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Union Membership Hits New Low

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Washington Post: “The union membership rate dropped by one-tenth of a percentage point to a new low of 9.9 percent last year, the Labor Department said Tuesday, while the total number of union members in the United States barely budged last year, with a loss of roughly 100,000 members. About 14.3 million workers were in unions in 2024, according to the Labor Department.”

“The decrease in the union membership rate happened in part because a solid labor market added 2.2 million jobs in 2024, with nonunion positions growing at a faster pace than union ones.”

Trump’s Perceived Enemies Brace for Retribution

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Washington Post: “Around the nation, those who have crossed Trump are readying themselves, their families and their colleagues for the retribution that the president and his allies have pledged will come. Those who fear they could be targeted include election officials, prosecutors, current and former elected officials, democracy advocates, people who worked in Trump’s first administration and those who appeared on a list of perceived enemies written by Trump’s FBI pick, Kash Patel.”

“Interviews with more than two dozen people revealed the lengths that some are taking to safeguard themselves from whatever comes — if anything, at all. They are bracing for criminal investigations, tax audits, congressional or state legislative scrutiny, arrests, online harassment and physical threats.”

“More than half said they are lining up attorneys, a few are packing ‘go bags’ in case they need to quickly flee, a couple are carrying recently acquired weapons, and several still in public office are getting employees ready to receive subpoenas or field interview requests by authorities. About a dozen have spoken to spouses or children about the steps they should take if police arrive at their homes.”


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State Governments Left Scrambling by Federal Freeze

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“States and local governments scrambled Tuesday to assess the impact of a broad and far-reaching order by the White House to pause hundreds of billions in federal grants, loans and other financial assistance-programs, pending a review by the Trump administration,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The memo, issued to agencies by the White House Office of Management and Budget late Monday, sowed widespread confusion, prompting government officials, lawmakers, nonprofits and others to parse through the two-page document—down to the footnotes—to try to understand which programs would be halted.”

Caroline Kennedy Calls RFK Jr. a ‘Predator’

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“Caroline Kennedy on Tuesday warned senators about Robert F. Kennedy Jr., calling her cousin — now Trump’s pick to lead HHS — a ‘predator’ whose victims have ranged from family members to the parents of sick children,” the Washington Post reports.

Wrote Kennedy: “I have known Bobby my whole life; we grew up together. It’s no surprise that he keeps birds of prey as pets because he himself is a predator.”

Trump’s Beef with the WHO Is Personal

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“President Donald Trump’s decision to end U.S. membership in the World Health Organization revives a five-year-old grudge with the WHO’s leader,” Politico reports.

“Trump has long charged that WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus covered up China’s responsibility for the Covid pandemic, and also aided Democrats who called Trump’s own move to shut the border to Chinese travelers racist.”

An Embattled Eric Adams Gathers His Union Allies

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“Mayor Eric Adams, who has been laying low this week, hosted two union presidents at Gracie Mansion on Monday night as he contemplates his political future,” Politico reports.

“The meetings — confirmed by two people with direct knowledge of them, who were granted anonymity to freely discuss a private event — come as Adams grapples with an upcoming corruption trial, sagging poll numbers and dire financial problems.”

Trump Targets Thousands of Programs in Funding Freeze

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“The Trump administration sent a second demand to federal agencies on Tuesday as the White House carries out its sweeping freeze of federal assistance, undermining laws Congress has enacted in recent years,” Politico reports.

“The White House budget office is circulating a 52-page document ordering agencies to answer 14 questions by the end of next week for each program that ‘has funding or activities planned through March 15.'”

New York Times: Order to pause federal spending creates deep uncertainty for schools, nonprofits and companies.

House Republicans Brace for Tough Talk on Cuts

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“House Republicans are in for a long day of tough conversations about how to pay for President Donald Trump’s massive legislative agenda at their Florida retreat, with various factions already drawing red lines over the package,” Politico reports.

“House GOP hard-liners are pushing for massive cuts across the federal government in that sweeping legislation, which is set to be passed using the budget reconciliation process. Republicans in competitive districts, however, have raised concerns about slashing the social safety net and some other federal programs.”

Trump Is Ignoring the Law on TikTok

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Ankush Khardori: “For over a week now, Donald Trump and the Justice Department have been flouting the law meant to shut down TikTok. The legislation was unambiguous and was passed by large, bipartisan majorities in both houses of Congress; it was affirmed by a unanimous Supreme Court less than two weeks ago.”

“And for the most part, both Republicans and Democrats have sat quietly by as Trump has waved away their previously stated concerns, as well as the constitutional powers and institutional prerogatives of Capitol Hill.”

The Impoundment Crisis of 2025

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Steve Vladeck: “When, not if, recipients of the frozen funds sue to challenge agencies’ compliance… it’s a virtual certainty that the Trump administration will argue that the ICA is unconstitutional and that the President has inherent constitutional authority to impound.”

“That argument is a loser, but it’s a good bet that it’s going to be up to the Supreme Court to say so—and probably a heck of a lot sooner than we might have predicted as recently as yesterday.”

For members: Trump Opens a Multi-Front War on the U.S. Government

About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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