Politics
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Takeover
'Wi-Fi Keeps Going Down': Donald Trump's Return-to-Office Mandate Is Going Terribly
Dozens of federal employees tell WIRED the return-to-office order has resulted in widespread chaos, plummeting productivity, and significantly reduced services to the public.
David Gilbert
Hackathon
DOGE Is Planning a Hackathon at the IRS. It Wants Easier Access to Taxpayer Data
Makena Kelly
Beneath Greenland’s Ice Lies a Climate Solution—and a New Geopolitical Battleground
Modern society, and the clean energy revolution, depend on rare earth elements. Can Greenland help break China’s stranglehold on the market?
Matt Simon
How to Enter the US With Your Digital Privacy Intact
Crossing into the United States has become increasingly dangerous for digital privacy. Here are a few steps you can take to minimize the risk of Customs and Border Protection accessing your data.
Andy Greenberg and Matt Burgess
Trump’s Aggression Sours Europe on US Cloud Giants
Companies in the EU are starting to look for ways to ditch Amazon, Google, and Microsoft cloud services amid fears of rising security risks from the US. But cutting ties won’t be easy.
Matt Burgess
How to Avoid US-Based Digital Services—and Why You Might Want To
Amid growing concerns over Big Tech firms aligning with Trump administration policies, people are starting to move their digital lives to services based overseas. Here's what you need to know.
Violet Blue
No, 150-Year-Olds Aren’t Collecting Social Security Benefits
Elon Musk claims to have found rampant fraud in the Social Security Administration. There’s a much simpler explanation.
David Gilbert
How the US TikTok Ban Would Actually Work
The fate of TikTok now rests in the hands of the US Supreme Court. If a law banning the social video app this month is upheld, it won’t disappear from your phone—but it will get messy fast.
Matt Burgess
Meta Follows Elon Musk’s Lead, Moves Staffers to Billionaire-Friendly Texas
According to Mark Zuckerberg, Meta trust and safety workers will be relocated to Texas to prevent them from “censoring” users. Experts point to other advantages.
Vittoria Elliott
Meet the Conspiracy Filmmaker Who Claims to Have Red-Pilled Tulsi Gabbard
Mikki Willis, the maker of viral conspiracy film Plandemic, is seeking to leverage his relationship with Tulsi Gabbard to gain access to the new Donald Trump administration.
David Gilbert
Top US Election Security Watchdog Forced to Stop Election Security Work
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has frozen efforts to aid states in securing elections, according to an internal memo viewed by WIRED.
Eric Geller
Secret Phone Surveillance Tech Was Likely Deployed at 2024 DNC
Data WIRED collected during the 2024 Democratic National Convention strongly suggests the use of a cell-site simulator, a controversial spy device that intercepts sensitive data from every phone in its range.
Dhruv Mehrotra
The Top Cybersecurity Agency in the US Is Bracing for Donald Trump
Staffers at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency tell WIRED they fear the new administration will cut programs that keep the US safe—and “persecution.”
Eric Geller
As Trump Takes a Victory Lap, the Crypto Faithful Kiss the Ring
The crypto industry is celebrating the return of Donald Trump to the White House in anticipation of an easier ride under his regime.
Joel Khalili
Trump and DOGE Defund Program That Boosted American Manufacturing for Decades
President Donald Trump says taxing imports will strengthen domestic manufacturing. Hours before announcing new tariffs, his administration cut support for centers that help US firms do just that.
Paresh Dave and Louise Matsakis
The DOGE Axe Comes for Libraries and Museums
The Institute of Museum and Library Services has long received bipartisan support. But after years of trying, President Donald Trump has delivered it a crushing blow.
Paresh Dave and Louise Matsakis
Top Officials Placed on Leave After Denying DOGE Access to Federal Payroll Systems
DOGE demanded full access to a US Department of the Interior system that handles even the Supreme Court's paychecks. When top staff asked questions, they were put on leave.
Tim Marchman
The Proud Boys and Militias Come to Tesla’s Defense
After weeks of “Tesla Takedown” protests, extremist groups are showing up to back Elon Musk’s beleaguered car company.
David Gilbert
Latest
Check Your Settings
Even More Venmo Accounts Tied to Trump Officials in Signal Group Chat Left Data Public
Dhruv Mehrotra and Tim Marchman
Trump 2.0
Trump Officials in Signal Fiasco Attended Secret Mar-a-Lago Dinner Shortly After Celebrating Bombing
Leah Feiger, Jake Lahut, Zoë Schiffer, and Tim Marchman
Logging On
Using Starlink Wi-Fi in the White House Is a Slippery Slope for US Federal IT
Lily Hay Newman
Watchful Gaze
The FBI Is Investigating Attacks on Tesla as ‘Domestic Terrorism.’ Here’s Why That Matters
Caroline Haskins
Public Health
Researchers Rush to Save US Government Data on Trans Youth—Before It Disappears
Angela Watercutter
Pay to Play
Donald Trump Held Another Million-Dollar ‘Candlelight’ Dinner—With Elon Musk in Tow
Leah Feiger and Zoë Schiffer
Takeover
These Are the 10 DOGE Operatives Inside the Social Security Administration
Makena Kelly and David Gilbert
Takeover
Inside Elon Musk’s ‘Digital Coup’
Makena Kelly, David Gilbert, Vittoria Elliott, Kate Knibbs, Dhruv Mehrotra, Dell Cameron, Tim Marchman, Leah Feiger, and Zoë Schiffer
Uncanny Valley
How a Government Shutdown Would Help Elon Musk
Katie Drummond, Leah Feiger, and Emily Mullin
Fourth Amendment
Trump’s Spy Chief Urged to Declassify Details of Secret Surveillance Program
Dell Cameron
Derp State
A Sensitive Complex Housing a CIA Facility Was on GSA's List of US Properties for Sale
Dhruv Mehrotra, Tim Marchman, Leah Feiger, and Andrew Couts
Loose Cannons
Pentagon Cuts Threaten Programs That Secure Loose Nukes and Weapons of Mass Destruction
Justin Ling
Takeover
Here's a Map of the For-Sale Government Properties the GSA Pulled From Its Website
Dhruv Mehrotra, Leah Feiger, and Tim Marchman
Uncanny Valley
DOGE’s $1 Federal Spending Limit Is Straight Out of the Twitter Playbook
Katie Drummond and Zoë Schiffer
Hazy Priorities
US State Department Kills Global Air Monitoring Program Researchers Say Paid for Itself
Zeyi Yang
Pay to Play
People Are Paying Millions to Dine With Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago
Leah Feiger, Louise Matsakis, and Jake Lahut
Uncanny Valley
Behind DOGE’s Many Conflicts of Interest and Elon Musk’s Weekend Email Chaos
Katie Drummond and Brian Barrett
Takeover
DOGE Staffers at HUD Are From an AI Real Estate Firm and a Mobile Home Operator
Vittoria Elliott and David Gilbert
Down Under
What Elon Musk Got Wrong About Why Federal Retirement Is Still Managed out of a Limestone Mine
Caroline Haskins
Big Brother
DOGE Sparks Surveillance Fear Across the US Government
Paresh Dave, Dell Cameron, and Alexa O'Brien
Uncanny Valley
The Watergate-Inspired Law That’s Being Used to Fight DOGE
Katie Drummond and Andrew Couts
Takeover
These Are the SpaceX Engineers Already Working Inside the FAA
Vittoria Elliott and Aarian Marshall
Climate Policy
For-Profit Companies Can’t Easily Replace NOAA’s Weather-Forecasting Prowess
Christine Wiedinmyer and Kari Bowen
Moonlighting
Elon Musk’s Man in the Treasury Is Still Holding Down His Day Job as Software CEO
Vittoria Elliott
Takeover
Former Palantir and Elon Musk Associates Are Taking Over Key Government IT Roles
Makena Kelly
deep cut
NIH Funding Cuts Appear to Draw on Heritage Foundation Report That Blasts ‘DEI Staff’
Matt Reynolds and Emily Mullin
Horror Stories
US Funding Cuts Are Helping Criminals Get Away With Child Abuse and Human Trafficking
Matt Burgess
Takeover
The Recruitment Effort That Helped Build Elon Musk’s DOGE Army
Vittoria Elliott and Tim Marchman
Inside the House
A US Treasury Threat Intelligence Analysis Designates DOGE Staff as ‘Insider Threat’
Vittoria Elliott and Leah Feiger
Takeover
The US Treasury Claimed DOGE Technologist Didn’t Have ‘Write Access’ When He Actually Did
Vittoria Elliott, Leah Feiger, and Tim Marchman
Work History
DOGE Teen Owns ‘Tesla.Sexy LLC’ and Worked at Startup That Has Hired Convicted Hackers
Andy Greenberg, David Gilbert, and Lily Hay Newman
Takeover
This DOGE Engineer Has Access to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Tim Marchman and Matt Giles
Rug Pull
The Collapse of USAID Is Already Fueling Human Trafficking and Slavery at Scammer Compounds
Matt Burgess and Lily Hay Newman
Unplanned Travel
State Department Puts ‘All Direct Hire’ USAID Personnel on Administrative Leave
Kate Knibbs
Takeover
A 25-Year-Old With Elon Musk Ties Has Direct Access to the Federal Payment System
Vittoria Elliott, Dhruv Mehrotra, Leah Feiger, and Tim Marchman
Locked Out
Elon Musk’s DOGE Is Still Blocking HIV/AIDS Relief Exempted From Foreign Aid Cuts
Kate Knibbs