Loren DeJonge Schulman, deputy director of studies at the Center for a New American Security, and James Carafano, vice president of foreign and defense policy at the Heritage Foundation, discussed controversial changes to the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council.

Chris Lu, former deputy secretary at the Department of Labor, discussed President Trump's management style, the importance of communication with federal agencies, and the impact of a federal hiring freeze on agency morale.

Government Executive editor-in-chief Tom Shoop, FedScoop managing editor Billy Mitchell, and Federal Times reporter Carten Cordell joined Francis for this edition of the Federal Beat. They discussed the federal hiring freeze and President Trump's nominees to lead various agencies.