Day 33
February 21, 2025
6 incidents
- Major Abuse of Power Foreign Policy & War
Emergency Arms Sales to Gulf States: $16.5–23 Billion (Reported Totals Differ) Bypassing Congressional Review
The Trump administration has invoked emergency authority to push through $16.5 billion to more than $23 billion (reported totals differ) in arms sales to Gulf states including the UAE, Kuwait, and Jordan, bypassing the mandatory congressional review process. The UAE has been documented arming the RSF in Sudan; no diversion of US-origin weapons to the RSF is documented in the sources cited. The administration also rescinded NSM-20, an executive human rights assurance policy for arms transfers.
- Major Abuse of Power Federal Dismantlement
Pentagon announces 5,400 probationary worker cuts
The Department of Defense announces plans to cut approximately 5,400 probationary workers beginning the following week, extending the mass firings to the military's civilian workforce.
From: DOGE-Directed Mass Firings and Forced Resignations of Federal Workers
- Serious Rights Violation Civil Rights
State Department halts gender marker changes on passports
The State Department implements the executive order by refusing to issue or renew passports with gender markers that differ from the applicant's sex assigned at birth, leaving transgender and nonbinary Americans unable to obtain accurate travel documents.
From: Executive Orders Targeting Transgender Rights and Gender Identity Recognition
- Major Abuse of Power Corruption & Self-Dealing
Judge Vargas extends the block, calls rollout 'chaotic and haphazard'
Judge Jeannette Vargas (S.D.N.Y.) keeps the restraining order in place, finding the states likely to show that Treasury's process for granting the DOGE team access was arbitrary and capricious and that 'the launch of the Treasury DOGE Team was chaotic and haphazard.' She declines the broader relief the states sought.
From: DOGE Associates Gained Access to $6 Trillion Treasury Payment System
- Major Abuse of Power Press Freedom
AP files First Amendment lawsuit
The AP sues White House officials, arguing the exclusion violates the First Amendment by conditioning access on editorial compliance.
From: Second-Term Press Attacks: AP Barred From Press Pool, Pool Access Restricted
- International Crime (Rome Statute) Complicity in Genocide
Trump administration rescinds NSM-20
The administration revoked National Security Memorandum 20, which had required credible and reliable written assurances that recipients would use US weapons in line with international law (Arms Control Association).
From: US Arms Transfers to Israel During ICJ Genocide Proceedings