The White House says Elon Musk is a "special government employee." Here's what that means.
CBSN
Billionaire Elon Musk is categorized as a "special government employee" through his work with the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, a cost-cutting initiative created by President Trump to find ways to trim federal spending.
Musk's employee status was confirmed by White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt on Monday, although she added that she wasn't sure whether the Tesla CEO has gained security clearance.
DOGE, which isn't a federal department, has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers and sparked several lawsuits since Mr. Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, with some claiming Musk's DOGE is violating various laws. For instance, two unions and the Alliance for Retired Americans, an advocacy group for older people and retirees, sued on Feb. 3 over DOGE's access to the Treasury Department's payment systems — which handle everything from tax refunds to Social Security payments — alleging that the move breaches privacy regulations.
Washington — The U.S. government is moving quickly to implement President Trump's order to turn facilities at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base into a large-scale immigration detention center, with plans to transport the first group of migrant detainees there on Tuesday, two U.S. officials told CBS News.
Washington — President Trump will attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Sunday, according to people familiar with the president's travel plans. He would be the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl.
Vice President J.D. Vance will attend a two-day artificial intelligence summit in Paris next week for his first international trip since taking office in January.
Waffle House is adding a 50-cent per egg surcharge to customers' orders, citing the impact of ongoing egg shortages and rising prices caused by bird flu.
More of the wreckage of an American Airlines regional plane was recovered Tuesday from last week's deadly midair collision over Washington, D.C., that sent the airliner and an Army Black Hawk helicopter crashing into the Potomac River.
A diving team in North Carolina recently discovered the remains of a woman who went missing more than a year ago, authorities said.
With Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) gaining control of the Treasury Department's payment system, consumer advocates and Democratic lawmakers are raising alarms about the group's access to the federal government's financial spigot, as well as sensitive data such as the Social Security numbers of most taxpayers.
A former deep-sea treasure hunter who has served nearly a decade in jail for refusing to disclose the whereabouts of missing gold coins has had that term ended by a federal judge in Ohio, but he will remain behind bars for now.
Washington — The Senate Finance Committee is considering Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination on Tuesday, with a key vote on whether to advance his confirmation to lead the Department of Health and Human Services after a pair of fiery hearings last week.
Washington — Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump's pick to be director of national intelligence, faces a crucial vote on Tuesday that could doom or propel her nomination.
A West Virginia pharmacist who was convicted of poisoning her husband to death with insulin has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Millions of Americans will tune into the 2025 Super Bowl on Sunday not only to watch the championship game, but also to check out the big-budget commercials from some of the nation's biggest advertisers. Many companies are either teasing their spots or releasing their ads early, aiming to generate buzz before the big game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs.
San Salvador, El Salvador — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said late Monday that El Salvador's president has offered to accept deportees from the U.S. of any nationality, including violent American criminals now imprisoned in the United States.