what's going on here?

[Luke Rosiak]

Hey, John. So in the 1970s, a group of minorities objected to the federal government's use of a test called the Professional Administrative Career Examination. Now, that test accurately predicted who would go on to be an excellent employee. But a lawsuit said it was racist because blacks and Hispanics didn't score as highly as whites on average. Jimmy Carter, who was president, said the test was fair, rigorously constructed and useful. But after he lost election, he settled with the plaintiffs and entered into something called the Lueveno consent decree, which ended ended the hiring exam and gave the plaintiffs veto power over its replacement. That was only supposed to last for five years. But the Office of Personnel Management ran into a problem. It tried six times, but no test that accurately identified competent employees also led to what was required by the decree, which is zero statistically significant differences in hire rates. By race. The result is that more than 40 years later, federal agencies tasked with hiring millions of people are forbidden from using objective skills tests to find the most skilled applicants.

[John Bickley]

So this is like telling colleges they can't use the SAT to admit students.

[Luke Rosiak]

Exactly. OPM finally came up with one test that would result in a high proportion of minorities. And it's basically just a self assessment. The government now largely relies on 136 question quiz where applicants rate themselves on how qualified they think they are.

[John Bickley]

So people who say they're the best go to the top of the stack.

[Luke Rosiak]

Right, Right. And so now the Trump administration is set to ask the D.C. court to end the consent decree on quite a few grounds, including that it's illegal under the Supreme Court's preced, especially the 2023 Harvard ruling that ended affirmative action at colleges. The Trump administration will argue that it blatantly conflicts with current law and requires the federal government to make hiring decisions using explicit racial classifications. It says it amounts to one court using a nearly half century old agreement to block the President from using measures that any large scale employer would use to shape his workforce. And that the OPM must be relieved of the louisvano consent decree to return common sense to federal hiring. This is a big deal because Trump could basically turn federal employees into an elite group. An exam could turn up the best and brightest who were evaluated objectively and hired based on merit.

[John Bickley]

All right, so you're saying the lines might move a little more quickly next time I go to the post office?

[Luke Rosiak]

We can hope.

[John Bickley]

Could this prove to be a lasting change?

[Luke Rosiak]

Yeah, this is one of these things that could be a legacy for Trump. In many ways, it's a big surprise that this decree is still standing so many years later. Especially because blacks aren't actually underrepresented in the federal government. They're actually overrepresented by 50%. Even if we weren't in a post DEI post affirmative action world, this consent decree was legally hard to justify.

[John Bickley]

Well, this will definitely be one to watch as Trump seeks to get control of the federal workforce. Luke, thanks so much for bringing us this exclusive.

[Luke Rosiak]

Thank you.

[Georgia Howe]

With yet another government shutdown deadline looming this week, Speaker Johnson proposed a seven month funding patch Saturday in coordination with the Trump administration. The Trump backed stopgap bill would keep the government funded through the end of September.

[John Bickley]

Joining us now is Representative Andy Harris of Maryland. Congressman, thank you so much for joining us.

[Andy Harris]

Sure.

[John Bickley]

So Speaker Johnson has proposed this stopgap bill which he released this Saturday. What's in the bill and does it have support in the House.

[Andy Harris]

Well, what the bill does is essentially freeze the spending for the rest of the year. In fact, it actually lowers it a little bit. It makes some upgrades to the defense appropriations. So what we call stops and starts, stop some programs that are unnecessary, necessary starts others, provides a little extra money for the deportation of the illegal alien criminals that's underway. Provides a little extra money for the Women Infants Children food program, just in case we need it for the rest of the year. And then also provides a little more money to the VA health system because again, after the PACT act, we do have more veterans seeking care and we provided funding for them. And by removing funding for some of the new IRS agents that the Biden administration planned, we can pay for it all and again, still decrease spending a little bit.

[John Bickley]

All right, now the numbers we have is something like a total of 6 billion in increases for deportations, military programs, veterans, healthcare, some of the things you listed. But then a $13 billion cut in non defense discretionary funding, is that correct?

[Andy Harris]

That's right. Again, because we have the IRS decision. The bottom line is this not only would freeze spending, it actually reduces spending a little bit. And that's why I think that it's gonna pass with Republican votes this week. And then again in the Senate. I don't think the Democrats are gonna unite, shut down the government.

[John Bickley]

Now, Trump campaigned on securing the border and getting inflation under control. He's certainly tackled the first issue in a way that's really dramatic. It's the lowest numbers we've ever seen crossing the border illegally. But many people still do struggle financially with inflation. Will voters give Trump the time he needs to bring down prices?

[Andy Harris]

Well, I hope so. You know, Joe Biden took four years to increase the cost of everything and to bring on the inflation and to stop energy exploration, for instance. It's going to take a little while to get it started back up. But once we get it started back up, I think already seeing the effect at the gas pump, where the price of gas is coming down a little bit, I think it come down way more. And when that comes down, the cost of energy and electricity and all the things that run our economy is going to go down. So it'll take a little while, but again, we're going to turn this ship around.

[John Bickley]

We continue to have these budget battles. Where can Republicans and Democrats find common ground on the next budget?

[Andy Harris]

Look, if the Democrats aren't willing to control spending and get our debt and deficit under control, then I don't know how we're going to see Eye to eye. The bottom line is we have to control spend. We have to make sure that when the Doge Committee finds savings, potential savings, we have to incorporate that into next year's spending. We have to make sure we cut the waste, fraud and abuse. If they're willing to be partners on that, we're willing to work with them. Up until now, they haven't been.

[John Bickley]

Now, this bill cuts earmarks and gives Trump more power to move money around, even for new military projects Congress hasn't officially okayed. Democrats say this is a blank check for Trump and Musk. But Republicans say it's needed to fix spending by September. Are you okay with giving up some of Congress's control to the White House?

[Andy Harris]

Well, I don't think we give up that much control. I think Congress, you know, sets a ceiling on spending. And obviously, if the president finds that some of that spending is wasteful, I think the president should withhold it and then we should do rescissions of that spending. Again, we're still setting the ceiling on spending, and that'll be set in the continuing resolution. And again, I want to give the administration discretion. If they find fraud, waste and abuse, they should stop spending money on it.

[John Bickley]

Well, Trump has asked for a few more months to get a lot of this done, so we'll see if Congress gives it to him through this bill. Congressman, thank you so much for joining us.

[Andy Harris]

Okay, thank you.

[Georgia Howe]

Another story we're tracking this week, the Secret Service shot an armed man near the White House early Sunday morning. Daily Wire White House correspondent Mary Margaret Olihan has more.

[Mary Margaret Olihan]

Secret Service said in a statement on Sunday that local police had shared information with them earlier on Saturday about a, quote, suicidal individual who might be traveling to D.C. from Indiana. Agents encountered the suspect around midnight after he parked his car close to an entrance to the White House and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. As officers approached, the Secret Service said the individual brandished a firearm in an armed confrontation ensued, during which shots were fired by our personnel. The suspect was transported to a nearby hospital. And according to the Secret Service, there were no reported injuries to their personnel. President Trump was in Florida during the incident, and we're still waiting for more information.

[John Bickley]

Thanks for waking up with us. And if you liked what you heard this morning, share this episode with a friend.