Hi there, everyone. Welcome to Wednesday. It's 4 o'clock in New York. We begin today with the laws of

political gravity, having their way with Team Trump and Elon Musk as they gut the federal workforce

and destroyed decades of work in promoting democratic values all

around the world. Brand new polling shows the bottom falling out of Elon Musk's approval ratings

among the American people as the bottom also falls out of sales at his prize car company, Tesla.

A review of polls by The New York Times shows that while more voters agree than disagree with the idea that government is inefficient and wasteful by a margin of 14 points and voters like the idea of Doge by a margin of six points, they do not at all approve of the job that Elon Musk and Doge are doing.

And they disapprove of Elon Musk being in the

federal government even more. According to a Quinnipiac poll, 57% of voters think Elon Musk has too much

power in the federal government. That includes 16% of Republicans. Elon Musk has said he will

spend less time in Washington in the wake of Tesla's

shocking 71% collapse in profits. But whatever happens with Elon, we may be living with the

effects of the things he's already done in the category of slashing and burning the federal

government for a very long time. Two of Elon Musk's biggest

and earliest targets, the U.S. State Department and USAID, USAID has largely been dissolved, and they're

slated for more changes. New York Times reports this, quote, the cuts will affect the work of embassies

and consulates overseas, closures the cuts will affect the work of embassies and consulates overseas.

Closures of diplomatic missions and layoffs abroad are expected later.

That's according to U.S. officials and earlier league memos.

The most dramatic change, the elimination of the office of the Undersecretary for Civilian Security,

democracy, and Human Rights, which is charged

with advancing American values around the world. Many now fear that the gutting of the office,

especially after months of criticizing our allies and embracing autocrats like Vladimir Putin,

...