Alexandra Ulmer

Without Musk, DOGE likely to fizzle out, says ex-staffer Without billionaire Elon Musk in the Trump administration, his cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency project is likely to sputter out, a former DOGE staffer said in his first interview since leaving the team.

Read the first interview with Sahil Lavingia since he left DOGE. He does not mince his words about Musk's project:

www.reuters.com/world/us/wit...

Exclusive: Musk’s DOGE expanding his Grok AI in US government, raising conflict concerns Elon Musk’s DOGE team is expanding use of his artificial intelligence chatbot Grok in the federal government to analyze data, said three people familiar with the matter, potentially putting at risk sensitive information on millions of Americans.

Exclusive: Musk’s DOGE expanding his Grok AI in US government, raising conflict concerns

www.reuters.com/sustainabili...

Trump’s Plan to Take Jet From Qatar Heightens Corruption Concerns

unlocked:

Trump’s Plan to Take Jet From Qatar Heightens Corruption Concerns

The second Trump administration is blowing through limits on the mixing of public office and personal benefits.

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/12/u...

Musk lays groundwork for big donor role in midterm elections as time with DOGE ends As billionaire Elon Musk scales back work for U.S. President Donald Trump, he’s laying the groundwork for a major role as a Republican political megadonor in next year’s midterm elections, according to four people with direct knowledge of the matter.

With DOGE duties winding down, Elon Musk is laying the groundwork for a major role as a megadonor in the midterms — but not before asking Trump to boost Tesla’s image. Both men have denied Musk ever sought help. My latest w/ @alexandraulmer.bsky.social

www.reuters.com/business/aut...

Musk lays groundwork for big donor role in midterm elections as time with DOGE ends As billionaire Elon Musk scales back work for U.S. President Donald Trump, he’s laying the groundwork for a major role as a Republican political megadonor in next year’s midterm elections, according to four people with direct knowledge of the matter.

"I think he's exhausted and exasperated," one source says of Elon Musk as he wraps up his time at DOGE.

Latest with @nanditab1.bsky.social

www.reuters.com/business/aut...

Scoop from me and @alexandraulmer.bsky.social

Exclusive: Musk's DOGE using AI to snoop on U.S. federal workers, sources say Trump administration officials have told some U.S. government employees that Elon Musk's DOGE team of technologists is using artificial intelligence to surveil at least one federal agency’s communications for hostility to President Donald Trump and his agenda, said two people with knowledge of the matter.

NEW DOGE reporting, per sources:

* DOGE using AI to surveil EPA workers, Trump officials say
* DOGE team is "heavily" using Grok
* Musk privately mused that AI could replace govt workers

www.reuters.com/technology/a...

Exclusive: Musk's DOGE using AI to snoop on U.S. federal workers, sources say Trump administration officials have told some U.S. government employees that Elon Musk's DOGE team of technologists is using artificial intelligence to surveil at least one federal agency’s communications for hostility to President Donald Trump and his agenda, said two people with knowledge of the matter.

NEW DOGE reporting, per sources:

* DOGE using AI to surveil EPA workers, Trump officials say
* DOGE team is "heavily" using Grok
* Musk privately mused that AI could replace govt workers

www.reuters.com/technology/a...

In Wisconsin court race, megadonor Musk's role helps fuel Democratic turnout Elon Musk poured millions of dollars into a Wisconsin Supreme Court race and even donned a local cheese-shaped hat at a political rally, only to have his candidate soundly defeated in a race viewed as an early referendum on Donald Trump's presidency.

In Wisconsin court race, megadonor Musk's role helps fuel Democratic turnout

www.reuters.com/world/us/wis...

Donald Trump Jr. Mixes Business and Politics in Serbia, as Protests There Rage President Trump’s oldest son visited Belgrade, the site of a Trump International Hotel project, and pushed back on calls for the country’s president to resign.

NEW: Donald Trump Jr. Mixes Business and Politics in Serbia, as Protests There Rage

President Trump’s oldest son visited Belgrade, the site of a Trump International Hotel project, and pushed back on calls for the country’s president to resign.

www.nytimes.com/2025/03/19/u...

I remember being so moved by this. Can't believe it's already been three years.

People Are Paying Millions to Dine With Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago Business leaders are paying as much as $5,000,000 to meet one-on-one with the president at his Florida compound, sources tell WIRED, while others are paying $1,000,000 apiece to dine with him in a gro...

NEW: President Trump is hosting group and 1-1 dinners at Mar-a-Lago for $1M and $5M per seat, respectively. The've already become a "hot ticket" for business leaders.

Where's the money going? Unclear, though one source said it would fund Trump's presidential library.

www.wired.com/story/people...

Insight: Musk rallies the far right in Europe. Tesla is paying the price. For the past two months, tech billionaire Elon Musk has promoted Germany’s far-right party in at least two dozen posts on his X platform, interviewed its leader, and told his 219 million followers it was the country’s “only hope.”

“It’s not so beyond the realm of possibility that (Musk) could flip a country politically." The world's richest man throws his support behind Europe's populist far-right parties as they make their biggest gains in decades. My story with Andrew MacAskill & Nick Carey. www.reuters.com/world/musk-r...

Ultimatum to federal workers raises tensions between Musk, White House staff U.S. President Donald Trump’s top aides are struggling to contain disputes at the White House and across the administration following billionaire Elon Musk's ultimatum to federal workers to list their accomplishments or lose their jobs, said three government officials familiar with the tensions.

NEW:

Ultimatum to federal workers raises tensions between Musk, White House staff

www.reuters.com/world/us/ult...

Trump Administration Live Updates: News on Elon Musk, Russia Peace Talks and RFK Jr.

NEW: Trump campaign co-chief Chris LaCivita is advising a conservative Albanian political party whose leader is under US sanctions for “significant corruption.”

LaCivita says the sanctions are political, & casts the party as Trump-aligned.

“I’m exporting MAGA — Make Albania Great Again!”

Insight: Elon Musk’s tactics frustrate some senior White House officials As tech billionaire Elon Musk expands his influence over more than a dozen U.S. federal agencies, frustration is growing among some top aides to President Donald Trump, who want more coordination from Musk's team as he slashes the U.S. government, according to four people aware of the tensions.

NEW: Elon Musk's tactics frustrate some White House senior officials

www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...

US Defense Department contract "inaccurately represented" on social media, says Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters said on Thursday its business with the Department of Defense was "inaccurately represented," in response to accusations on social media by Elon Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump that the company played a role in "large scale social deception" for the government.

US Defense Department contract "inaccurately represented" on social media, says Thomson Reuters - www.reuters.com/business/us-...

Insight: Elon Musk’s tactics frustrate some senior White House officials As tech billionaire Elon Musk expands his influence over more than a dozen U.S. federal agencies, frustration is growing among some top aides to President Donald Trump, who want more coordination from Musk's team as he slashes the U.S. government, according to four people aware of the tensions.

NEW: Elon Musk's tactics frustrate some White House senior officials

www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...

For one Honduran single mom fleeing threats, Trump dashes American dream Shortly after Donald Trump was sworn in as U.S. president on Monday, Honduran migrant Denia Mendez's phone started buzzing with news that the app she had used to book her U.S. asylum appointment was down.

For one Honduran single mom fleeing threats, Trump dashes American dream

My dispatch from the border:

Smugglers are jacking up their prices following the CBP One asylum cancelations and increased enforcement on the US side, according to our reporting. From Tijuana, for example, crossing went from $4,200 to $6,900, per one migrant.

Smugglers are jacking up their prices following the CBP One asylum cancelations and increased enforcement on the US side, according to our reporting. From Tijuana, for example, crossing went from $4,200 to $6,900, per one migrant.

Some migrants turn to pricey smugglers or riskier routes after Trump clampdown After Honduran migrant Alex Diaz' U.S. asylum appointment was canceled following Donald Trump's immigration and border crackdown, the 23-year-old former bus driver began considering what he had been determined to avoid: entering the United States illegally.

Latest from the border: After Trump clampdown, some migrants turn to pricey smugglers or riskier routes

www.reuters.com/world/americ...

For one Honduran single mom fleeing threats, Trump dashes American dream Shortly after Donald Trump was sworn in as U.S. president on Monday, Honduran migrant Denia Mendez's phone started buzzing with news that the app she had used to book her U.S. asylum appointment was down.

For one Honduran single mom fleeing threats, Trump dashes American dream @alexandraulmer.bsky.social www.reuters.com/world/americ...

For one Honduran single mom fleeing threats, Trump dashes American dream Shortly after Donald Trump was sworn in as U.S. president on Monday, Honduran migrant Denia Mendez's phone started buzzing with news that the app she had used to book her U.S. asylum appointment was down.

For one Honduran single mom fleeing threats, Trump dashes American dream

My dispatch from the border:

Trump’s Cryptocurrency Surges to Become One of the World’s Most Valuable The new business venture by the Trump family has turned into an overnight phenomenon, generating a windfall on paper but also intensifying criticism.

Trump’s Cryptocurrency Surges to Become One of the World’s Most Valuable

The new business venture by the Trump family is generating intensifying criticism, even as it's turned into an overnight phenomenon. The NYT examines the new token--and red flags it is raising

www.nytimes.com/2025/01/19/u...

White House Editor in Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America | News & Editorial Careers at Thomson Reuters Apply for White House Editor job with Thomson Reuters in Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America. News & Editorial Careers at Thomson Reuters

Brilliant, challenging, vital job at an extraordinarily important time. 👇

careers.thomsonreuters.com/us/en/job/JR...

Albania Gives Jared Kushner Hotel Project a Nod as Trump Returns The project is one of several that family members of President-elect Donald J. Trump have with foreign countries that have pending policy matters with the United States.

NEW: The Government of Albania Gives Jared Kushner Hotel Project a Nod as Trump Returns. The project is one of several that family members of President-elect Donald J. Trump have with foreign countries that have pending policy matters with the United States.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/u...

Opinion | Scott Bessent’s funny math would make his GOP predecessors blush The more economic growth a politician promises, the worse his or her economic plan probably is.

Treasury secretary pick Scott Bessent says Trump will cut budget deficits in half, to 3% of GDP.
But if Trump also passes all his tax cuts (+ tariffs, and rest of Trump agenda), that requires cutting Medicaid/SNAP/other mandatory spending (aside from SS/Medicare) by 2/3 wapo.st/4gMRq2R

The migrants on the frontline of Trump’s mass deportation plan Blanca Figueroa and Severiano Martinez have known from the start of their eight-year marriage that she was at risk of deportation because she entered the United States illegally.

The migrants on the frontline of Trump’s mass-deportation plan, w/ @kristinacooke.bsky.social @octaviojones.bsky.social and Evan Garcia - www.reuters.com/world/americ...

Jared Kushner won't be in the White House, but he's not out of the picture. Per source:

* He speaks to Susie Wiles regularly.
* He's working with Pam Bondi on some hiring.
* He's advising Steve Witkoff on his new job as special envoy to the Middle East.