This week at the White House, several key initiatives in tech, STEM, and sustainability are taking center stage. Here’s a look at the major developments taking place in Washington. No opinions—just facts.
Trump Transforms White House Lawn into a Tesla Display
President Trump, @Elon, and X leave the Oval Office and head over to the South Portico of the @WhiteHouse where Elon helped @POTUS choose his new @Tesla… pic.twitter.com/5jJLVXzRAi
— Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) March 11, 2025
On Mar. 11, President Donald Trump hosted a temporary Tesla display on the South Lawn of the White House, showcasing the electric vehicle company’s cars. The move came after Tesla delivered five of its vehicles to the White House for Trump to examine, hours after he announced on Truth Social that he intended to purchase a Tesla to show support for Elon Musk, the company’s CEO.
Joined by Musk, Trump described the vehicles as “beautiful” and singled out the Cybertruck for its unique design, calling it “the coolest design” as soon as he saw it.
Despite previously expressing skepticism toward electric vehicles during his campaign, Trump noted that he had received positive feedback about Teslas from friends. While sitting in the driver’s seat of a sedan with Musk alongside him, he mentioned his interest in purchasing one, specifically pointing out a red Model S, which is priced at $73,490, or $88,490 for the all-wheel-drive Model S Plaid.
Trump Announces No Exemptions on Steel and Aluminum Tariffs
President Donald Trump announced that he does not plan to offer exemptions on the broad steel and aluminum tariffs, reaffirming that the new duties will remain in place.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Mar. 16, Trump confirmed that the 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports to the U.S., which began last week, will continue. He also noted that additional reciprocal and sector-specific tariffs would take effect on April 2, which he referred to as a “liberating day.”
“They charge us, and we charge them,” Trump said, referring to the reciprocal tariffs. “In addition to that, on autos, steel, and aluminum, we’ll be implementing more tariffs.”
Trump Establishes Council for ‘Energy Dominance,’ Promotes Natural Gas Exports and Offshore Drilling
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to establish a National Energy Dominance Council, directing it to accelerate domestic oil and gas production, which is already at record levels.
The administration also announced the approval of conditional export authorization for a large liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Louisiana. This marks the first new LNG export approval since former President Joe Biden halted such considerations a year ago.
Additionally, Trump revealed that he has tasked Interior Secretary Doug Burgum with reversing Biden’s ban on future offshore oil drilling along the East and West coasts. Trump criticized Biden’s decision last month, which removed over 625 million acres from offshore development, arguing that it hindered the nation’s potential economic growth.
More Than 50 Universities Under Investigation in Trump’s Anti-DEI Crackdown
The U.S. Department of Education has initiated investigations into 52 universities across 41 states, accusing them of using “racial preferences and stereotypes” in their educational programs and activities.
The department’s Office for Civil Rights announced that 45 schools, primarily their graduate programs, violated the 1964 Civil Rights Act by collaborating with The PhD Project, a nonprofit organization that assists students from underrepresented groups in earning doctoral degrees in business. The program specifically supports Black, Latino, and Native American students.
The Education Department claims that The PhD Project’s race-based eligibility criteria result in “race-exclusionary practices,” which the universities involved are allegedly endorsing.
“Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment,” said Education Secretary Linda McMahon in a statement.
US Department of Education Announces Workforce Cuts
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced plans to reduce its workforce by nearly 50%. These layoffs come at a time when President Donald Trump has expressed his intention to eliminate the department and limit funding for organizations that integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into educational practices, citing civil rights laws.
This action is part of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to reshape the ED and reconsider the federal government’s role in ensuring equal educational opportunities for all. Critics argue that these cuts could reduce vital resources and undermine programs designed to address racial and economic disparities in education. They also warn that this move could undo the progress made over the years by both Republican and Democratic administrations in advancing educational equity. As noted in the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education, public education is integral to fostering good citizenship.
Trump Selects Republic Airways CEO Bryan Bedford to Lead US FAA
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the nomination of Republic Airways CEO Bryan Bedford as the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) via social media.
“Bryan brings over three decades of experience in aviation and executive leadership to this critical position,” Trump stated on social media.
Voice of America Employees Placed on Leave Following Trump’s Order
Employees at Voice of America were placed on paid leave, and funding for two U.S. news services broadcasting to authoritarian regimes was reduced, just one day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order slashing the budgets of the government-funded media outlets’ parent organization and six other federal agencies.
Several VOA staff members, who work for the international broadcaster operating in over 40 languages, shared with Reuters an email notifying them of their administrative leave with full pay and benefits “until otherwise notified.”
The emails, sent by a human resources official at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), VOA’s parent agency, instructed employees to refrain from entering work premises or accessing internal systems.
