(This is just another gossip article)

Trump holds Cabinet meeting with Elon Musk in attendance

Several Cabinet members heaped praise on Musk, a stark change from the group's last gathering, where tensions between Musk and other Trump officials boiled over

March 24, 2025, 1:22 PM1/2

President Donald Trump gathered his Cabinet secretaries for a third known meeting Monday morning with Elon Musk in attendance, praising his department leaders for their cost-cutting measures even as he acknowledged they may not be “popular.”

Trump told the room that the cuts had to happen regardless of the political ramifications, saying, “I have no idea how it plays out in the public … but it's something that has to be done.”

Musk, who is leading the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency cost-cutting initiative, has drawn criticism over his downsizing effort, and the meeting appeared choreographed to highlight its effectiveness and how department heads and Musk were delivering on its mandate.

During the meeting, some Cabinet members heaped support on Musk and DOGE, with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin touting the "incredible" partnership with his department and Attorney General Pam Bondi offering praise for “Elon’s incredible team.”

As reporters entered the Cabinet room, Trump touted the meeting's success before he called on the leaders around the table. “Now what is happening is the numbers are beyond our wildest expectations,” Trump said.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said, "We have had many fraudulent contracts brought to light by Elon.”

Musk, wearing a red “Trump Was Right About Everything” hat, interjected at one point to claim that the Small Business Association had discovered a loan awarded to a "very precocious" baby.

Secretary of State MarcoRubio took notes as other secretaries gave remarks but did not have an opportunity to speak until after a question about the Education Department when Trump called on him for an update on Ukraine. Rubio, seated beside Trump, responded with praise for his unique leadership.==

A senior administration official described the 11 a.m.gathering as a “follow-up on the last DOGE meeting,” in reference to a tense meeting on March 6, when Trump placed limits on Musk’s authority amid backlash to new cuts by DOGE.

During the March 6 meeting, Rubio and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy rebuked Musk for having fired their employees without weighing whether doing so would help or harm their agencies. According to The New York Times, the meeting culminated in an explosive back-and-forth over the cuts between Musk and Rubio.

In a social media post, Trump publicly drew a line around Musk's powers after the back-and-forth between the Cabinet secretaries and Musk, saying that he had instructed the department leaders to work with DOGE when it comes to workforce reductions but that future cuts would be at their discretion. Secretaries could be “very precise” in whom they choose to eliminate from their departments, Trump said in his March 7 post on Truth Social, adding, “We say the ‘scalpel’ rather than the ‘hatchet.’”

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-hold-another-cabinet-meeting-elon-musk-rcna197771

>>22818807

2/2

Trump said follow-up meetings would take place every two weeks, with Monday’s meeting roughly aligning with that timeline. Trump later told reporters in the Oval Office that his directive to his Cabinet members was: “Keep all the people you want, all the people that you need.”

But he indicated that Musk would intervene if the department leaders don’t make sufficient cuts. “If they can cut, it’s better. If they don’t cut, then Elon will do the cutting,” Trump said.

On Friday, he played down the discord a day earlier, which was first reported by The New York Times, saying, “There is no clash.”

The Trump administration faces legal challenges over immigration and is preparing to unveil new tariffs — and Musk continues to draw scrutiny over his role.

On Friday, Trump disputed a report that Musk would receive a briefing on the U.S. military’s plans for a potential conflict with China during a visit to the Pentagon, saying he is “not there for China, and if you ever mentioned China, I think he’d walk out of the room.” Trump insisted the visit was focused on Musk’s DOGE efforts.

At a Feb. 26 Cabinet meeting, the first of Trump's second term,Musk took center stage as he explained DOGE’s work as “a support function for the president and for the agencies and departmentsto help achieve those savings to effectively find 15% reduction in fraud and waste.”

“He’s sacrificing a lot,” Trump said as he introduced Musk at the meeting. “He’s getting a lot of praise, I’ll tell you, but he’s also getting hit.”

The event occurred shortly after several secretaries appeared to buck the Department of Government Efficiency’s efforts by instructing staff members to put aside a directive coming from Musk and his allies that required five-point responses to the question "What did you do last week?"

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-hold-another-cabinet-meeting-elon-musk-rcna197771

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz Invited Leftist Journ-o-Lister Jeff Goldberg to Group Chat on Signal Discussing Houthi Attacks

March 25, 2025 | Sundance1/3

According to Jeffrey Goldberg from The Atlantic [SEE HERE], National Security Advisor Mike Waltz invited him to a group chat on the Signal app, where various Trump administration officials and cabinet members were discussing how to address the Houthi rebels in Yemen in advance of military airstrikes.

The media is having a field day with the story, andit does have multiple angles that will unfold in the next several days and weeks. Some mediaeven claiming the story could take down Mike Waltz and/or Pete Hegsethdue to the national security implications in the series of events [Politico Here].However, I wouldn’t go that far at all.

Why Mike Waltz would be texting an invite to Jeffrey Goldberg is an issue for later discussion. Generally, given the nature of these things it is not the principal who sets up the text network,usually a top aide or lead staff, which might indicate Waltz’s wife Julia Nesheiwat was involved[SEE WHY], but let’s put that aside.

Goldberg claims “details of war plans” were discussed in the group chat.Perhaps so, perhaps not. This specific part of the story is refuted by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. What was discussed and further shared and outlined by Breitbart News [SEE HERE] is a conversation about the strategic reasoning for the U.S. to directly attack the Houthi rebels in Yemen and reopen the sea lanes into and out of the Suez Canal.

The EU and Egypt are the primary beneficiaries of U.S. involvement toward stopping the Houthi terrorists from targeting ships in the region.Egypt manages the Suez Canal, and obviously there are some strategic U.S. benefits in the region from helping Egypt deal with the Houthi issue. Specifically, as President Trump seeks to have Egypt, Saudi Arabia and partners help solve the problem in Gaza.

Additionally, most of the shipping through the region is headed to the European Union through the canal.Reestablishing safe maritime flow of goods economically assists the EU more than any other region. Again, a point of leverage for the Trump administrationas President Trump confronts the issues of EU support for anUkraine conflict he is trying to resolve.

These geopolitical considerations show up in the story as JD Vance engaged in the text message discussion, as shared by Breitbart News:

The 18 members of the group chat included Waltz, Vice President JD Vance, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, someone believed to be Homeland Security Advisor and White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller, and others.

The group chat was called “Houthi PC small group,” with PC meaning “Principals Committee” — a reference to the group of top decision-makers from each agency during National Security Council meetings.

(https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/03/25/national-security-advisor-mike-waltz-invited-leftist-journ-o-lister-jeff-goldberg-to-group-chat-on-signal-discussing-houthi-attacks/

>>22819038

2/3

Waltz reportedly sent the following message on March 13:

Team — establishing a principles [sic] group for coordination on Houthis, particularly for over the next 72 hours. My deputy Alex Wong is pulling together a tiger team at deputies/agency Chief of Staff level following up from the meeting in the Sit Room this morning for action items and will be sending that out later this evening.

Pls provide the best staff POC from your team for us to coordinate with over the next couple days and over the weekend. Thx.

Members of the group chat then sent names for points of contact for them on the strikes.

The next day, Waltz told the group they should have received messages in their classified computer and communications systems regarding taskings.

The text conversation then begins a dive into the geopolitical considerations behind any operation with a myriad of issues to be considered.Vice-President JD Vance overlays the strategic geopolitical dynamics.

Vance said regarding the strikes, “I think we are making a mistake,” adding, “3 percent of US trade runs through the Suez. 40 percent of European trade does. There is a real risk that the public doesn’t understand this or why it’s necessary. The strongest reason to do this is, as POTUS said, to send a message.”

“I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now. There’s a further risk that we see a moderate to severe spike in oil prices. I am willing to support the consensus of the team and keep these concerns to myself. But there is a strong argument for delaying this a month, doing the messaging work on why this matters, seeing where the economy is, etc.,” he argued.

The back and forth between Defense Secretary Hegseth, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Vice-President JD Vance and Assistant Chief of Staff to POTUS, Stephen Miller, is then included:

Hegseth reportedly wrote, “VP: I understand your concerns — and fully support you raising w/ POTUS. Important considerations, most of which are tough to know how they play out (economy, Ukraine peace, Gaza, etc). I think messaging is going to be tough no matter what — nobody knows who the Houthis are — which is why we would need to stay focused on: 1) Biden failed & 2) Iran funded.”

He reportedly added, “Waiting a few weeks or a month does not fundamentally change the calculus.2 immediate risks on waiting: 1) this leaks, and we look indecisive; 2) Israel takes an action first — or Gaza cease fire falls apart — and we don’t get to start this on our own terms. We can manage both. We are prepared to execute, and if I had final go or no go vote, I believe we should. This [is] not about the Houthis. I see it as two things: 1) Restoring Freedom of Navigation, a core national interest; and 2) Reestablish deterrence, which Biden cratered. But, we can easily pause. And if we do, I will do all we can to enforce 100% OPSEC—operations security. I welcome other thoughts.”

Waltz then reportedly posted a “lengthy note” about trade figures, and the limited capabilities of European navies.

“Whether it’s now or several weeks from now, it will have to be the United States that reopens these shipping lanes. Per the president’s request we are working with DOD and State to determine how to compile the cost associated and levy them on the Europeans,” Waltz said.

Vance then reportedly wrote to Hegseth, “if you think we should do it let’s go. I just hate bailing Europe out again.”

Hegseth responded: “VP: I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC. But Mike is correct, we are the only ones on the planet (on our side of the ledger) who can do this. Nobody else even close. Question is timing. I feel like now is as good a time as any, given POTUS directive to reopen shipping lanes. I think we should go; but POTUS still retains 24 hours of decision space.”

(https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/03/25/national-security-advisor-mike-waltz-invited-leftist-journ-o-lister-jeff-goldberg-to-group-chat-on-signal-discussing-houthi-attacks/

>>22819040

3/3

The person identified as potentially [Stephen] Miller wrote, “As I heard it, the president was clear: green light,but we soon make clear to Egypt and Europe what we expect in return. We also need to figure out how to enforce such a requirement. EG, if Europe doesn’t remunerate, then what? If the US successfully restores freedom of navigation at great cost there needs to be some further economic gain extracted in return.”

Hegseth reportedly responded, “Agree.” (Sourcing)

Sundance:

Anyone who follows the intersection of U.S. policy and geopolitical analysis would be fascinated, but this type of discussion doesn’t come as any big surprise.Indeed, the conversation is quite factually correctand the type of prudent background one would expect to see in any decision-making conversation of strategic importance.

In essence, every fly on the wall would be supportive of the tone, angles and prudent ‘American Interest’ considerations within the conversation.This overview is, quite simply, what we would expect to see.There is no negative here outside the fact the security of the conversation was seemingly compromised by Waltz, or someone on his behalf, inviting a journalist to watch it.

When Mike Waltz was selected as National Security Advisor,one of my first outlines included my expectation that “Waltz would likely to be the first Trump official removed from his position.” My thinking at the time was essentially that Congressman Mike Waltz and his wife Julia Nesheiwat (national security background) held traditional interventionist beliefs (neocon tendencies) in combination with ideological alignment with the climate change crowd.

The DC social circle of Mike Waltz and Julia Nesheiwat almost certainly contains friends with Jeffrey Goldberg’s outlook and worldview (a Pence like tribe). How would that interventionist, pro-NATO, pro-industrial military complex, social circle balance with a hardline ‘America First’ geopolitical policy approach. It is an ongoing question.

Up until this issue with Jeffrey Goldberg, both Nat Sec Advisor MikeWaltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have seemed to embrace President Trump’s foreign policy, and both have delivered on the execution of that policy.

I also find it very interesting that former Senate Intel Committee Chairman, now Secretary of State Marco Rubio is included in the Signal app chat group as reported, but there are no remarks from him within it.

It is important for us to remember, the entire apparatus of theDC foreign policy establishment, including the legislative branch members who benefit financially from policy, are against President Trump’s larger “America First” geopolitical efforts. The same opposition exists from the EU and NATO traditionalists.

An inside story like this is blood in the piranha pool for all those interests who oppose Donald Trump.

The content of the chat messaging, at least what we can see, is a non-issue.However, as this story unfolds it will be interesting to watch how Mike Waltz responds to questions about his ‘accidental’ inclusion of Jeffrey Goldberg in the chat group. How exactly did that happen?

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/03/25/national-security-advisor-mike-waltz-invited-leftist-journ-o-lister-jeff-goldberg-to-group-chat-on-signal-discussing-houthi-attacks/

>>22819045

Here is the article Sundance reference in last article of today:

Incoming National Security Advisor Mike Waltz Outlines His Priorities for Trump Administration

November 24, 2024Sundance

There are a lot of interesting discussions and interviews amid the political chatter today. It’s often difficult to filter which ones actually matter in the big picture.This is one of those interviews’ worth watching.

Incoming National Security Advisor Mike Waltz,brother-in-law to nominated U.S. Surgeon General Janette Nesheiwat and husband to former DNI policy chiefJulia Nesheiwat, appears on Fox News to discuss his priorities for the national security system under President Donald Trump.

Within the interview Waltz makes sure the collective NATO “west” get the unity message about U.S-Ukraine policy:“Jake Sullivan and I have had discussions, we’ve met,” Waltz says in the interview.

“For our adversaries out there that think this is a time of opportunity,that they can play one administration off the other — they are wrong. We are hand in glove. We are one team with the United States in this transition.” WATCH:

(Strange hand in glove with Bidan Admin?)

Mike Waltz is married to Julia Nesheiwat, the sister of Surgeon General nominee Janette Nesheiwat.

Julia, who -like all other people who work in DC silos- has never taken a married name. Julia Nesheiwat was born in Carmel, New York, in 1975 to Jordanian Christian immigrants and raised in Umatilla, Florida. She has a BA from Stetson University, an MA from Georgetown, and a PhD from Tokyo Tech.

Julia Nesheiwat became a military intelligence officer.She received the Bronze Star Medal during Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq. She departed the military as captain.Julia Nesheiwat served in several U.S. administrations. Under George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, she held senior national security and economic policy positions. Her most notable role was as Trump’s 10th Homeland Security Advisor from 2020 to 2021. Her Bush administration posts included State Department seniority and Office of the Director of National Intelligence Policy Chief.

Suffice to say their bedroom conversations are likely Intel Community shop talk.

While it’s interesting that Congressman Mike Waltz was selected to be President Trump’s National Security Advisor,it’s actually Julia Nesheiwat that carries the curriculum vitae that seemingly qualifies her for the job. This will be an interesting dynamic to watch unfold.

There is no such thing as mis-dis-mal-information, there is only ‘information‘. However, the background information can often assist in giving context to the events that unfold in/around the DC silo system.

https://youtu.be/ct4UnyiJLdE

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2024/11/24/incoming-national-security-advisor-mike-waltz-outlines-his-priorities-for-trump-administration/

President Trump Notifies Judge Boasberg Administration Invoking States Secrets Privilege

March 25, 2025 | Sundance |

The Trump administration has filed notice to federal Judge James Boasberg that he is intruding into matters of which he has no competency or authority. [SEE HERE]

President Trump through theDOJ has filed notice with Boasbergthat his inquiries into execution and enforcement of the Alien Enemies Act, and the deportation of criminal illegal aliens, is an intrusion into issues of national security.The U.S constitution and prior Supreme Court rulings affirm the Judicial Branch cannot interfere.

Clip

[Source]

Additionally, the Trump administration informs the courtthat further intrusion into these Executive Branch matters creates a valid constitutional problem that rests solely on the shoulders of Judge Boasberg for creating it.

Clip

The administration attaches sworn affidavitsfrom Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Dept of Homeland Security Director Kristi Noem in all regards to the declarations of national security interests.

Rubio HERE: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436.56.2.pdf 8 pages

Noem HERE:

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436.56.3.pdf

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/03/25/president-trump-notifies-judge-boasberg-administration-invoking-states-secrets-privilege/

President Trump and Cabinet Members Discuss Purposeful Fraud Discovered During Financial Review of Various Agencies

March 25, 2025 | Sundance

Following a cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump and the various cabinet members hold a public press availability to outline fraud discovered within the budgets and spending of the agencies they head.Several examples of demonstrable fraud were highlighted by DOGE teamlead Elon Musk, the Small Business Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Dept of Energy, the Dept of Veterans Affairs and others.

President Trump explains that targeting the governmental spending “fraud” is critical as his administration focuses on growing the economy and bringing in major U.S. investment.Most of the spending being highlighted is fraud within the business model of U.S. politics. As noted by President Trump, it is not waste or abuse, it is simply fraud.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick outlines his expectations in advance of April 2nd, economic liberation day. HHS Secretary RFK Jr outlined how the DOGE team is helping to streamline the goals and objectives of the healthcare system. President Trump guides the MAGAnomic conversation around the various cabinet secretaries.

Dept of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem outlined how border patrol now has almost complete control over the U.S. border, and how the deportation operation is now removing record numbers of illegal aliens.

The Q&A session with media begins at 23:14 of the video above.

President Trump asks for Secretary Marco Rubio [24:57 of video] to review foreign policy and the Ukraine-Russia negotiations that are underway in Saudi Arabia.President Trump also notes the mid-east policy program is restarting the Abraham Accordsto bring more nations into the alliance to stop regional hatred and create peace.

Around the 28:00 moment, President Trump notes the MAGAnomic policy initiatives that are starting to reduce prices. The price of energy input products is dropping rapidly along with gasoline and core food ingredients. Around 31:30 Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent outlines how Treasury is positioning policy to assist in economic growth.

At approximately the 34:00-minute mark, President Trump asks Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy about air safety and the goal of a new Air Traffic Control system. Secretary Duffy outlines the importance of DOGE to deliver solutions and assist with identifying problems.

Attorney General Pam Bondi who is primarily in position to keep the administration -and Trump himself- defended from Lawfare attacks, outlines how the DOJ is taking investigative referrals from the various cabinet members and will review identified instances of fraud for prosecution when warranted.

President Trump concludes the press availability by defending Elon Musk and his DOGE team from the attacks against him and his companies.

(Much better description than the NBC gossip article, NBC didn’t report any of these facts. Posted earlier in bread.)

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/03/25/president-trump-and-cabinet-members-discuss-purposeful-fraud-discovered-during-financial-review-of-various-agencies/

https://youtu.be/_t8HsWy8004

Trump stands by national security adviser Mike Waltz despite disclosing military plans, saying he’s ‘learned a lesson’

Trump said that even though a journalist from The Atlantic was inadvertently added to a private chat about military plans, his presence had “no impact” on the military strikes in Yemen.

March 25, 2025, 9:58 AM

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump stood by his national security adviser, Mike Waltz, after The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief was accidentally added to a private, high-level chat on the messaging app Signal where military plans were being discussed.

"Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man," Trump said Tuesday in a phone interview with NBC News.

Trump's comments were his first substantive remarks since The Atlantic broke the story, which detailed how journalist Jeffrey Goldberg was inadvertently added to a group chat on a private messaging app where plans for military strikes in Yemen were discussed. Goldberg said he was added to the discussion after receiving a request from a user identified as Waltz.

When asked what he was told about how Goldberg came to be added to the Signal chat,Trump said, “It was one of Michael’s people on the phone. A staffer had his number on there.”

Trump said Goldberg’s presence in the chat had “no impact at all” on the military operation.

The president expressed confidence in his team, saying he was not frustrated by the events leading up to The Atlantic's story. The situation,Trump said, was "the only glitch in two months, and it turned out not to be a serious one."

The Atlantic’s story sent shockwaves across Washington on Monday. Democratic lawmakers demanded answers from the White House in multiple letters, with one from a group of Senate Democrats calling the situation “an astonishingly cavalier approach to national security.”

Top Democrats on the House Armed Services, Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees wrote a separate letter, pushing for answers about other instances in which senior officials discussed national security issues “using the Signal messaging service or any other messaging service application that has not been approved for the transmission of classified information.”

White House officials defended the chat, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claiming on Monday that “nobody was texting war plans.” White House press secretaryKaroline Leavitt on Tuesday also claimed war plans were not discussed and "no classified material was sent to the thread."

"As the National Security Council stated, the White House is looking into how Goldberg’s number was inadvertently added to the thread," she added.

In a statement about the incident, the National Security Council said the thread “is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials. The ongoing success of the Houthi operation demonstrates that there were no threats to our servicemembers or our national security.”

Trump and Waltz spoke on Monday about The Atlantic’s story, according to two sources familiar with their conversation.Waltz has not yet commented publicly on the story.

The news of thegroup chat mishap came 10 years ago to the month after it was revealed that Hillary Clinton used a private emailserver at times during her tenure as secretary of state in the Obama administration. That revelation prompted staunch criticism from Republicans, several of whom appeared to be part of the Signal chat, according to The Atlantic. (Not at all equal, hers was intentional)

Goldberg reported that he was skeptical about the Signal chat's authenticity at first. But when bombs began falling in Yemen at the time officials in the group chat had discussed it, Goldberg concluded that the chat was “almost certainly real” and left shortly after.

Trump briefly responded to a question about The Atlantic’s story on Monday, saying, “I don’t know anything about it” and noting that the reporter asking him about the storywas “telling me about it for the first time.”(He says this quite often, which I doubt, but I can understand why.)

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-stands-national-security-adviser-leaked-military-plans-saying-mi-rcna197944