The Gov Hub Newsletter: May 26, 2026

The Trump Admin is proposing that federal workers sign NDAs with possible civil and criminal penalties of violators. The proposal, which is now open for public comment, cites recent leaks as the reason for it, as opposed to a general distaste for transparency in governance. Notably per The Hill, federal employees are already subject to disclosure parameters via the Privacy Act of 1974 and the 1993 Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch.

Maine’s Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has struck down a proposed ballot measure that aimed to limit trans kids from playing sports. The initiative was found to have submitted over 12,000 invalid signatures, making it not just suss as hell, but also without enough valid signatures to make it to November’s ballot.

In an attempt to rewrite history, Trump’s DOJ has removed all press releases from its website related to January 6, 2021 criminal cases, with releases detailing convictions, sentencings, and so on. That very same DOJ has called the now CTRL deleted info “partisan propaganda.”

ICYMI Trump’s DOJ announced the formation of an “anti-weaponsization” $1.7B slush fund for Trump allies that believe they were “unjustly” investigated and prosecuted, namely for their involvement in J6. Amongst those seeking a payout from the taxpayer-funded cash pile, is Enrique Tarrio of the Proud Boys, who believes he’s owed tens of millions. ATM, a lawsuit has been filed by a range of individuals and organizations, including New Haven, Connecticut’s Mayor Justin Elicker.

The White House is now requiring federal agencies to auto-install its app launched earlier this spring on the government phones of federal employees. While there are a boatload of concerns about the new policy, including the security of the app itself, a button that allows users to “text Trump” reveals the most concerning element – the pre-selected phone number is pre-labeled as “Greatest President Ever!” in a very North Korea meets the mind of a third grader way.

Taking a page out of the classic GOP playbook, as well as Project 2025, the Trump Admin is propping up an effort to privatize airport security with its TSA Gold+ program. The effort, which would likely line the pockets of Trump besties, is being marketed as a way to prevent back-ups and delays resulting from government shutdowns. 

A tallow-free beef has broken out amongst the anti-vaxx contingent of MAHA and head-MAHA, RFK JR. The fight centers on a decision made by RFK Jr. to sign a Public Readiness and Emergency Act declaration, which provides liability protections for drug manufacturers and distributors during a public health crisis – and in this case, that’s the surfacing of the Andes strain of Hantavirus. The protections enable faster research and response, but the anti-vaxx “medical freedom” MAHAs aren’t having it. 

Following his third visit to Walter Reed in just 13 months, Trump declared that his “annual” medical and dental exam went “PERFECTLY.” He also called the exam a “6 month physical,” which is similarly at odds with the definition of the word “annual.”

The EPA’s Lee Zeldin announced that they’re loosening the rules around the pollutants used in commercial refrigeration, cold storage warehouses, semiconductor manufacturing, and refrigerated transportation. The move is being poised by the EPA as a way to reduce costs for small businesses, but those claims were quickly countered by the CEO of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute, who said that the move will increase costs based on the classic principles of supply and demand.

Reporting from SFGATE has revealed that the U.S. Forest Service plans to spray weed killer glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, across thousands of acres in California’s Lake Tahoe region as part of what it claims to be post-Caldor Fire restoration efforts. The plan to spray the carcinogen linked to cancer has sparked major backlash over possible damage and impacts to water quality and public health, especially along rec sites around the Lake Tahoe Basin.

East Los Angeles is contending with a major oil leak, with thousands of gallons flooding city streets and making its way into the Los Angeles River from a ruptured pipeline. 

Trump’s has beat his previous disapproval rate, tapping in at a 58.3% disapproval rate, the highest of both of his presidencies so far.

Over the weekend, a man opened fire near a White House checkpoint, critically injuring a bystander. The suspect was killed by Secret Service fire, while reporters took cover – or as this reporter did make a face worthy of a now viral meme. And if you guessed that Trump used the moment to advocate for his ballroom, congrats you guessed correctly.

RFK Jr. further cemented his reputation for doing weird sh*t with animals, posting a video of himself wrangling snakes on Dr. Oz’s patio.

After his father Donald Trump told the press that he was iffy on attending his son Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding to his third fiancé – and also contextualizing Jr. as someone he’s “known for a very long time” – it does appear that Jr. went ahead with his wedding to Bettina Anderson.

A new Gallup poll has found that 7 in 10 Americans are opposed to the construction of AI data centers in their backyards. Within the 71%, 48% strongly oppose the construction of data centers. Given that those with data centers near them have had their water turn into this, it comes at no surprise.

In a blow to the GOP’s racist gerrymandering wet dream, a three-judge panel blocked the Alabama GOP’s latest congressional map. The map was on track to give the GOP another seat, but the judges ruled that despite SCOTUS gutting the VRA, that the proposed map is intentionally discriminatory against Black voters, and thus is unconstitutional. Naturally, the state’s GOP and its AG Steve Marshall have declared their intent to bring the debate before SCOTUS. 

The ACLU notched a victory for free speech and their client, former Director of Health Promotion and Advocacy at Ball State University, Suzanne Swierc, who was fired by the school over a private Facebook post criticizing Charlie Kirk following his death. The lawsuit, filed against the University’s President Geoffrey Mearns, accused the university of violating Swierc’s right to free speech. The case has ended with a $225K settlement to be paid to Swierc, while Mearns continues to defend the decision claiming that her firing was necessary to protect student enrollment and fundraising. 

A coalition of 24 states and D.C., have sued the Trump Admin over a new rule limiting federal student loan access for graduate students in several healthcare-related fields. The lawsuit challenges changes tied to Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill,” which in implementation, sharply reduces borrowing limits for most grad students while exempting only a narrow list of professional programs — excluding critically needed fields like nursing, physical therapy, and nurse anesthesia.

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, Senator Andy Kim, and a number of members of the state’s Congressional delegation were denied entry to the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark. The denial of entry comes amidst a hunger strike within the facility protesting the facility’s conditions. Gov. Sherrill expressed concern over what was being hidden from public view. Senator Kim, who was also onsite, was pepper-sprayed while protesting outside of center.

Trump raised the refugee cap specifically for white Afrikaners from South Africa, allowing for 10,000 white Afrikaners to be admitted to the U.S. With the move, Trump effectively declared an emergency by signing the presidential determination based on his view that white Afrikaners are facing racially motivated violence in South Africa, a claim that the country has vehemently denied. 

The process to apply for a green card was just turned upside down by the Trump Admin, with a new requirement that those seeking a green card return to their home countries and apply from there. ATM, there appear to be more questions than answers about the change, with a mum’s the word approach on whether those applying would have to stay in their home country for the duration of the application process, when this change would start, or if this process now applies to those with applications underway.

Politico: Pope Leo demands AI rules to ‘safeguard humanity’ – before it’s too late

ABC News: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson warns Supreme Court ‘perceived’ as political

KGW8: Seattle LBGTQ advocates rally for a civil emergency declaration as more trans people relocate to city for safety

AP: Q&A: Anna Gomez is the sole Democrat on the FCC. She has a warning for big media companies