Trump Boasts of Mass Federal Firings, Talks Ukraine at CPAC \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ President Donald Trump used his CPAC speech to highlight his administration’s mass firings of federal employees, claiming he is “dominating Washington” and reshaping the government. He announced that Elon Musk is helping oversee job cuts and hinted at future layoffs. Trump also addressed immigration policy, his plans to inspect Fort Knox, and his approach to ending the Ukraine war. He met with Polish President Andrzej Duda on the conference sidelines and later reaffirmed his belief that Ukraine must settle the conflict soon, stating, “It doesn’t really affect us.”
Trump’s CPAC Speech Quick Looks
- Mass Federal Firings: Trump boasts of thousands of government job cuts, calling it “dominating Washington.”
- Elon Musk’s Role: Billionaire confirms federal employees must justify their jobs or be considered resigned.
- Immigration & Border Policy: Trump vows harder-line enforcement, but focus remains on government layoffs.
- Fort Knox Inspection: Jokes about checking if the gold is still there, met with cheers from CPAC crowd.
- Ukraine War Stance: Trump snubs Zelenskyy, calls him a “dictator”, and insists the war “doesn’t affect us.”
- Russia Peace Talks: Trump’s advisers met with Russian officials—without Ukraine or European allies.
- Praise for Foreign Leaders: Trump calls Polish President Duda a “fantastic man” and salutes Milei as “MAGA.”
- Upcoming Diplomacy: Trump to meet Macron and Starmer amid rising European concerns over U.S. policy.
Deep Look
At the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), President Donald Trump delivered a fiery address, touting his administration’s aggressive efforts to shrink the federal workforce, reshape foreign policy, and strengthen border security. Speaking to an enthusiastic crowd, Trump cast himself as a transformative leader who is dismantling bureaucracy while laying the foundation for a lasting Republican political majority.
Trump wasted no time in boasting about his administration’s sweeping government overhaul, which includes firing thousands of federal employees and restructuring agencies. He described the effort as an unprecedented purge, telling the audience,
“Nobody has ever seen anything like this. We are dominating Washington and sending bureaucrats packing.”
His administration’s push to downsize government has already resulted in significant cuts to agencies like the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which he announced has been restructured and its Washington office handed over to Customs and Border Protection.
Trump has enlisted billionaire Elon Musk to assist in evaluating federal employees, a move that has drawn both praise and criticism. Musk confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that all government workers would soon receive an email asking them to justify their jobs, warning that failure to respond would be considered a resignation.
Immigration, Border Policy, and Fort Knox Inspection
While Trump’s immigration policies were a major talking point, they were somewhat overshadowed by the federal layoffs. Still, he reaffirmed his commitment to harder-line measures at the U.S.-Mexico border and vowed to intensify enforcement efforts.
In a surprising moment, Trump revived an old conspiracy theory about the nation’s gold reserves, suggesting he may order an inspection of Fort Knox. He jokingly invited the CPAC crowd to join him, asking,
“Would anybody like to come with us? We want to see if the gold is still there.”
The remark was met with cheers, though it remains unclear if the president is seriously considering such an action.
Ukraine War: Trump Doubles Down on Russia Talks, Snubs Zelenskyy
Trump also escalated his public back-and-forth with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom he mocked and dismissed as a dictator. He reiterated his view that the war in Ukraine is a European problem, stating,
“I’m dealing with President Zelenskyy. I’m dealing with President Putin. It affects Europe. It doesn’t really affect us.”
His remarks signal a major departure from the Biden administration’s approach, which had pledged to include Ukraine in any peace negotiations. Trump, however, has cut Ukraine out of recent diplomatic efforts, instead sending his top foreign policy advisers to Saudi Arabia for direct talks with Russian officials.
The decision to exclude Ukraine and European allies has alarmed NATO members and drawn sharp criticism from officials in Kyiv. Zelenskyy responded by accusing Trump of operating in a “Russian-made disinformation space.”
Despite the backlash, Trump insisted that his administration is close to brokering a peace deal, stating,
“I think we’re pretty close to a deal, and we better be close to a deal.”
Trump’s Praise for Duda and Milei, Criticism of Biden
On the sidelines of CPAC, Trump met with Polish President Andrzej Duda, a longtime ally and a strong supporter of Ukraine. Despite their differing views on Russia, Trump praised Duda, calling him “a fantastic man and a great friend of mine.”
He also saluted Argentine President Javier Milei, who addressed the conference separately. Trump referred to him as “a MAGA guy”, playfully noting that Milei has adopted the slogan “Make Argentina Great Again.”
During his speech, Trump relished mocking his political rivals, including former President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, whom he intentionally mispronounced, drawing laughter from the audience.
He also took aim at Sen. Elizabeth Warren, despite her not being in the current presidential race, further revisiting old political battles.
Upcoming White House Meetings with Macron and Starmer
After meeting with Duda, Trump is set to host French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday. These meetings will be crucial as European leaders seek clarity on Trump’s foreign policy direction—particularly regarding Ukraine and NATO commitments.
As Trump continues to redefine U.S. foreign policy, his willingness to engage directly with Russia while sidelining Ukraine will likely remain a controversial topic in his administration.
CPAC Speech: A Glimpse of Trump’s Second-Term Agenda
Trump’s sweeping remarks at CPAC provided key insights into what his second-term priorities might look like:
- Aggressive government downsizing and mass firings of federal workers
- Harder-line immigration policies and expanded border enforcement
- Direct U.S.-Russia negotiations without Ukraine’s involvement
- An emphasis on nationalist economic policies and “America First” rhetoric
- Unconventional moves, like his Fort Knox inspection idea
As his administration moves forward with these drastic policy shifts, the impact of Trump’s federal workforce purge, diplomatic maneuvers, and domestic priorities will shape U.S. politics for years to come.
Trump wrapped up his speech by promising to continue his administration’s aggressive changes, telling the CPAC crowd,
“We’re going to forge a new and lasting political majority that will drive American politics for generations to come.”
With his most loyal supporters cheering him on, Trump left CPAC as confident as ever, determined to reshape Washington, reassert his vision of America, and cement his political legacy.
Trump Boasts of Trump Boasts of
You must Register or Login to post a comment.