President Donald Trump marked one month in office on Thursday, an eventful five weeks that have seen the president dramatically overhaul the federal government to drive his agenda.

This week, Trump pushed the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) work on government overreach and spending, issuing a spate of executive orders aimed at dismantling the federal bureaucracy.

Here are this week’s highlights.

Daytona 500

Trump kicked off the week by attending NASCAR’s Daytona 500 in Florida, and his motorcade drove a lap on the racetrack.

“From the roar of the engines on the track to the echo of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ soaring through the stands, the Daytona 500 is a timeless tribute to the speed, strength, and unyielding spirit that make America great,” Trump said in a message before the race. “That spirit is what will fuel America’s Golden Age, and if we harness it, the future is truly ours.”

DOGE

Elon Musk’s DOGE continued to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government, recovering $1.9 billion in Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) money that was misplaced by the Biden administration, DOGE said.

The Trump administration could soon fire hundreds more federal employees — thousands have already been fired or taken a buyout offer from the government.

Trump took several actions to support DOGE, issuing a warning about wasteful spending, ordering federal agencies to be “radically transparent” about spending.

The president also signed an order aimed at reigning in “so-called independent agencies” like the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission, all of which he said “have exercised enormous power over the American people without Presidential oversight.”

Those agencies must now report more closely to the White House, submitting proposed regulations for review. The Office of Management and Budget will review their spending.

Trump also ordered a sweeping review of regulations by DOGE and federal agencies to decide which regulations to scrap.

He also eliminated several “unnecessary” government entities, including the United States African Development Foundation, and ordered his administration to identify any others that should be eliminated.

Education

On Thursday, Trump spoke at the Republican Governors Association Meeting.

The president stunned the room when he told Maine’s governor to her face that her state would not get any federal funding if it continued to buck the president’s executive order on males in women’s sports.

Stunning moment Trump goes back and forth with Maine governor on women's sports

TRUMP: "You better do it because you're not gonna get any federal funding … your population doesn't want men playing in women's sports."pic.twitter.com/UrqDl65nLx

— Mairead Elordi (@JohnsonHildy) February 21, 2025

“Your population doesn’t want men playing in women’s sports. So you better comply because otherwise you’re not getting any federal funding,” Trump told Governor Janet Mills.

The Department of Education also announced that it has terminated over $600 million in grants for training teachers in “divisive ideologies” including social justice activism, anti-racism, and recruiting teachers based on race.

Ukraine War

Trump spoke at a Saudi-backed investment conference in Miami, where he thanked Saudi Arabia for hosting this week’s talks between Russia and the United States on ending the war in Ukraine.

On Tuesday in Riyadh, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other American diplomats met with Moscow representatives for five hours. Both sides said afterwards that the meeting was positive.

Trump also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying that while Russia invaded Ukraine, Zelensky is not doing enough to strike a deal.

“I’ve been watching him negotiate with no cards. He has no cards. And you get sick of it,” Trump said.

Immigration

Meanwhile, illegal immigration has slowed to a crawl at the southern border.

Authorities encountered just 229 illegal aliens, down from 11,000 under the Biden administration, over the 24 hours from Sunday to Monday, said Border Czar Tom Homan.

“I started as a Border Patrol Agent in 1984 and I don’t remember the numbers ever being that low. President Trump promised a secure border and he is delivering,” Homan said.

Trump also signed an executive order aimed at ensuring taxpayer-funded benefits do not go to illegal aliens who do not qualify for them, thereby also removing the incentive to come into the country illegally.

Other Actions

Trump also signed an executive order aimed at deregulating and lowering the costs of in vitro fertilization.

He also declared an emergency in Kentucky due to severe storms and ordered federal disaster relief to the state.

The president hosted a reception honoring Black History Month and issued a proclamation recognizing the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Other Administration Officials

Last Friday, Vice President JD Vance stunned attendees of the Munich Security Conference in Germany when he rebuked European leaders for prosecuting people over free speech and censoring Germany’s right-wing populist party.

“You cannot win a democratic mandate by censoring your opponents or putting them in jail,” Vance told the gasping audience.

Attorney General Pam Bondi could soon release a list of Jeffrey Epstein’s clients, saying Friday that the list is “sitting on my desk right now to review” per a directive from Trump.

On Friday, Kash Patel was sworn in as FBI director on Friday and Howard Lutnick was sworn in as Commerce Secretary. There are just four Cabinet nominees left to confirm, including Linda McMahon as Education Secretary.