What's going on today
- Billionaire Elon Musk issued an ultimatum to federal employees today, saying that employees must respond to an email justifying the work they completed this week or resign. Federal employees have already begun receiving an email asking about what they’ve done in the last week, sources familiar with the matter told NBC News.
- President Donald Trump spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., today, marking his first address to the conservative gathering since the beginning of his second term.
- The president also met with Polish President Andrzej Duda amid European uncertainty about Trump’s approach to the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump also met with Argentine President Javier Milei on the sidelines of CPAC.
- Duda said yesterday that he has urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to “remain committed to the course of calm and constructive cooperation with” Trump, whom he believes is “guided by a deep sense of responsibility for global stability and peace.”
LA Mayor Karen Bass removes fire chief after handling of wildfires
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has removed Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley after weeks of a public rift. Bass has criticized Crowley for an alleged lack of preparation and mishandling the city’s wildfire response and said the department needs new leadership.
Trump, who has flirted with the possibility of seeking a third term, praises George Washington for leaving office after two
Addressing governors gathered at the White House for the National Governor Association Evening Dinner, Trump noted that the event coincided with George Washington’s 293rd birthday and praised for leaving office after two terms — despite his own jokes about seeking another term.
“George Washington, by force of will and determination, he was also the ultimate national unifier. He was a great unifier. In fact, he could have stayed longer. They wanted him to stay longer. And he said, ‘No, we don’t want to do that. We want everybody to have a chance. We don’t want to.’ He was very, very popular, and he refused to stay longer,” Trump said.
“And that in itself was possibly at the early stages of government a very important fact,” he added.
Washington served eight years as president, opting to step down rather than run for a third term. A two-term limit for presidents was established by the 22nd Amendment in 1951.
Trump's allusions to the possibility of seeking a third term prompted a Republican lawmaker to introduce a measure that would trigger the adoption of a constitutional amendment allowing Trump to seek a third term. The bill has not advanced in the House.
Trump’s praise for Washington comes on the heels of recent swipes at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom Trump falsely called “A Dictator without Elections.” While Ukraine last held a presidential election in 2019 and was due to have one last April, Zelenskyy has said in the past that it is not possible for Ukrainians to go to the polls in wartime, a view permissible under the country’s constitution.
Proud Boys chief Enrique Tarrio, granted clemency from Trump on Jan. 6 charges, turned away from conservative event
Enrique Tarrio, the former chairman of the Proud Boys, was turned away from the Principles First summit, a CPAC alternative for conservatives disillusioned by the current state of the Republican Party, according to former Capitol Hill officer Harry Dunn and a press liaison for the event.
Tarrio was granted clemency by Trump last month after being charged with seditious conspiracy in relation to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
Dunn, who was at the Capitol the day of the attack and called the pardons of rioters a "slap in the face," confirmed to NBC News that Tarrio and other members of the Proud Boys were spotted at the event's venue in Washington D.C.
A video posted on social media that appears to have been recorded at the conservative summit depicts Tarrio heckling Dunn and retired officer Michael Fanone.
A press staffer told NBC News that the group attempted to purchase tickets to the event but were turned away due to capacity issues.
Yesterday, Tarrio was arrested outside the U.S. Capitol and charged with assaulting a female protestor.
Trump met with New York governor yesterday regarding congestion pricing, governor's office says
Trump met with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul yesterday discussing congestion pricing among other matters, according to a statement from a spokesperson for the governor.
“The Governor and the President had a frank, candid conversation about New York’s key priorities including congestion pricing, immigration, infrastructure, economic development, energy, offshore wind and nuclear power. Governor Hochul also presented President Trump with a booklet on the early success of congestion pricing,” Avi Smalls wrote in a statement.
The governor and Trump have butted heads in recent days as Trump leaned into a TIME Magazine cover deeming him a “king” and terminated federal approval of New York City’s congestion pricing, which Hochul argued was crucial to sustaining the state’s mass transit system, saying, “The cameras are staying on.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the meeting.
Trump has call with Trudeau ahead of anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Trump held a phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today ahead of the third anniversary of the war in Ukraine, the White House said in a release.
The call marks at least the second time the two leaders have spoken by phone this month amid threats of a trade war.
During the call, the two discussed the recent hockey match-up between the U.S. and Canada, before focusing on a scheduled phone call among G7 leaders set to take place on Monday, the three year anniversary of the war.
"Prime Minister Trudeau echoed President Trump’s desire to see an end to the war and acknowledged that President Trump is the only world leader who can push through a just and lasting peace," a White House readout of the call stated.
Trudeau agreed with Trump's assertion that the war would not have began had he been in office instead of former President Joe Biden, according to the readout.
Trudeau also informed Trump "that Canada has enforced a 90 percent reduction in fentanyl crossing the U.S. Northern Border, and that the Canadian Border Czar would be in the United States next week for meetings with his American counterpart," the White House said.
Elon Musk says federal workers must justify their work — or resign
Billionaire Elon Musk issued an ultimatum to federal employees today, saying in a post on his social media platform X that employees must respond to an email justifying the work they completed this week or resign.
Federal employees have already begun receiving an email asking about what they’ve done in the last week, sources familiar with the matter told NBC News.
'Hell no': Mark Cuban shoots down the possibility of a 2028 presidential run
Mark Cuban said today that he doesn't intend to run for president in 2028, removing himself from consideration after some Democrats floated the idea.
Cuban made the declaration at the Principles First convention in Washington D.C., which bills itself as a CPAC alternative for conservatives disillusioned by the current state of the Trump-led Republican party.
"Hell no," Cuban said when asked by the moderator if he was interested in running. "No, it's not going to happen."
"I don't want to be president," he added, saying he's rather just stick with his current pharmaceutical venture.
Cuban suggested the intensity of the job was among the factors that dissuaded him from a run.
"When I'm on my deathbed at 117 years old, because health care got better, do I want to look back and think, okay, I was president, or do I want to say, okay, I was there when my kids graduated, I made my kids basketball games?"
Cuban's remarks were first reported by Politico.
Trump has been updated on pope's condition and is praying for him, White House press secretary says
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters today that Trump has been updated on Pope Francis' condition and is praying for him.
"[Trump] has been updated, and we're praying for the pope, and I'll let the president put out his own statement, but of course, our thoughts and prayers are with him," Leavitt said on the South Lawn of the White House after emerging from Marine One alongside Trump.
The Vatican said earlier today that Francis is in critical condition following a severe asthmatic crisis this morning. Francis, 88, has been in the hospital since last week and has double pneumonia, according to the Vatican.
Judge cancels corruption trial against NYC Mayor Eric Adams
A federal judge has canceled the corruption trial against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, but has not dismissed the case yet. Judge Dale Ho adjourned Adams’ trial, which was set to begin in April, and appointed an outside lawyer to examine the Justice Department’s request to drop the case.
Border czar Tom Homan delivers fiery, profanity-laced remarks
Before Trump came out to speak, his border czar, Tom Homan, gave a fiery speech to CPAC attendees laying out the administration's immigration enforcement goals, saying they will be going after sanctuary cities.
"Let me start off by saying this," Homan began. "If I offend anybody today, I don’t give a s---.”
“And to sanctuary cities, game on, because Pam Bondi is back in the place, and Kash Patel is back running the FBI,” Homan added, referring to Trump's Justice Department appointees. “I’m afraid I'll have a heart attack one of these days, because it just keeps getting better."
Homan delivered an unapologetic speech laced with profanity that praised Trump and touted statistics about border crossings being down.
“I’m happy with the numbers, but I’m not going to be satisfied until every criminal alien gang member, every criminal alien, every Tren de Aragua is eradicated from this country" and sent "to Gitmo, where they belong,” he said, referring to the use of the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in relocating deported immigrants.
NBC News previously reported that Trump has been angry that the number of deportations in his first weeks in office hasn't been higher.
