Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Hurst. A federal judge today declined to block the Trump

administration from putting more than 2,000 U.S. Agency for International Development Workers on leave.

It's a setback for two labor unions that are suing the administration, saying dismantling

USAID would put its overseas staff in danger and

cut them off from communications and resources. But the judge says the unions failed to prove irreparable

harm. The Trump administration is only allowing 600 out of more than 10,000 agency workers to

continue in their jobs. President Trump and Elon Musk are often spotted together

these days as Musk leads an effort to slash the federal government. And here's Tamara Keith reports

that Tesla CEO also continues involvement with his many businesses that have government contracts

and face federal regulation. As a special government

employee, a temporary role, Musk is not required to divest from his companies, but he still has to

follow laws barring conflicts of interest. Columbia law professor Richard Brifaults specializes

in government ethics. He's basically a walking conflict of interest.

Even the appearance of such conflicts can be a problem, says Don Fox, who used to lead the Office

of Government Ethics. The thing that the public should be concerned about is, well, we don't know.

Is he looking after our interests as taxpayers and citizens, or is he looking after his own business interests?

Trump and Musk insist the billionaire businessman will recuse himself when necessary.

Tamara Keith, NPR News.

Election officials from around the country are asking Homeland Security Secretary Christy

Nome not to cut services aimed at making elections safe and

secure from foreign influences. And here's Ashley Lopez reports. The National Association of

Secretaries of State, a nonpartisan organization of state election officials, wrote that they want to

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