I’m Margaret Brennan in Washington. This week’s Face the Nation examined the new administration’s push to shrink the federal workforce and a pivotal moment in its foreign-policy dealmaking. The program looked at dramatic personnel changes at the Pentagon, a controversial push for greater accountability and productivity from civil servants, disputes between the White House and state leaders over policy and funding, and diplomacy involving the Middle East and Ukraine. Guests included the president’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Utah Republican John Curtis, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, and former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb.
Pentagon shakeup and questions about experience
Late Friday the administration removed several senior military leaders, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and service chiefs — a major personnel overhaul occurring amid ongoing global crises. The rapid changes raised concerns about loss of institutional knowledge, the speed of replacements, and the qualifications of nominees. One name discussed was retired Lieutenant General Dan Caine, a three-star promoted to a four-star slot under a waiver despite not having led a combatant command, prompting debate about precedent and readiness.
At-home purge, productivity demands and confusion
Domestically, the administration and its allies have advanced plans to reduce federal headcount and require demonstrable outputs from civil servants. In a high-profile development, Elon Musk, after gaining control of certain federal communications, sent an email directing civil servants to list their top five weekly accomplishments under threat of dismissal. Agency leaders at the FBI and State Department advised staff not to respond immediately. Lawmakers, agency managers and employee advocates voiced concern about the tone, legal basis and practical mechanics of the effort, urging compassion, orderly transition planning and compliance with civil-service protections.
Governors, federal funding and legal fights
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul recounted a private meeting with the president she described as firm but not hostile. She pushed back on the administration’s move to end a congestion pricing program approved by New York’s legislature and warned that federal threats to withhold funding from states that resist presidential priorities raise broader questions of state sovereignty. Hochul said New York will defend its policies in court and protect city operations from federal interference.
Utah’s John Curtis characterized the current moment as a “stop-the-car” signal from voters demanding change after longstanding frustration on issues like the border and spending; he called on Congress to act where necessary but cautioned that aggressive executive interventions test constitutional checks and balances. Sen. Chris Van Hollen criticized what he called a retreat from commitments abroad and said early administration rhetoric has alarmed allies.
Middle East diplomacy and hostage negotiations
Steve Witkoff, the president’s special envoy, said he was traveling to the region to advance a hostage-recovery agreement and move to what he called “phase two”: negotiating a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and longer-term governance and reconstruction arrangements. He emphasized securing the release of U.S. citizens, including Eden Alexander, and said removing Hamas from control in Gaza would be a central negotiating objective. Witkoff also described direct outreach to President Putin aimed at building trust and opening talks over Ukraine; he suggested that economic reintegration of Russia could follow a negotiated peace. Other guests pushed back, warning against conceding leverage at the outset of talks.
Public health concerns: measles and workforce changes
Dr. Scott Gottlieb warned that recent measles clusters in Texas and New Mexico, concentrated in under-vaccinated communities, risk wider spread. He noted that measles herd immunity requires roughly 93–95% vaccination coverage and that sustained outbreaks could jeopardize U.S. elimination status. Gottlieb also addressed public-health staffing shifts, saying some federal health employees have been dismissed and later rehired; he urged careful review to preserve critical inspection, review and emergency-response capabilities at agencies like the FDA.
Border policy and invoking health authorities
On border policy, Gottlieb cautioned that invoking blunt public-health authorities such as Title 42 to restrict migration carries limits and may not reflect actual public-health risks. He pointed to the complexity of infectious-disease threats—including TB—while noting similar risks can come from travelers entering through official checkpoints, underscoring the need for targeted, science-based measures rather than broad, politically driven restrictions.
Legal and political pushback
Courts have begun weighing whether some early personnel moves and data-access changes are lawful. Democratic officials argue that delegating extensive authority to private actors lacks statutory basis; Republicans counter that courts and Congress are the right venues for checking executive actions. Ongoing litigation and shifting intra-agency guidance have left many federal workers uncertain about expectations and job security.
Face the Nation will return next week with more reporting and interviews on these and other developments.