President Trump offered praise today for Elon Musk and his team at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, who have led the administration’s effort to purge federal workers. He said he had directed them to search across the government for costs to eliminate. He mentioned in particular that Musk would scrutinize spending at the Pentagon, from which Musk has received at least $3.6 billion in contracts over the past decade.
The president also singled out the Education Department, which the White House has discussed possibly shutting down. Trump’s critics argue that the efforts violate the Constitution, which grants Congress the authority to dictate federal spending.
But in just the past week, Musk and his team have descended on Education, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, and Veterans Affairs Departments, among other agencies. The Treasury Department installed an ally of Musk to oversee the nation’s payment system, replacing a career civil servant.
Musk’s effort is largely being carried out by a group of male engineers, including some recent college graduates and at least one as young as 19. Some are former interns at his companies; others are executives who have worked for Musk for as long as two decades. They all appear to have channeled his shoot-first, aim-later approach. Here’s what we know about Musk’s team of young aides.
The judge, Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, said the imminent administrative leave of 2,200 employees would be briefly delayed while he heard a legal challenge filed by unions representing the workers. The unions have called Trump’s efforts to dismantle the agency “unconstitutional and illegal,” and said that they had “generated a global humanitarian crisis.”
Earlier today, the president issued a blunt, all-caps directive to dissolve U.S.A.I.D. “CLOSE IT DOWN!” Trump posted on his social media network. He also accused the agency of unspecified rampant corruption and fraud.
In other politics news:
Job growth slowed last month
U.S. employers added 143,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department reported today, signaling more subdued employment growth at the start of the year. The overall job market still appears to be solid: The unemployment rate edged down to 4 percent, and hourly earnings rose.
Hundreds died as Sudan’s war flared
Sudan’s civil war, a ruinous conflict that is approaching its third year, has grown deadlier as the Army has pushed to retake significant parts of the capital from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Hundreds of people, including dozens of children, have been killed across the country in recent days, according to witnesses, medical workers and the U.N.
“The citizens are currently living in a state of panic,” one activist there said. “People are scared.”
Our guide to classic romance novels
More than almost any other genre, romance is a nonstop fire hose of material. It can be intimidating for anyone simply looking for a great love story. So we selected more than a dozen books you really can’t go wrong with.
Check out this starter pack, which includes guidance based on your preferences.
Meet a star beverage critic. He’s 11.
Leo Kelly is known as the “Shirley Temple King,” and for good reason. For nearly half of his life, this 11-year-old from Connecticut has been posting reviews of Shirley Temples online. He rates each restaurant he visits on a 10-point scale, considering factors like color, carbonation and the quality of the grenadine.
After he gave LongHorn Steakhouse a low rating for having zero cherries in its Shirley Temples, executives took note. They now include five cherries.
Have a sparkling weekend.
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back on Monday. — Matthew
Eli Cohen was our photo editor today.
We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com.
