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Courtney Rozen

@courtneyrozen.bsky.social

820 followers 260 following 240 posts

Reporter at Reuters in D.C. Follow me for news about government employees, DOGE, spending changes and federal agencies. I used to work at Bloomberg. 📧: [email protected] 📞 Signal: courtneyrozen.94

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Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · Jun 25

👋 I started a new job at @reuters.com as "DOGE reporter." I will be covering the Trump admin's transformation of federal agencies and the real-world impact.

I can't do this job without help. If you are a federal employee and want to chat, you can reach me securely on Signal at courtneyrozen.94.

Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 1d

President Trump has threatened to fire more federal workers during the government shutdown.

Officials that approve mass firings outside the parameters of federal law could face "felony liability," according to one law professor we interviewed.

www.reuters.com/legal/govern...

Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 1d

The Office of Personnel Management, run by a Trump appointee, said last month that federal workers would receive "retroactive pay" when the shutdown ends.

If this memo is implemented, the Trump admin would be contradicting itself. And violating a law President Trump signed during his first term.

Axios @axios.com · 1d

SCOOP: Furloughed federal workers aren't guaranteed compensation for their forced time off during the government shutdown, according to a draft White House memo described to Axios by three sources.

Scoop: White House memo says furloughed federal workers aren't entitled to backpay

A move to deny backpay to up to 750,000 furloughed workers would dramatically escalate Trump's pressure on Democrats to end the shutdown.

www.axios.com

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Reposted by Courtney Rozen

Nate Raymond @nateraymond.bsky.social · 7d

New: The federal judiciary said courts nationwide could sustain paid operations through October 17 after Congress failed to pass spending legislation in time to avert a government shutdown. It had previously estimated funds would run out after Friday. www.reuters.com/legal/govern...

US judiciary says courts can sustain operations through October 17 in shutdown

The federal judiciary on Wednesday said courts nationwide could sustain paid operations through October 17 after Congress failed to pass spending legislation in time to avert a government shutdown.

www.reuters.com

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Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 7d

We have the first (known) layoffs of federal workers since the government shutdown began.

US Patent and Trademark office will lay off 1% of its workforce.

www.reuters.com/world/us-pat...

US Patent and Trademark office to lay off 1% of its workforce, agency letter says

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will lay off about 1% of its workforce of over 14,000 employees as the agency continues to operate amid a government shutdown, according to an internal letter to agency staff on Wednesday.

www.reuters.com

Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 7d

The US government shut down. Here's what's still on and what is paused:

🟩OPEN: Airports, Social Security payments, Medicare, Medicaid, IRS, post offices, federal courts, SNAP
❌CLOSED/NOT HAPPENING: U.S. jobs data, some small biz loans, water permits
www.reuters.com/world/us/us-...

US government shutdown: What is open, what is closed

U.S. government services will be disrupted until President Donald Trump and Congress agree on a spending deal.

www.reuters.com

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Reposted by Courtney Rozen

Ben Casselman @bencasselman.bsky.social · 8d

Friday's jobs report will provide key evidence on whether slower hiring is turning into deeper weakness in the labor market.
If there is a jobs report on Friday at all.
My story on how a shutdown could leave us flying blind at a vital moment for the economy. #EconSky
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/b...

Government Shutdown Could Delay Economic Data at a Critical Moment

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Courtney Rozen

Michael Derby @michaelsderby.bsky.social · 8d

Trump withdraws nomination of man named to lead critical government stat agency, CNN: “Antoni operated a since-deleted Twitter account that featured sexually degrading attacks on Kamala Harris, derogatory remarks about gay people, conspiracy theories, and crude insults aimed at critics of Trump.”

White House withdraws Antoni’s nomination to lead BLS | CNN Politics

The White House has sent paperwork to the Senate to withdraw the nomination of E.J. Antoni as head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, three sources told CNN.

www.cnn.com

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Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 8d

More than 150,000 federal employees will begin to leave the U.S. government payroll this week after accepting buyouts, in the largest single-year exodus of civil servants in nearly 80 years.

This has nothing to do with the impending government shutdown. These staffers accepted buyouts months ago.

US government faces brain drain as 154,000 federal workers exit this week

More than 150,000 federal employees will leave the U.S. government payroll this week after accepting buyouts - the largest single-year exodus of civil servants in nearly 80 years, triggering what unions and governance experts warn is a damaging loss of institutional expertise.

www.reuters.com

Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 8d

Our latest update at Reuters:

What would stay open, what would close in a U.S. government shutdown

www.reuters.com/world/us/us-...

US government shutdown: What would stay open, what would close

U.S. government services would be disrupted if President Donald Trump and Congress do not agree on a spending bill by midnight on Tuesday.

www.reuters.com

Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 8d

This claim from President Trump that agencies "have to do layoffs" in a government shutdown is inaccurate.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 8d

Trump: "When you shut it down, you have to do layoffs. So, we'd be laying off a lot of people that are going to be very affected, and they're gonna be Democrats."

Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 8d

(4) The IRS will continue full operations due to remaining funding signed into law by former President Joe Biden. Republican lawmakers have criticized the increased funding for tax enforcement and services.

More impacts below:

www.reuters.com/business/wor...

Firing allowed, training is not: Trump administration shares shutdown plans

President Donald Trump's administration started detailing its plans on Monday for which services it will pause if the federal government shuts down this week, with the U.S. health department slated to furlough 41% of its workforce.

www.reuters.com

Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 9d

(3) FDA staff should not expect layoffs in a shutdown, Commissioner Martin Makary said in a message to agency employees. The Trump administration fired 3,500 FDA employees earlier this year.

Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 9d

(2) The Trump admin has threatened to fire more federal employees if the government shuts down.

Unlike in past shutdowns, furloughed federal staff will be allowed to use their government-issued computers to check for layoff notices in their email, according to the federal government's HR office.

Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 9d

(1) We won't get September unemployment figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The employment report for now is scheduled for Friday, Federal Reserve officials rely on it to make decisions: www.reuters.com/world/labor-...

US September employment report will not be published if government shuts down

The U.S. Labor Department said on Monday its statistics agency would suspend economic data releases, including the closely watched monthly employment report for September, in the event of a partial government shutdown.

www.reuters.com

Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 9d

The government will shut down in the next 30 hours, barring a last-minute deal between Congressional Democrats & President Trump. Starting this thread of what we at Reuters know so far and what Americans should expect🧵:

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Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 9d

Reuters Headline: Labor Department to suspend US economic data releases if government shuts down.

Reposted by Courtney Rozen

Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 12d

Kristi Noem has been widely criticized for slowing down FEMA’s response after natural disasters. Texts and emails obtained by ProPublica point to an effective way Naples, Florida, used to get help faster: have one of Noem’s big donors make the ask.

Kristi Noem Fast-Tracked Millions in Disaster Aid to Florida Tourist Attraction After Campaign Donor Intervened

The DHS chief has been widely criticized for slowing down FEMA’s response after natural disasters. Texts and emails obtained by ProPublica point to an effective way to get help faster: have one of Noe...

www.propublica.org

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Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 13d

Six years ago today, feels like a lifetime ago.

NYT front page: “Pelosi Will Open Formal Impeachment Inquiry, Accusing President of ‘Betrayal’ of the Nation”

Reposted by Courtney Rozen

Reuters @reuters.com · 13d

American Medical Association urges DHS to exempt physicians from new $100,000 H-1B visa fee reut.rs/4pBfWst

American Medical Association urges DHS to exempt physicians from new $100,000 H-1B visa fee

The American Medical Association and 53 leading medical societies have urged the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to exempt physicians from the newly announced $100,000 H-1B visa application fee, the groups said on Thursday.

reut.rs

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Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 13d

U.S. President Donald Trump is planning mass federal worker firings if government shutdown occurs next week. I explain in the Reuters World News podcast beginning at 2:47. 🎧

www.reuters.com/podcasts/ice...

ICE shooting, UNGA, Argentina-US and TikTok sale

A gunman opened fire at an ICE office in Dallas, killing one person and injuring two others before taking his own life.

www.reuters.com

Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 13d

(3) The U.S. government is on the brink of its 15th partial shutdown since 1981 because lawmakers have failed to agree on a full funding plan for the new fiscal year. The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 13d

(1) The threat is a negotiating tactic.
(2) Federal agencies already have the power to lay off employees so long as they give them at least 60 days' notice.

Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 13d

President Donald Trump's administration has raised the stakes in a showdown with U.S. Senate Democrats over a looming partial government shutdown.

His administration is threatening to fire more federal workers if funding runs out next Tuesday.

Here's what we know so far (thread):

White House to tell agencies to prepare mass firing plans for possible shutdown, Politico reports

The White House budget office is instructing federal agencies to prepare reduction-in-force plans for mass firings during a possible U.S. government shutdown, Politico reported on Wednesday.

www.reuters.com

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Courtney Rozen @courtneyrozen.bsky.social · 14d

Latest from court on the Trump admin’s efforts to require states comply with his immigration policies to get unrelated federal $.

Reuters @reuters.com · 14d

US judge blocks Trump from tying states' disaster aid to immigration enforcement reut.rs/46GZbnj

US judge blocks Trump from tying states' disaster aid to immigration enforcement

A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that an effort by the Trump administration to force states to cooperate with immigration enforcement in order to receive billions of dollars in emergency and disaster aid is unlawful and unconstitutional.

reut.rs

Reposted by Courtney Rozen

Shannon Bond @shannonbond.bsky.social · 20d

we wrote about this WH tactic recently. they’re asking journalists for expert source names and then using them to look up political donations in FEC records to try to discredit those sources as biased.

www.npr.org/2025/08/18/n...

Amy Kristin Sanders @amykristinsanders.bsky.social · 20d

I had this exact same experience this morning. Same reporter as Heidi.

This is *not* normal.

I have spoken to the press on these issues for two decades. No government official has ever demanded to know my identity in order to give a comment on a story.

Heidi Kitrosser @heidikitrosser.bsky.social · 20d

I find this extremely chilling:
I spoke w a reporter this morning about Kimmel. (Reporter was / is great) They got back to me a short while ago to say they sought White House comment & WH demands to know first which experts they spoke with. I told reporter I'm happy to be quoted IN THE STORY but 1/x

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