Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles.
One app.

Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles. One news app.

Fortune

Sasha Rogelberg

Exclusive: The man leading Trump’s RTO charge for government workers says he filmed a video in front of a blank wall to avoid work-from-home suspicion

Scott Kupor OPM Donald Trump Fortune

Scott Kupor, wearing a suit, looks forward and frowns. (Credit: Anna Moneymaker—Getty Images)

Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Scott Kupor, the key driver of President Donald Trump’s return-to-office agenda, admitted in a hot mic moment that he intentionally filmed a video in front of a blank wall while he was working from home so he wouldn’t get blowback over working at home.

In an audio recording of an Aug. 18 all-hands agency meeting exclusively reviewed by Fortune, Kupor asks OPM communications team member Kiki Nyoh if it looks like he filmed the most recent “Federal Friday” video (part of a periodic video series where Kupor offers updates from the agency on social media) as if it looked “like I was stuck in a jail cell.” A source confirmed to Fortune it was Kupor who made the remarks.

Sign up to read this article

Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.

Already a member? Sign in here

Top stories on inkl right now

Tropical depression in Gulf predicted to be Atlantic season’s first hurricane

Tropical depression in Gulf predicted to be Atlantic season’s first hurricane

First hurricane of the season has not formed this late since 1905 as scientists say possible US landfall on Saturday

The Guardian - US

Texas Mum Holly Flores Accused of Stabbing Husband in Head as Two Children Found With Chest Wounds

Texas Mum Holly Flores Accused of Stabbing Husband in Head as Two Children Found With Chest Wounds

Holly Leeann Flores was arrested in Northlake after police said her husband and two young children suffered stab wounds. Investigators are examining the incident and its possible motive.

International Business Times UK

Philadelphia Eagles great Lane Johnson abruptly retires citing ‘mental health’

Philadelphia Eagles great Lane Johnson abruptly retires citing ‘mental health’

The six-time Pro Bowl right tackle says he is stepping away after 14 seasons to focus on his mental health and spend more time with his family

The Guardian - US

Bar where Jane Doe says she drank before going to Cornell fraternity says it didn’t serve her

Bar where Jane Doe says she drank before going to Cornell fraternity says it didn’t serve her

‘Moonies employees strictly followed the rules and did not serve alcohol to any underaged guests,’ the bar said in a statement

The Independent UK

One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites

Already a member? Sign in here

Trump administration to assign government lawyers to migrant kids’ cases, worrying advocates

Trump administration to assign government lawyers to migrant kids’ cases, worrying advocates

The Trump administration is creating a team of attorneys to represent children who traveled alone to the United States in immigration proceedings, which critics say would deprive them of having lawyers who aren’t employed by the government and could put them at greater risk of deportation

The Independent UK

Colombia's president offers support to veterans extradited to US over Haitian leader's killing

Colombia's president offers support to veterans extradited to US over Haitian leader's killing

Colombian president Abelardo de la Espriella has offered legal assistance to a group of Colombian military veterans who were arrested over the 2021 killing of Haitian president Jovenel Moïse

The Independent UK

Related Stories

Top stories on inkl right now

Tropical depression in Gulf predicted to be Atlantic season’s first hurricane

Tropical depression in Gulf predicted to be Atlantic season’s first hurricane

First hurricane of the season has not formed this late since 1905 as scientists say possible US landfall on Saturday

The Guardian - US

Texas Mum Holly Flores Accused of Stabbing Husband in Head as Two Children Found With Chest Wounds

Texas Mum Holly Flores Accused of Stabbing Husband in Head as Two Children Found With Chest Wounds

Holly Leeann Flores was arrested in Northlake after police said her husband and two young children suffered stab wounds. Investigators are examining the incident and its possible motive.

International Business Times UK

Philadelphia Eagles great Lane Johnson abruptly retires citing ‘mental health’

Philadelphia Eagles great Lane Johnson abruptly retires citing ‘mental health’

The six-time Pro Bowl right tackle says he is stepping away after 14 seasons to focus on his mental health and spend more time with his family

The Guardian - US

Bar where Jane Doe says she drank before going to Cornell fraternity says it didn’t serve her

Bar where Jane Doe says she drank before going to Cornell fraternity says it didn’t serve her

‘Moonies employees strictly followed the rules and did not serve alcohol to any underaged guests,’ the bar said in a statement

The Independent UK

One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites

Already a member? Sign in here

Trump administration to assign government lawyers to migrant kids’ cases, worrying advocates

Trump administration to assign government lawyers to migrant kids’ cases, worrying advocates

The Trump administration is creating a team of attorneys to represent children who traveled alone to the United States in immigration proceedings, which critics say would deprive them of having lawyers who aren’t employed by the government and could put them at greater risk of deportation

The Independent UK

Colombia's president offers support to veterans extradited to US over Haitian leader's killing

Colombia's president offers support to veterans extradited to US over Haitian leader's killing

Colombian president Abelardo de la Espriella has offered legal assistance to a group of Colombian military veterans who were arrested over the 2021 killing of Haitian president Jovenel Moïse

The Independent UK

Our Picks

Have an Elmo Teether in the Freezer? Check It Before Giving It Back to Baby

That familiar red Elmo face sitting in your freezer may deserve a closer look before it goes back into your baby’s hands. A Skip Hop Baby “Sesame Street” Elmo Silicone Teether has been recalled because its black eye pieces can detach if the product is frozen, creating a choking hazard.…

Kids Ain't Cheap

Gen Z's new American Dream: Skip the mortgage, book the flight

Young Americans are trading square footage, new cars, and even moving out for plane tickets, even as airfares jump more than 20%.

Megan Fox Tagged 'Unrecognisable' in Letterboxd Video as Fans Defend Her Against Meaningless Comments

A Letterboxd video featuring Megan Fox and Karyn Kusama prompted online debate about Fox's appearance, with fans challenging unsupported speculation about cosmetic procedures or health

International Business Times UK

US Schools Record Nearly 12,000 Book Bans, the Highest Ever in a Single Year, as 'Jane Eyre' and 'Lessons in Chemistry' Join the List

PEN America reports nearly 12,000 book-ban instances in US schools, a record total, as Texas overtakes Florida and AI tools enter the removal process.

International Business Times UK

Alice Zaslavsky’s shortcut beetroot baked risotto – recipe

An unconventional technique makes this vibrant rice – finished with dill fronds – a lower-touch dinner for weeknights

The Guardian - AU

Does your sleep tracker get it right? A Pittsburgh neuroscientist weighs in

On a typical night, I go to bed wearing a tracking watch on one wrist and another type of tracker on the other wrist. Then I compare their sleep findings while I drink my morning coffee.

The Conversation

Fourteen days free

Download the app

One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.

Download on the AppStore

Get it on Google Play