Inside the mine housing the federal government’s retirement records, now in DOGE’s spotlight
As you ride in a golf cart into the mouth of the Iron Mountain limestone mine, the temperature change is immediately noticeable. The natural climate control provided by the rough-hewn stone walls of the decommissioned mine — a day’s drive from the nation’s capital and about an hour outside Pittsburgh — helped make it an ideal site for the federal government to process and store retirement records beginning in 1960.
Sixty-five years later, when so much is now done online, this mine is largely still how the Office of Personnel Management manages the documents of the 100,000 or so retirements from federal service each year.
Processing a retirement can take months, with a single missing signature sometimes setting the task back days or weeks.
“It is still done on paper,” said Alita Haniwalt, an OPM program manager in retirement claims. “I think it becomes overwhelming because there are no two retirements that are the same.”
Republican congressman John James announces bid for Michigan governor
Republican Rep. John James of Michigan announced today that he is running for governor as one of the most pivotal elections on the ballot in 2026 continues to draw big-name politicians.
In a message on his social media channels, James lamented Democratic governance in the state and argued that “it’s time to get Michigan’s government out of fantasyland and back to common sense.”
“Oue state has suffered long enough. Michigan is strong. Our people are strong. But we are being held back by a lack of strong, competent leadership,” he wrote.
Ahead of a potentially crowded primary, James signaled he would run as an ally of Trump, who narrowly won the state in 2016 and 2024 and lost there in 2020.
N.C. Supreme Court halts decision requiring verification of 65,000 votes in tight judicial race
The North Carolina Supreme Court today temporarily blocked a lower court’s ruling that would have required that more than 65,000 votes cast in the disputed 2024 state Supreme Court race be recounted and verified.
The two-sentence order prevents a ruling from Friday from going into effect so the court can review an appeal from the Democratic candidate.
The ruling is the latest development in a long and winding saga after a close finish in the Supreme Court race in November.
Democratic Justice Allison Riggs, who was appointed in 2023, emerged after Election Day narrowly ahead of Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin, a state appeals court judge, triggering a series of recounts.
Elon Musk's brother, Kimbal, slams Trump over tariffs
Elon Musk’s brother, Kimbal Musk, sharply criticized Trump today over Trump’s tariff policies.
“Who would have thought that Trump was actually the most high tax American President in generations,” Kimbal Musk wrote on X, the social media app owned by his more famous brother.
“Through his tariff strategy, Trump has implemented a structural, permanent tax on the American consumer,” he wrote.
Elon Musk has been subtler in his critiques. He posted a video earlier today of economist Milton Friedman advocating for free trade.
Kimbal Musk is a board member of Tesla, where Elon Musk is the CEO, and the two brothers have had a close relationship. They cofounded a tech startup in the 1990s called Zip2, which kick-started their business careers.
Kimbal Musk described himself last year as a registered Democrat, in contrast with his brother’s shift toward Trump-style MAGA politics.
Stocks fall after day of wild swings as markets digest Trump’s tariff reality
Wall Street ended largely lower today after a wild trading day as Trump pressed forward with aggressive tariffs that have rocked the global economy, leaving investors unsure about what’s to come.
The S&P closed down 0.2%, while the Dow Jones Industrial average fell 0.9%, or 350 points. The tech-heavy Nasdaq ended the day up 0.1%, led by a rally in chipmaker Nvidia, which finished 3.5% higher.
Trump won't rule out military action in Iran if talks aren't successful
Trump declined to rule out military action in Iran if its talks with the United States aren’t successful.
“I think if the talks aren’t successful with Iran, I think Iran is going to be in great danger, and I hate to say it — great danger,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, adding that Tehran “cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
“If the talks aren’t successful, I think it’ll be a very bad day for Iran,” he added.
Trump doubles down again on U.S.' taking control of Gaza
Trump again promoted the idea of taking control of the Gaza Strip, saying it could become “a freedom zone.”
“That’s a hell of a place. You know what I call it? A great location that no one wants to live in,” Trump said.
"I think it’s an incredible piece of important real estate. And I think it’s something that we would be involved in, but, you know, having a peace force like the United States there, controlling and owning the Gaza Strip, would be a good thing," he said.
Trump says the U.S. is having direct talks with Iran
Trump said the United States will have direct nuclear talks with Iran beginning Saturday. Iran had brushed off offers for direct talks with the United States in recent days.
Asked at what level the talks were happening, Trump said they were “very high-level” talks and that the United States would not use surrogates but that it would rather deal with Iran directly, adding that it would be in “Iran’s best interests” if the talks are successful.
“We’re having direct talks with Iran, and they’ve started. It’ll go on Saturday. We have a very big meeting, and we’ll see what can happen. And I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious. And the obvious is not something that I want to be involved with or, frankly, that Israel wants to be involved with if they can avoid it,” Trump said.
Trump on mixed messaging on tariffs: 'Both can be true'
Asked about mixed messaging from the administration about whether the tariffs are permanent or a negotiating tactic, Trump told reporters, "Both can be true."
"There can be permanent tariffs and there can also be negotiations," he said. "There are things we need beyond tariffs."
Asked whether he was concerned that the tariffs could push other countries into making deals with China, Trump said, "I'm not worried."
Congress will give Trump 'the space' to handle tariffs
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on his way to his Capitol office today that Congress would give Trump “the space necessary” to handle tariffs.
Asked about legislation aimed at giving Congress more authority over tariffs, he said, “Congress will weigh in on it with the president, with the administration in tandem."
"I think we need to give the president the latitude, the runway to do what it is he was elected to do," Johnson said. "That is, get this economy going again and get our trade properly balanced with other countries."
He added that “most of the American people understand the necessity of that.”
Asked whether the White House should brief members of Congress on tariffs, Johnson said the Trump administration is “engaged with members and we’ll have answers.”