I’m Margaret Brennan in Washington. This week on Face the Nation, the new administration’s push to shrink the federal workforce intensified and its foreign-policy dealmaking reached a critical juncture. The program looked at personnel shakeups at the Pentagon, a high-profile demand for federal workers to report weekly accomplishments, tensions between the White House and Democratic governors over policy and funding, and diplomacy on the Middle East and Ukraine. Our guests included President Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Utah Republican Rep. John Curtis (appearing as a senator on the show), Maryland Democrat Sen. Chris Van Hollen, and former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb.
Pentagon shakeup and workforce purge
Late Friday the administration removed several top military leaders, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and senior service chiefs — a dramatic personnel shift during ongoing global crises. The changes prompted questions about institutional knowledge, rapid replacement timelines and the choice of nominees. One prospective leader discussed was retired Lieutenant General Dan Caine, a three-star promoted to a four-star slot under a waiver, drawing attention because he had not led a combatant command.
At home, the administration and its allies have advanced a program to reduce federal headcount and demand greater productivity. Elon Musk, who recently gained control of certain federal communications, directed an email asking civil servants to list their top five weekly accomplishments under penalty of dismissal. Some agency leaders, including at the FBI and State Department, advised staff to hold off responding. Lawmakers and managers expressed concern about the tone and mechanics of the purge; some urged compassion, careful transition planning, and adherence to legal and institutional processes.
Governors, federal funding and legal fights
Gov. Kathy Hochul described a private meeting with the president that was firm but not antagonistic. She discussed the administration’s move to end a congestion pricing program approved by New York’s legislature and warned about federal threats to withhold funding from states that resist presidential priorities. Hochul framed her response around state sovereignty and said New York would fight in the courts and defend its policies, also noting concern about federal interference in city operations and investigations.
Sen. John Curtis characterized the shakeups as part of a “stop-the-car” moment — voters demanding dramatic change after long dissatisfaction on issues like the border and spending. He urged Congress to act where needed but said the executive branch’s interventions test constitutional checks and balances. Sen. Chris Van Hollen criticized what he called a retreat from commitments abroad and argued the administration’s early rhetoric has alarmed allies.
Middle East diplomacy and hostage negotiations
Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s special envoy, said he was traveling to the region to advance a hostage-recovery deal and move to “phase two,” which includes a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and longer-term arrangements for governance and reconstruction. Witkoff described plans to secure the release of U.S. citizens, notably Eden Alexander, and stressed that removing Hamas from government control in Gaza would be a negotiation priority. On Russia and Ukraine, he said he had engaged directly with President Putin to build trust and open talks, and he suggested that economic reintegration of Russia could follow a negotiated peace — a statement that prompted pushback from other guests who warned against conceding key cards at the outset of talks.
Measles outbreak, public health workforce
Dr. Scott Gottlieb warned that recent measles clusters in Texas and New Mexico — concentrated in under-vaccinated communities — were likely to spread without swift action. He noted that measles herd immunity requires 93–95% vaccination and suggested outbreaks could lead to sustained transmission and the loss of U.S. elimination status. Gottlieb also addressed public health staffing changes: some federal public-health employees have been dismissed and later rehired; he urged careful, judicious review to protect critical review and inspection functions at agencies such as the FDA.
Border policy and public health authorities
Gottlieb weighed in on proposals to invoke health authorities like Title 42 to restrict migration at the southern border, noting such measures are blunt tools and may not align with objective public-health risks. He described TB risks but cautioned that similar risks exist from many countries whose migrants enter via established checkpoints.
Legal and political pushback
Several courts have begun to rule on whether some of the administration’s initial personnel and data-access moves are lawful. Democratic officials argue that delegating sweeping authority to private actors lacks statutory basis; Republicans counter that courts and Congress are the appropriate checks. The resulting litigation and intra-agency guidance have left many federal workers uncertain about expectations and job security.
Face the Nation returns next week with additional reporting and interviews.