The State Department is also being gutted.

Re: The journalist experience:

It’s important to understand that when American government employees work abroad their offices are heavily fortified. Every car is stopped and giant mirrors are used to check for bombs. Every hood is open.

Once in the building there are at least two metal detectors. Unfortunately, a lot of people want to harm Americans for what they stand for. When you work for the American government the risk is even higher than if you are a traveling as a US tourist. What the reporter described has to with the work conditions in that and many countries. I’m sure it felt weird to him.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is footage. He made sure it got sent out. He refused to go inside the second time, wondering if he would get the Khashoggi treatment.

Footage of what? What are you even talking about?

https://thefederalist.com/2025/02/25/usaid-in-egypt-had-me-detained-for-walking-in-and-asking-if-its-following-trumps-orders/

The OP slipped and said “someone from the Administration was sent to Egypt.” hahaha

This has been in the works for a couple of months if not years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is just crazy. Why is congress even bothering with appropriations when Trump can just decide later on what gets paid for.

Congress never passed specific appropriation for any agency. It is not clear whether the President is required to spend what Congress passed either.
It is a maximum, but is it also a minimum?

Most of usaid’s budget was earmarked by Congress to specific sectors (health, democracy) or programs (aid effectiveness). So yeah, not much point to Congress if they say nothing. Rubio when Senator was a fan of USAID before presiding over its demise

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is footage. He made sure it got sent out. He refused to go inside the second time, wondering if he would get the Khashoggi treatment.

Footage of what? What are you even talking about?

https://thefederalist.com/2025/02/25/usaid-in-egypt-had-me-detained-for-walking-in-and-asking-if-its-following-trumps-orders/

Anonymous wrote:There is footage. He made sure it got sent out. He refused to go inside the second time, wondering if he would get the Khashoggi treatment.

Footage of what? What are you even talking about?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is just crazy. Why is congress even bothering with appropriations when Trump can just decide later on what gets paid for.

Congress never passed specific appropriation for any agency. It is not clear whether the President is required to spend what Congress passed either.
It is a maximum, but is it also a minimum?

It is not a minimum. The anti-deficiency act only addresses overspending/exceeding an appropriation or spending money not appropriated for that purpose 31 USC 1341 (a)

There is a minimum and it is greater than 1 employee. A department or agency must have enough personnel to carry out statutorily mandated functions, and firing them or closing the agency nullifies Congressional will. What is the exact minimum? It will vary but will be "reasonable".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is just crazy. Why is congress even bothering with appropriations when Trump can just decide later on what gets paid for.

Congress never passed specific appropriation for any agency. It is not clear whether the President is required to spend what Congress passed either.
It is a maximum, but is it also a minimum?

It is not a minimum. The anti-deficiency act only addresses overspending/exceeding an appropriation or spending money not appropriated for that purpose 31 USC 1341 (a)

Sorry “stupidity” snuck in that sentence. Huh.

That is up for negotiation. The Chinese should pay us for their stupidity use. The ships can be sold too. China have have Taiwan as long as they give us one half (or more) of all microchips that are made there. We also need to negotiate the heavy metals and other minerals that China has dominance over.

If the pandemic thought us anything, we are not in control over our technology supply chain. It’s time to make a deal.

Anonymous wrote:The US should pull out of anywhere outside of the lower 48 —and close all US military bases and naval bases across the globe too. We generate too much business for these governments. The ships should return home.

Alaska should then be traded for Greenland plus something else. Canada can easily be integrated since they are practically American over there anyway. I grew up along the border and I think many would be fine with that. Canadians are very docile

So you’re okay if the Chinese move into the vacated naval and military bases?

The US should pull out of anywhere outside of the lower 48 —and close all US military bases and naval bases across the globe too. We generate too much business for these governments. The ships should return home.

Alaska should then be traded for Greenland plus something else. Canada can easily be integrated since they are practically American over there anyway. I grew up along the border and I think many would be fine with that. Canadians are very docile

Anonymous wrote:This is just crazy. Why is congress even bothering with appropriations when Trump can just decide later on what gets paid for.

Congress never passed specific appropriation for any agency. It is not clear whether the President is required to spend what Congress passed either.
It is a maximum, but is it also a minimum?

There is footage. He made sure it got sent out. He refused to go inside the second time, wondering if he would get the Khashoggi treatment.

Anonymous wrote:Take a look at the Google aerial pic of USAID in Egypt. Looks like a militarized embassy.

Someone went there to ask if they were following Trump's orders, and the USAID office tried to get him arrested.

How did the journalist get there? Is there footage? He did not sound very prepared.