★★ My Country, 'Tis of Thee mikepasini.com
A S C R A P B O O K O F R E P O R T I N G O N T H E C O U N T R Y
Saturday
15 Nov 2025
UPDATED
9 minutes ago
My country, 'tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty,
of thee I sing:
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside
let freedom ring!
No more shall tyrants here
With haughty steps appear,
And soldier bands;
No more shall tyrants tread
Above the patriot dead—
No more our blood be shed
By alien hands.
Let music swell the breeze,
and ring from all the trees
sweet freedom's song:
let mortal tongues awake,
let all that breathe partake;
let rocks their silence break,
the sound prolong.
Samuel Smith
1831
Beyond the headlines, these interviews and reports detail what's going on now in the United States. And how that affects all of us. A brief intro follows the head that takes you directly to the story, video or audio recording.
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Judge Restricts Border Patrol in California: 'You Just Can't Walk Up to People With Brown Skin'Cal Matters
SERGIO OLMOS
WENDY FRY
ReportingA federal court on Tuesday issued a preliminary injunction forbidding the Border Patrol from conducting warrantless immigration stops throughout a wide swath of California. The ruling came in response to an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit filed after the El Centro Border Patrol traveled to Kern County to conduct a three-day sweep in January, detaining day laborers, farm workers and others in a Home Depot parking lot, outside a convenience store and along a highway between orchards.
Justices Appear Divided in Supreme Court Case Over Publicly-Funded Religious SchoolsPBS News Hour
JOHN YANG
ReportingOklahoma's charter school board approved the creation of a Catholic virtual school in 2023, establishing the nation's first publicly-funded religious charter school. Oklahoma's Supreme Court blocked it, saying it violated the state constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case on Wednesday and John Yang discussed the arguments with News Hour Supreme Court analyst Marcia Coyle for her last appearance on the show.
Economists Offer Differing Views on Trump's Tariffs and Trade WarPBS News Hour
AMNA NAWAZ
ReportingPresident Trump has made a bold gamble with a fundamental change in economic policy by launching tough tariffs. He argues they will revitalize manufacturing, reduce the national debt and grow the economy. Amna Nawaz has differing perspectives on Trump's claims from Oren Cass of the conservative think tank American Compass and economist Jason Furman, who served as an adviser under President Obama.
A DOGE Aide Involved in Dismantling Consumer Bureau Owns Stock in Companies That Could Benefit From the CutsProPublica
JAKE PEARSON
ReportingGavin Kliger, a 25-year-old Department of Government Efficiency aide, owns stock in companies that could benefit from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's dismantling, a ProPublica investigation has found. According to court records and government emails, he later helped oversee the layoffs of more than 1,400 employees at the bureau. Kliger's actions are a potential violation of federal ethics laws.
Inside the Trump Administration's 'War on Children'Here & Now
ROBIN YOUNG
ReportingGovernment programs that serve kids are among the many being slashed by the Trump administration. From early education programs like Head Start to assistance that helps millions of poor families keep the electricity on, advocates for children say the administration's cuts will do lasting damage. Here & Now's Robin Young speaks with ProPublica reporter Eli Hager.
Under Trump, Stocks Have the Worst Start to a Presidential Term Since 1974The New York Times
JOE RENNISON
ReportingOne hundred days of President Trump. Seventy days of whipsaw trading in financial markets. Thirty three days of losses. More than $6.5 trillion wiped from the value of public companies. For financial markets, the 9 percent drop in the S&P 500 is on track for the worst start to a presidential term since Gerald R. Ford took over from Richard M. Nixon in August 1974 after the Watergate scandal. The slump is worse even than when the tech bubble burst at the turn of the century and George W. Bush inherited a market already in free fall. In contrast, Trump inherited an economy on solid footing and a stock market rising from one record high to another.
Federal Judge in Vermont Orders Release of Columbia Student Mohsen MahdawiThe Guardian
ANNA BETTS
ReportingU.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordered the release of Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian green-card holder and student at Columbia University who was detained and ordered deported by the Trump administration on April 14 despite not being charged with a crime. "The two weeks of detention so far demonstrate great harm to a person who has been charged with no crime," said Crawford.
The U.S. Economy Shrinks as Trump's Tariffs Spark Recession FearsNPR Morning Edition
SCOTT HORSLEY
ReportingFigures released by the Commerce Department Wednesday show that the United States' gross domestic product contracted at an annual rate of 0.3 percent in the first quarter of the year, after growing at a solid pace of 2.4 percent in the final months of 2024. The quarterly GDP report covers the final weeks of the Biden administration and the early months of Trump's term, including the first rumblings of the president's new trade war.
GOP Blocked Hegseth Signal Probe Because He Is 'Indefensible,' Says Rep. Adam SmithNPR Morning Edition
STEVE INSKEEP
ReportingRep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., told Morning Edition that Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans blocked any inquiry resolutions into the matter because they know Hegseth and his actions are "indefensible." Smith filed a resolution of inquiry, which allows a member of the House to force an investigation even when they're in the minority. "They are so afraid of this issue, they can't defend it, that they don't want to talk about it," Smith said. "And they will go to extraordinary process lengths to try to prevent Congress from doing its job of exercising oversight over the Pentagon."
Corporation for Public Broadcasting Sues White House to Block Board FiringsThe New York Times
BENJAMIN MULLIN
ReportingThe Corporation for Public Broadcasting sued the Trump administration on Tuesday, accusing it of illegally trying to fire three members of the company's board. In the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Washington, the media organization said the White House emailed three of the company's five directors on Monday, telling them that their positions had been terminated. The administration did not offer any justification for the dismissals.
PBS CEO Weighs in on the Potential Impact of Cutting Public Media FundingPBS News Hour
PAULA KERGER
PBS CEOThe Trump administration is expected to ask Congress to rescind more than $1 billion of funding from the Corp. for Public Broadcasting, the congressionally-created body through which NPR and PBS get federal funding, including for this program. The CPB is also suing the administration saying it illegally fired three members of the board. Amna Nawaz discussed more with PBS CEO Paula Kerger.
Analyzing Trump's Actions on Immigration During His First 100 DaysPBS News Hour
DAVID BIER
Cato InstitutePresident Trump ran on closing the border and made promises about mass deportations of millions of immigrants. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López and David Bier of the Immigration Studies at the Cato Institute discussed the first 100 days of the Trump administration enforcing his immigration policies.
Trump Gets an 'F' on His First 100 Days From Plurality of Americans, Poll FindsPBS News Hour
JOSHUA BARAJAS
ReportingAs President Donald Trump celebrates his first 100 days in office, a new PBS News/NPR/Marist poll finds that a plurality of Americans give him a failing grade. Forty-five percent of U.S. adults rated Trump's return to the Oval Office an "F," including 80 percent of Democrats and 49 percent of independents. At the other extreme, 23 percent of Americans, including 54 percent of Republicans, gave the president an "A." About half of U.S. adults say Trump's second term has had a mostly negative effect on their lives and a majority believe he is rushing to make changes without considering the effects of his actions.
In Breakneck Second Term, Trump Turns to Falsehoods to Justify His AgendaThe New York Times
LINDA QIU
ReportingPresident Trump, intent on enacting an expansive agenda, has moved at a dizzying pace in the first 100 days of his term, issuing a barrage of executive actions and seeking to expand the scope of his presidential power. Underlying those efforts is a nonstop distortion of basic facts as Trump has sought to reconfigure the global economy, reshape the federal government and restrict immigration.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Says Court's Ruling Will Hurt the 'Neediest Among Us'MSNBC
JORDAN RUBIN
ReportingThe "neediest among us" will suffer due to a new Supreme Court decision, according to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's dissent from the ruling. Joined by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Jackson said Congress can fix the issue their colleagues caused. She called on Congress to step in and "restate its intention that low-income people have access to quality medical care and that hospitals be compensated accordingly."
Trump Administration Removes U.S. Citizen Children Alongside a Deported ParentHere & Now
DORIS MEISSNER
Migration Policy InstituteSeveral American citizen children have been sent out of the U.S. in recent days, alongside a parent who was deported. A Trump-nominated judge in Louisiana said the departure of a 2-year-old citizen happened with no "meaningful process." Here & Now's Deepa Fernandes looks at what's happening with Doris Meissner, senior fellow and director for the U.S. immigration policy program at Migration Policy Institute and former commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization Services.
The Federal Minimum Wage Is Officially a Poverty Wage in 2025Economic Policy Institute
SEBASTIAN MARTINEZ HICKEY
ISMAEL CID-MARTINEZ
ReportingIn 2025, the federal minimum wage is officially a "poverty wage." The annual earnings of a single adult working full-time, year-round at $7.25 an hour now fall below the poverty threshold of $15,650. While the minimum wage has been left to wither, Republican budget proposals in 2025 will either erode other elements of the social safety net or make them much harder to access. Republicans seek to cut Medicaid and ratchet up work requirements on both Medicaid and SNAP.
Justice, Louisiana-Style, for ImmigrantsThe New York Times
LAILA HLASS
MARY YANIK
Tulane Law SchoolLouisiana is notorious for a trifecta of compounding barriers to effectuate the rights of immigrants: conservative courts, scarce access to legal support and horrific detention conditions. The resulting "black hole," as civil and human rights groups have called it, threatens to erode America's rule of law well beyond the immigration legal system.
Trump Has Targeted Over 100 Opponents and Institutions, NPR Analysis FindsNPR Morning Edition
TOM DREISBACH
ReportingPresident Trump campaigned promising "retribution." An NPR analysis has found that during the first 100 days of his second term Trump has taken action against more than 100 people and institutions.
Mohsen Mahdawi -- The Student Arrested at His Citizenship Appointment -- SpeaksNPR Morning Edition
LEILA FADEL
JAN JOHNSON
KAITY KLINE
ReportingThe April 14 detention of Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi was caught on video as he flashed a peace sign while being taken from an immigration office in Colchester, Vt. He told NPR's Morning Edition he'd arrived thinking an interview there would be his final step to becoming a U.S. citizen after 10 years of living and learning in the United States. Instead, after sitting for a naturalization interview and signing a document pledging allegiance to the U.S. and to protecting and defending the Constitution, he was arrested by masked agents in Homeland Security jackets.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey Discusses Democratic Efforts to Resist Trump PoliciesNPR Morning Edition
GOV. MAURA HEALEY
MassachusettsMany Democrats feel anxious about the state of democracy and the economy. NPR asks Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey about what Democrats are doing to fight back.
People With Disabilities Explain How Medicaid Cuts Could Impact Their LivesPBS News Hour
STEPHANIE SY
ReportingCongress is back in D.C. with plans to move forward on a budget framework that could include cuts to Medicaid. About one in three people with disabilities is enrolled in the program which helps them access health care and live independently in their communities. Stephanie Sy reports and we hear from people with disabilities and their caretakers about what Medicaid means to them.
Children Who Are U.S. Citizens Deported With Foreign-Born Mothers, Attorneys SayPBS News Hour
LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ
ReportingNearing 100 days in office, the Trump administration continues to push further on its immigration crackdown by deporting families and targeting sanctuary cities. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López reports on three deported American citizens.
Wisconsin Judge Arrested by FBI 'Stood Up' for Her Community, State Lawmaker SaysNPR Morning Edition
STEVE INSKEEP
OBED MANUEL
ReportingThe arrest of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan by the FBI could have a chilling effect and keep immigrants away from court appearances out of fear they may be arrested, a Wisconsin State Rep. Ryan Clancy warns. Clancy pointed out that courthouses, like operating rooms and classrooms, have typically been protected spaces.
DOGE Employees Gain Accounts on Classified Networks Holding Nuclear SecretsAll Things Considered
GEOFF BRUMFIEL
JENNA MCLAUGHLIN
ReportingTwo members of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency have been given accounts on classified networks that hold highly guarded details about America's nuclear weapons, two independent sources tell NPR. Luke Farritor, a 23-year-old former SpaceX intern and Adam Ramada, a Miami-based venture capitalist, have had accounts on the computer systems for at least two weeks, according to the sources who also have access to the networks. Neither Farritor nor Ramada appear to have had experience with either nuclear weapons or handling classified information.
Supreme Court to Hear School Disability Discrimination CaseNPR Morning Edition
NINA TOTENBERG
ReportingThe Supreme Court hears arguments Monday in a case testing the reach of federal laws that promise special help for children with disabilities in public schools.
How West Texas Is Fairing, Three Months Into the Measles OutbreakNPR Morning Edition
BRAD BURT
ReportingThe measles outbreak is not easing up around the country. The CDC reports 884 confirmed cases nationwide, three times the number of cases in 2024. In West Texas, where the outbreak started, pediatricians are concerned about potentially more children being exposed to the virus.
What Happens When the Federal Government Stops Funding University ResearchNPR Morning Edition
LISSA NADWORNY
ReportingThe federal government has cancelled about 11 billion dollars worth of university research funding and is threatening to cut more. When the federal government stops funding research, there's no one else to take on those costs.
Host of CBS's 60 Minutes Rebukes Corporate Owners Paramount On-AirThe Guardian
JESSICA GLENZA
ReportingScott Pelley rebuked the show's corporate owners Sunday evening, part of a dispute over journalists' independence amid a lawsuit from Donald Trump and attempted sale. "Stories we've pursued for 57 years are often controversial, lately the Israel-Gaza war and the Trump administration," said Pelly. "Bill made sure they were accurate and fair, he was tough that way. But our parent company, Paramount, is trying to complete a merger. The Trump administration must approve it. Paramount began to supervise our content in news ways,"
How Meals on Wheels Cuts Endanger U.S. Seniors: 'Life and Death Implications'The Guardian
VICTORIA NAMKUNG
ReportingThe Trump administration's slashes to the Department of Health and Human Services is threatening Meals on Wheels, the popular program dedicated to combatting senior hunger and isolation. "It's not hyperbolic to say that we're going to be leaving people hungry and that this literally has life and death implications," said Nicole Jorwic, the chief of advocacy and campaigns at Caring Across Generations, a non-profit that advocates for aging Americans, disabled people and their caregivers.
A 'Citizen Lawyer' Gets a Standing Ovation at the Supreme CourtThe New York Times
ADAM LIPTAK
ReportingIn a remarkable scene, the justices applauded Edwin S. Kneedler, a government lawyer with a reputation for candor, care and integrity. The tribute to Kneedler's candor and integrity came against the backdrop of a different kind of courtroom behavior. In the early months of the second Trump administration, its lawyers have been accused of gamesmanship, dishonesty and defiance and have been fired for providing frank answers to judges.
Trump's First 100 Days: Steamrolling Government, Strong-Arming Allies, Igniting Trade WarsThe Associated Press
STAFF
ReportingIn his first 100 days, President Donald Trump exerted his power in a sweep and scale that has no easy historical comparison. Here is a look at the most consequential first 100 days of an American presidency since Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Journalists Defend Press Freedom at Muted White House Correspondents' DinnerThe Guardian
DAVID SMITH
ReportingJournalists rallied in defence of press freedom on Saturday, insisting they "are not the enemy of the people" at a Washington media gala snubbed by Donald Trump. Eugene Daniels, who leads the White House Correspondents' Association, showed a video montage of past presidents, from Ronald Reagan to Joe Biden, addressing the dinner with self-deprecating jokes while also expressing their admiration for the press and its central importance in safeguarding democracy. Trump was conspicuous by his absence. Daniels added, "We journalists are a lot of things. We are competitive and pushy. We are impatient and sometimes we think we know everything, but we're also human. We miss our families and significant life moments in service to this job. We care deeply about accuracy and take seriously the heavy responsibility of being stewards of the public's trust. What we are not is the opposition, what we are not is the enemy of the people and what we are not is the enemy of the state." The giant ballroom erupted in applause.
Trump v 60 Minutes Is a Stunning Battle for the Soul of U.S. MediaThe Guardian
ERIC BERGER
ReportingDonald Trump's battle with a U.S. media he considers an "enemy of the people" has been a signature fight of his second term in office, sparking warnings of an erosion of press freedoms in America and fears over the independence of key publications owned by billionaires seeking to become close to the president. At the center of the fight is 60 Minutes, the brand-leading news program for the CBS network that once employed Edward R Murrow, whose reporting on Senator Joseph McCarthy's investigation into alleged communism became the subject of the movie and play Good Night and Good Luck and Walter Cronkite, who for two decades hosted CBS Evening News and was described as "the most trusted man in America."
Trump Officials Deport Two-Year-Old U.S. Citizen and Mother of One-Year-Old GirlThe Guardian
JOANNA WALTERS
ReportingThe Trump administration has deported a two-year-old U.S. citizen "with no meaningful process," according to a federal judge, while in a different case the authorities deported the mother of a one-year-old girl, separating them indefinitely. Lawyers in the two cases, the first in Louisiana and the second in Florida, say their clients were arrested at routine check-ins at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) offices and were given virtually no opportunity to speak with them or family members.
Previously on My Country, 'Tis of Thee...
Employee Cuts at Social Security Are Leaving Remaining Workers Struggling to Keep UpNPR
ASHLEY LOPEZ
ReportingJessica LaPointe has worked at a Social Security field office in Madison, Wis., for the past 16 years. And she says right now, the work is harder than ever. LaPointe says disruptions prompted by the Trump administration's efforts to make deep cuts in the federal government workforce have left many remaining Social Security employees "burned out ... and overwhelmed."
Americans, Including Republicans, Losing Faith in Trump, New Polls RevealThe Guardian
ADAM GABBATT
ReportingAlong with poor ratings on the economy and Trump's immigration policy, a survey released on Saturday found that only 24 percent of Americans believe Trump has focussed on the right priorities as president. That poll comes as Trump's popularity is historically low for a leader this early in a term. More than half of voters disapprove of Trump's performance as president and majorities oppose his tariff policies and slashing of the federal workforce.
How NIH Staffing Cuts May Delay a Promising Cancer Treatment's ImplementationPBS News Hour
DR. STEVEN ROSENBERG
National Cancer InstituteEarlier in April, doctors at the National Institutes of Health made a promising step in the fight against cancer, announcing an immunotherapy treatment was able to shrink gastrointestinal tumors for about a quarter of patients. But NIH staffing shortages, layoffs and cuts are threatening to delay the rollout of this promising development. William Brangham speaks with Dr. Steven Rosenberg for more.
Trump Administration Investigating California University Over Foreign GiftsThe Guardian
The Associated Press
The Trump administration launched an investigation into the University of California, Berkeley, on Friday centered on foreign funding, making it the latest university to be targeted by the federal government. UC Berkeley denied the government's claims, saying that for the last two years, "UC Berkeley has been cooperating with federal inquiries regarding 117 reporting issues and will continue to do so."
Federal Employees Find Themselves Without Health Insurance Despite Being Told OtherwiseNPR Morning Edition
ANDREA HSU
ReportingSome federal employees who were fired, reinstated and fired again by the Trump administration are now learning their health coverage lapsed despite being told otherwise.
Behind '60 Minutes' Executive Producer's Departure: Trump's Lawsuit Against CBSNPR Morning Edition
DAVID FOLKENFLIK
ReportingThe departure of "60 Minutes" executive producer Bill Owens comes as the news program's corporate owner is trying to sell it off and amid President Trump's lawsuit against CBS.
U.S. Restoring Legal Status of Hundreds of Students After Abruptly Revoking VisasThe Guardian
AVA HU
ReportingThe sudden policy reversal was announced during a court hearing in Oakland, Calif., which brought together eight lawsuits filed by international students who argued that the federal government had terminated their right to remain in the U.S. without due process. Attorneys in those cases had asked the court to issue a nationwide injunction covering all students whose official records granting them legal status were terminated since March 1 and were at risk of deportation.
Gov. Evers' Statement Regarding the Arrest of a Milwaukee County JudgeOffice of the Governor
GOV. TONY EVERS
"In this country, people who are suspected of criminal wrongdoing are innocent until their guilt is proven beyond reasonable doubt and they are found guilty by a jury of their peers -- this is the fundamental demand of justice in America."
Political Cartoonists on Navigating a Changing Media LandscapePBS News Hour
JEFFREY BROWN
ReportingA picture is worth a thousand words." It's a well-worn phrase but there is special resonance when applied to editorial cartoons, a centuries-old tradition that is evolving as the media landscape itself does. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown takes a closer look with two seasoned political cartooniss.
'Food Is Not Political,' WFP Head Says as U.S. Cuts Aid and Israel Blocks Help to GazaPBS News Hour
CINDY MCCAIN
The World Food ProgrammeThe World Food Programme says it has delivered the last of its food in Gaza and warned the kitchens it has been supporting would run out of food in days. Nick Schifrin spoke with Executive Director Cindy McCain who says a lack of funding has forced WFP to cut 30 percent of its staff as it faces unprecedented challenges in feeding the hungry in Haiti.
Ex-U.S. Rep. George Santos Sentenced to Over 7 Years in Prison for Fraud and Identity TheftThe Associated Press
PHILIP MARCELO
ReportingDisgraced former U.S. Rep. George Santos was sentenced Friday to over seven years in prison, sobbing as he learned his punishment for the crimes that led to his expulsion from Congress. Santos, who pleaded guilty last summer to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, appealed for mercy. In a federal court a short drive from his old congressional district, he said through tears that he was "humbled" and "chastised" and realized he had betrayed his constituents' trust.
Fired, Rehired and Fired Again: Some Federal Workers Find They're Suddenly UninsuredAll Things Considered
ANDREA HSU
ReportingNearly two months after being fired in the Trump administration's purge of newer -- or "probationary" -- federal employees, Danielle Waterfield is enmeshed in a bureaucratic mess over her health care coverage. It's a mess that's left her fearing her entire family may now be uninsured.
The Smithsonian Purge: Trump Team Removes Artifacts of Black ResistanceBlack Press USA
APRIL RYAN
Reporting"This president is a master of distraction and is destroying what it took 250 years to build. Here's another distraction in his quest for attention. Another failure of his first 100 days," said North Carolina Rep. Alma Adams, responding to efforts to physically remove a Woolworth's lunch counter exhibit from the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The exhibit features portions of the original lunch counter, highlighting the story of four Black students from North Carolina A&T who were brutally attacked after sitting at the whites-only counter in 1960. When denied service, the students refused to leave. Their defiance ignited a wave of lunch counter sit-ins across the South and became a major flashpoint in the Civil Rights Movement.
Trump Claims He's Negotiating With China on Trade. China Says OtherwiseThe New York Times
ANA SWANSO
JONATHAN SWAN
ReportingPresident Trump said "we're meeting with China" on tariffs, comments aimed at soothing financial markets. But Chinese officials say no talks have taken place.
In Kyiv, We Don't Believe in the Fantasy of Trump's 'Peace Deal'. Our Reality Is More Dead CiviliansThe Guardian
NATALIYA GUMENYUK
Public Interest Journalism Lab"War teaches you to believe only in what happens, rather than what is merely said or promised. A day after the 'peace talks' in London, which the U.S. secretary of state Marco Rubio didn't even turn up for, Ukrainians were not anxiously waiting for the results of a possible deal, which looked unfeasible anyway. Instead, they were counting their dead."
FBI Director Says a Judge Accused of Helping Someone Evade Immigration Agents Has Been ArrestedThe Associated Press
STAFF
ReportingThe FBI on Friday arrested a Milwaukee judge accused of helping a man evade immigration authorities, escalating a clash between the Trump administration and the judiciary over the Republican president's sweeping immigration crackdown. FBI Director Kash Patel announced on social media the arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan, who he said "intentionally misdirected" federal agents away from a man they were trying to take into custody at her courthouse.
A Look at Europe's Response to U.S. Peace Proposals for Ukraine and RussiaNPR Morning Edition
SERGEY RADCHENKO
Johns Hopkins UniversityNPR's Michael Martin talks with Johns Hopkins University historian Sergey Radchenko about Europe's response to U.S. peace proposals for Ukraine and Russia.
Critics Say Deportation Efforts Skirt Due Process Rights All People in U.S. DeserveNPR Morning Edition
XIMENA BUSTILLO
ReportingThe Trump administration is moving quickly to arrest, detain and remove people from the country. But critics say such actions can violate the due process rights that all people in the U.S. deserve.
Former DOJ Official Discusses Trump Administration's Responses to Court OrdersNPR Morning Edition
ELLIOT WILLIAMS,
Legal AnalystNPR's Michel Martin speaks with Elliot Williams, legal analyst and former Justice Department deputy assistant attorney general, about the Trump administration's response to court orders.
Trail Advocates Say Trump Administration Puts Active Transportation Projects at RiskNPR Morning Edition
CHUCK QUIRMBACH
ReportingSpring means more people hitting biking and hiking trails. But trail advocates say a Trump administration review of grants made under President Biden puts active transportation projects at risk.
The Benefits and Financial Toll of Rebuilding America's Aluminum IndustryPBS News Hour
PAUL SOLMAN
ReportingThe central economic focus of President Trump's second term so far has been tariffs. Over the past few months, the president has levied -- and also paused -- taxes on imports from all over the world. Some have taken effect, including his tariffs on aluminum. Economics correspondent Paul Solman looks at those and what kind of impact they may have on manufacturers, workers and consumers.
Utility Assistance Frozen After Trump Administration Fires Program's StaffPBS News Hour
LOGAN ATKINSON BURKE
Alliance for Affordable EnergyMoney for heating and cooling assistance for those in need is on the line. As part of the cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services, the Trump administration reportedly fired the staff that runs the Low-Income Home Energy Program. Congress already approved funds for the program but with the staff gone, the allocated money is frozen. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Logan Atkinson Burke.
Religious Directives at Catholic Hospitals Complicate Emergency Care for Pregnant WomenPBS News Hour
SARAH VARNEY
ReportingFor decades, Catholic leaders in the U.S. have placed restrictions on certain reproductive health services at Catholic-run hospitals. But as abortion is becoming harder to access nationwide, there's a new spotlight on care at these facilities. Special correspondent Sarah Varney traveled to Eureka, California, to meet one woman who ran into the limits of Catholic-run healthcare.
Judge Pauses Parts of Trump's Sweeping Executive Order on VotingNPR
JUDE JOFFE-BLOCK
ReportingA federal judge in Washington, D.C., has paused a key section of President Trump's executive order that makes sweeping changes to voting and elections. Critics of Trump's March 25 executive order say it could disenfranchise millions of would-be voters and exceeds presidential authority.
Trump Can't Deny Federal Funds to Cities That Limit Immigration Cooperation, Judge RulesPBS News Hour
JANIE HAR
The Associated PressA federal judge in California on Thursday barred the Trump administration from denying or conditioning the use of federal funds to "sanctuary" jurisdictions, saying that portions of President Donald Trump's executive orders were unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge William Orrick issued the injunction sought by San Francisco and more than a dozen other municipalities that limit cooperation with federal immigration efforts.
Judge Blocks Trump Push to Cut Public School Funding Over Diversity ProgramsPBS News Hour
HOLLY RAMER
COLLIN BINKLEY
The Associated PressA federal judge on Thursday blocked Trump administration directives that threatened to cut federal funding for public schools with diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by the National Education Association and the American Civil Liberties Union, which accused the Republican administration of giving "unconstitutionally vague" guidance and violating teachers' First Amendment rights.
More Than 50 House Democrats Demand Answers After Whistleblower Report on DOGENPR
JENNA MCLAUGHLIN
ReportingThe lawmakers, who are part of the Congressional Labor Caucus, wrote a letter addressed to the acting General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, William Cowen, in light of news first reported by NPR, that a whistleblower inside the IT Department of the NLRB says DOGE may have removed sensitive labor data and exposed NLRB systems to being compromised. The letter refers to an official whistleblower disclosure made by Daniel Berulis, a cloud administrator in the IT department of the NLRB.
DOGE Worker's Code Supports NLRB WhistleblowerKrebs on Security
BRIAN KREBS
Security AnalystA whistleblower at the National Labor Relations Board alleged last week that denizens of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency siphoned gigabytes of data from the agency's sensitive case files in early March. The whistleblower said accounts created for DOGE at the NLRB downloaded three code repositories from GitHub. Further investigation into one of those code bundles shows it is remarkably similar to a program published in January by Marko Elez, a 25-year-old DOGE employee who has worked at a number of Musk's companies.
On Major Economic Decisions, Trump Blinks and Then Blinks AgainThe New York Times
DAVID E. SANGER
ReportingTrump's encounter with reality amounted to a vivid case study in the political and economic costs of striking the hardest of hard lines. He entered this trade war imagining a simpler era in which imposing punishing tariffs would force companies around the world to build factories in the United States. He ends the month discovering that the world of modern supply chains is far more complex than he bargained for and that it is far from clear his "beautiful" tariffs will have the effects he predicted.
Trump Signs Executive Actions on Education, Including Efforts to Rein in DEINPR Morning Edition
ELISSA NADWORNY
ReportingThe collection of orders aim to cement Trump's conservative agenda when it comes to education in America, including rolling back the policies from the Biden administration, bolstering workforce training, improving teaching about artificial intelligence in schools and launching a new White House initiative on historically Black colleges and universities.
Trump Accuses Zelenskyy of Jeopardizing Imminent Peace DealThe Guardian
DAN SABBAGH
PJOTR SAUER
ReportingDonald Trump has accused Volodymyr Zelenskyy of jeopardizing what he claimed was an imminent peace deal to end the war in Ukraine, as he gave the clearest hint yet that the U.S. would be willing to formally recognize Russia's seizure of Crimea as part of any agreement.
Previously on My Country, 'Tis of Thee...
Funding Cut for Landmark Study of Women's HealthAll Things Considered
ROB STEIN
ReportingThe Trump administration is shutting down most of a landmark federal project studying women's health, stunning researchers around the country. The Department of Health and Human Services is terminating contracts with all four regional centers that have been following tens of thousands of women who have been participating in the project for decades, according to the project's coordinating center.
Norway Launches Scheme to Lure Top Researchers Away From U.S. UniversitiesThe Guardian
MIRANDA BRYANT
ReportingFollowing in the footsteps of multiple institutions across Europe, the Research Council of Norway on Wednesday launched a 100m kroner fund to make it easier to recruit researchers from other countries. The initiative is open to researchers from around the world, but it was expanded and accelerated after the Trump administration announced substantial cuts last month.
What Federal Worker Cuts Mean for Wildfire Threats This SeasonHere & Now
KIRK SIEGLER
ReportingThe Trump administration's dramatic staffing cuts at federal lands agencies like the Forest Service are causing anxiety in tinder-dry New Mexico, where the wildfire threat is already severe this spring.
American Citizens Wrongly Detained in Trump Administration's Immigration CrackdownPBS News Hour
LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ
ReportingA federal judge accused the Trump administration of trying to obstruct the truth about the wrongful deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Judge Paula Xinis said the administration's refusal to answer questions "reflects a willful and bad faith refusal to comply with discovery obligations." Addressing the case, President Trump said he wants to bypass due process. Laura Barrón-López reports.
'Dignity Is Being Compromised': Democratic Lawmakers Visit Students Arrested by ICEPBS News Hour
SEN. ED MARKEY
A group of Democratic members of Congress traveled to Louisiana to visit Mahmoud Khalil and Rümeysa Öztürk at federal detention facilities as both face potential removal from the U.S. The Trump administration claims they're each a threat to national security. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey.
Twelve States File Suit Against Trump Administration Tariff PolicyPBS News Hour
LARRY NEUMEISTER
The Associated PressA dozen states sued the Trump administration in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York on Wednesday to stop its tariff policy, saying it is unlawful and has brought chaos to the American economy. A message sent to the Justice Department for comment was not immediately returned.
'National Disgrace': U.S. Lawmakers Decry Student Detentions on Visit to Ice JailsThe Guardian
DANI ANGUIANO
ReportingCongressional lawmakers denounced as a "national disgrace" the treatment of Mahmoud Khalil and Rümeysa Öztürk, the students being detained by U.S. immigration authorities for their pro-Palestinian activism, during a visit to the two facilities in Louisiana where each is being held.
What Did Pope Francis Think of JD Vance? His View Was More Than ClearThe Guardian
JAN-WERNER MÜLLER
Princeton UniversityFrancis had been as outspoken as could be without naming names, when he criticized Vance in his February letter to U.S. bishops; but he was not just registering his rebuke of Trump and Vance's cruel treatment of refugees and migrants; he was reacting to a broader trend of instrumentalizing religion for nationalist and authoritarian populism. He wrote "the true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the 'Good Samaritan' ... that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception."
Federal Judge Accuses White House of 'Bad Faith' in Kilmar Ábrego García CaseThe Guardian
JOANNA WALTERS
SAM LEVINE
ReportingU.S. district judge Paula Xinis has given the Trump administration until 6pm ET on Wednesday to provide details to support its claims that it does not have to comply with orders to return Kilmar Ábrego García to the U.S., where he was living and working in Baltimore, because of special privilege. Xinis castigated the administration late on Tuesday saying it is ignoring court orders and obstructing the legal process.
'60 Minutes' Executive Producer Resigns, Saying Show's Indepependence Was CompromisedNPR Morning Edition
ERIC DEGAS
NPR Media AnalystBill Owens, executive producer of the CBS news magazine "60 Minutes," announced his resignation, saying he can no longer make independent journalism decisions for the program.
Economist Jason Furman Discusses IMF's Forecast of Slower Global GrowthNPR Morning Edition
JASON FURMAN
Harvard EconomistThe International Monetary Fund has soured on the global economy in a new forecast because of Trump's tariffs. NPR talks with Jason Furman, economist and Harvard professor, about the IMF's forecast.
IMF Warns That Global Economy Will Be Hit Hard by Trump's Trade WarNPR Morning Edition
SCOTT HORSLEY
ReportingThe International Monetary Fund has warned that President Trump's trade war will lead to slower economic growth around the world and higher inflation in the U.S.
Like Measles, Misinformation Is Spreading, Poll FindsNPR Morning Edition
MARIA GODOY
ReportingThe U.S. has now reported more than 800 measles cases in at least two dozen states. The vast majority of cases -- more than 600 -- are in Texas. In the midst of the outbreak, a new poll shows how much misinformation people are seeing about measles.
Former Defense Department Official Discusses Pentagon Turmoil, Signal ChatsNPR Morning Edition
EVELYN FARKAS
Former Deputy Asst. Secretary of DefenseNPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Evelyn Farkas about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of private Signal chats and the turmoil inside the Pentagon.
Foreign Policy Experts Offer Views on Trump Administration's Student Activist CrackdownPBS News Hour
CHAD WOLF
RICHARD HAASS
In DiscussionAccording to attorneys, over 1,000 student visas have been revoked in the Trump administration's crackdown. Part of that effort has been a State Department argument that some students' actions threaten U.S. foreign policy interests. Nick Schifrin discussed more with former acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council of Foreign Relations.
Supreme Court Hears Major Case on Public School Curriculum and Parental RightsPBS News Hour
MARCIA COYLE
The Supreme Court heard arguments in a major case focused on parental rights and public schools. At the center of the case is a dispute over a curriculum in Maryland that included books featuring LGBTQ+ characters. Some parents asked for their children to be excused, but schools stopped allowing opt-outs the next year. Amna Nawaz discussed more with News Hour Supreme Court analyst Marcia Coyle.
As Controversies Pile Up, Trump Allies Increasingly Turn on One AnotherThe Associated Press
CHRIS MEGERIAN
ZEKE MILLER
ReportingThe infighting and backstabbing that plagued President Donald Trump's first term have returned as a threat to his second, with deepening fissures over trade, national security and questions of personal loyalty.
Rubio Unveils a Massive Overhaul of the State Department, Cutting Staff and BureausThe Associated Press
FARNOUSH AMIRI
MATTHEW LEE
ELLEN KNICKMEYER
ReportingWASHINGTON -- Secretary of State Marco Rubio unveiled a massive overhaul of the State Department on Tuesday, with plans to reduce staff in the U.S. by 15 percent while closing and consolidating more than 100 bureaus worldwide as part of the Trump administration's "America First" mandate. The plan includes consolidating 734 bureaus and offices down to 602, as well as transitioning 137 offices to another location within the department to "increase efficiency," according to a fact sheet obtained by AP.
The Top Producer at '60 Minutes' Has Quit. He Says He Can No Longer Run the Show as He Always HasThe Associated Press
DAVID BAUDER
ReportingWith his show involved in a bitter dispute with President Donald Trump, the top executive at the storied CBS News show "60 Minutes" abruptly resigned on Tuesday while saying he's losing the freedom to run it independently. CBS News' top executive, Wendy McMahon, said in a statement that Owens "has led '60 Minutes' with unwavering integrity, curiosity and a deep commitment to the truth. He has championed the kind of journalism that informs, enlightens and often changes the national conversation."
Six Men Are Charged After Woman Was Dragged From Idaho Town HallThe New York Times
CHRISTINE HAUSER
ReportingSix men who prosecutors said took part in forcibly removing a woman from a town-hall meeting hosted by local Republicans in Coeur d'Alene, a small city in northern Idaho, in February are facing charges including battery and false imprisonment.
Under Hegseth, Chaos Prevails at the PentagonThe New York Times
GREG JAFF
HELENE COOPER
ReportingDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrived at the Pentagon in January with almost no government experience and huge ambitions to remake the way the military was being run. In just three months in office, Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has instead produced a run of chaos that is unmatched in the recent history of the Defense Department.
Supreme Court Weighs Who Should Decide Public School Curriculum: Judges or School Boards?NPR Morning Edition
NINA TOTENBERG
ReportingOn one side is the longstanding tradition of local school boards determining class curriculum for everyone. On the other side is the notion that public schools should accommodate religious objections to some materials by allowing parents to opt their kids out of some classes.
Over 150 U.S. University Presidents Sign Letter Decrying Trump AdministrationThe Guardian
ALICE SPERI
ReportingMore than 150 presidents of U.S. colleges and universities have signed a statement denouncing the Trump administration's "unprecedented government overreach and political interference" with higher education -- the strongest sign yet that U.S. educational institutions are forming a unified front against the government's extraordinary attack on their independence.
How the Trump Administration Is Dismantling Climate ProtectionsPBS News Hour
WILLIAM BRANGHAM
EnvironmentalistA federal judge has temporarily blocked the EPA from canceling $14 billion in climate grants approved by the Biden Administration. It marks a setback to President Trump's agenda to freeze climate spending across the government. As part of our Tipping Point series, William Brangham spoke with a leading environmentalist about the opposition to Trump's plan for the climate.
Supreme Court Hears Case Challenging Free Preventive Care CoveragePBS News Hour
AMY HOWE
SCOTUSblogThe Supreme Court heard the latest challenge to the Affordable Care Act. At issue is the constitutionality of a task force that recommends what preventive care treatments should be covered by private insurance at no cost. It could have impacts on everything from cancer screening to HIV-prevention medicine to counseling for expectant mothers. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Amy Howe of SCOTUSblog.
Hegseth Faces Calls to Resign Amid Leadership Concerns and New Signal Chat RevelationsPBS News Hour
LISA DESJARDINS
ReportingAfter a weekend of headlines, the White House faced new questions about Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and at least one Republican is now calling on him to resign. Some of this is related to Hegseth's use of the Signal messaging app to text operational details of military action. But as Lisa Desjardins reports, that is not the only issue.
More Than 5 Million Student Loan Borrowers Are in Default. Education Department Says They Will Be Referred to Debt CollectionPBS News Hour
ANNIE MA
The Associated PressBeginning May 5, the department will begin involuntary collection through the Treasury Department's offset program, which withholds payments from the government -- including tax refunds, federal salaries and other benefits -- from people with past-due debts to the government. After a 30-day notice, the department will also begin garnishing wages for borrowers in default.
The Trump Administration Is Sabotaging Your Scientific DataThe Guardian
JONATHAN GILMOUR
Harvard University"Over the past few months, the Trump administration has brazenly attacked our scientific establishment through agency firings censorship and funding cuts and it has explicitly targeted data the American taxpayers have paid for. They're stealing from us and putting our health and wellbeing in danger -- so now we must advocate for these federal resources. That's why we at the Public Environmental Data Partners are working to preserve critical environmental data. We are a coalition of non-profits, academic institutions, researchers and volunteers who work with federal data to support policy, research, advocacy and litigation work."
Rep. Jim Himes Discusses Report of Second Hegseth Signal Chat With Attack DetailsNPR Morning Edition
REP. JIM HIMES
House Intelligence CommitteeNPR asks the House Intelligence Committee's top Democrat, Jim Himes of Connecticut, about a report that Defense Secretary Hegseth shared details of a strike on Houthi rebels in a second Signal chat.
'Full-Blown Meltdown' at Pentagon After Hegseth's Second Signal Chat RevealedThe Guardian
EDWARD HELMORE
ReportingJohn Ullyot, who resigned last week after initially serving as Pentagon spokesperson, said in a opinion essay published by Politico on Sunday that the Pentagon has been overwhelmed by staff drama and turnover in the initial months of the second Trump administration. Ullyot called the situation a "full-blown meltdown" that could cost Hegseth, a 44-year-old former Fox News host and national guard officer, his job as defense secretary.
House Democrats Land in El Salvador to Push for Return of Kilmar Ábrego GarcíaThe Guardian
JOSEPH GEDEON
ReportingRepresentatives Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, Maxine Dexter of Oregon, Maxwell Frost of Florida and Robert Garcia of California touched down in Central America on Sunday, following a visit by the Maryland senator Chris Van Hollen last week. The lawmakers are seeking to meet with Ábrego García, who had lived in the U.S. for more than a decade before being swept up in a 15 March operation.
sSCOTUSblog Reporter Amy Howe Discusses Supreme Court Order to Halt DeportationsNPR Morning Edition
AMY HOWE
ReportingNPR speaks with SCOTUSblog reporter Amy Howe about the Supreme Court order to temporarily stop the Trump administration from deporting more Venezuelan detainees under the Alien Enemies Act.
Alito Releases Dissent in Supreme Court Decision Blocking DeportationsThe New York Times
ABBIE VANSICKLE
ReportingIn his five-page dissent released on Saturday shortly before midnight, Justice Alito, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, wrote that in his view, the court's decision to intervene overnight was not "necessary or appropriate."
Trump Draft Order Calls for Drastic Restructure of State DepartmentThe Guardian
EDWARD HELMORE
ReportingA draft Trump administration executive order circulating among U.S. diplomats proposes a radical restructuring of the U.S. state department, including drastic reductions to sub-Saharan operations, envoys and bureaus relating to climate, refugees, human rights, democracy and gender equality.
Protesters Fill the Streets in Cities Across the U.S. to Denounce Trump AgendaThe Guardian
ROBERT TAIT
EDWARD HELMORE
ReportingProtesters poured into the streets of cities and towns across the United States again on Saturday, in the second wave of protests this month, as organizers seek to turn discontent with Donald Trump's presidency into a mass movement that will eventually translate into action at the ballot box. By early afternoon, large protests were under way in Washington, New York and Chicago, with images of crowds cascading across social networks showing additional demonstrations in Rhode Island, Maryland, Wisconsin, Tennessee, South Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky, California and Pennsylvania, among others. Americans abroad also signaled their opposition to the Trump agenda in Dublin, Ireland and other cities.
Anti-Trump Protests This Weekend Turn Focus to Community ActionNPR
EMMA BOWMAN
ReportingMore large-scale protests, rallies and other actions against the Trump administration are set to take place in cities across the U.S. this weekend, with organizers hoping to seize on what they say is growing resistance against anti-democratic policies. The White House did not respond to NPR's request for comment.
Supreme Court Suspends Trump Administration's Deportations to Foreign PrisonsNPR Weekend Edition
MEG ANDERSON
ReportingThe Trump administration is considering sending people who are accused of crimes in the U.S. to prisons in El Salvador, both immigrants and U.S. citizens alike. Legal experts say sending people to foreign prisons is like dropping them into a black box, where they don't have the protections people in U.S. custody are afforded.
Trump Officials Blame Mistake for Setting Off Confrontation With HarvardThe New York Times
MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT
MICHAEL C. BENDER
ReportingThe April 11 letter from the White House's task force on antisemitism, a frantic Trump official told Harvard, should not have been sent and was "unauthorized," two people familiar with the matter said. "It remains unclear to us exactly what, among the government's recent words and deeds, were mistakes or what the government actually meant to do and say. But even if the letter was a mistake, the actions the government took this week have real-life consequences" on students and employees and "the standing of American higher education in the world," Harvard said in a statement.
Trump Moves to Reclassify Federal Workers, Making It Easier to Fire ThemPBS News Hour
LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ
ReportingPresident Trump advanced his plans to make it easier to fire tens of thousands of federal workers. He said he would move forward with a rule, previously known as Schedule F, allowing agencies to quickly remove employees from critical positions. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López reports.
'Let's Have a Real Court Case': Attorney for Deported Man on the Refusals to Return HimPBS News Hour
RINA GANDHI
AttorneyFor more than a month, Kilmar Abrego Garcia has been in prison in El Salvador after the Trump administration deported the Maryland resident along with hundreds of others. Thursday, his family and the world saw photos of Abrego Garcia and heard a first-hand report of his condition after Sen. Chris Van Hollen met with him. William Brangham discussed the latest with attorney Rina Gandhi.
Detained Tufts Student Must Be Transferred From Louisiana to Vermont, Judge RulesPBS News Hour
HOLLY RAMER
KATHY MCCORMACK
The Associated PressRumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University student from Turkey being held in Louisiana, must be returned to New England by May 1 to determine whether she was illegally detained by immigration officials for co-writing an op-ed piece in the student newspaper, U.S. District Judge William Sessions ruled Friday.
Wife of Kilmar Ábrego García Speaks as White House Defiant Over U.S. ReturnThe Guardian
EDWARD HELMORE
LÉONIE CHAO-FONG
ReportingJennifer Vasquez Sura, the wife of Kilmar Ábrego García, the man the Trump administration has admitted it mistakenly deported, expressed relief to learn he is alive after Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) managed to meet with him in El Salvador as the White House posted on social media that he is "never coming back" to the U.S. Van Holler said he traveled to El Salvador for more than just Ábrego García. "It's about protecting the constitutional rights of everybody who resides in the United States," said Van Hollen, as Vasquez Sura stood nearby.
Trump Ousts IRS Chief Days After Appointment Amid Musk-Bessent FeudThe Guardian
MARINA DUNBAR
ReportingDonald Trump is replacing the acting commissioner of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly complained to the president that the agency head had been appointed without his knowledge and under the instruction of Doge leader Elon Musk.
Trump Turns a Covid Information Web site Into a Promotion Page for the Lab Leak TheoryThe Associated Press
STAFF
ReportingThe covid.gov Web site shows a photo of Donald Trump walking between the words "lab" and "leak" under a White House heading. It mentions that Wuhan, China, where the coronavirus first began spreading, is home to a research lab with a history of conducting virus research with "inadequate biosafety levels." The Web page also accuses Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, of pushing a "preferred narrative" that Covid-19 originated in nature.
U.S. Judge Halts Trump Plan for Rapid Deportations to Third CountriesReuters
NATE RAYMOND
DANIEL WIESSNER
ReportingA U.S. judge barred the Trump administration from rapidly deporting hundreds if not thousands of migrants to countries other than their own without giving them a chance to show they fear being persecuted, tortured or killed there.
Trump Officials Create Uncertainty to Evade Court Orders Rather Than ComplyThe Guardian
HUGO LOWELL
ReportingFaced with a flurry of adverse court orders it would rather not follow, the Trump White House is increasingly deploying a strategy of claiming or even manufacturing its own uncertainty to dodge their effects without appearing to outright defy them.
Denied, Detained, Deported: The People Ensnared in Trump's Immigration CrackdownThe Guardian
JOANNA WALTERS
ReportingThe administration has set about further militarizing the U.S.-Mexico border and targeting asylum seekers and refugees while conducting raids in undocumented communities and spreading fear. Critics are outraged, if not surprised. But few expected the new legal chapter that unfolded next: a multi-pronged crackdown on certain people seen as opponents of the U.S. president's ideological agenda. Here are some of the most high-profile individual cases.
Supreme Court to Hear Arguments on Trump's Birthright Citizenship Order in MayNPR Morning Edition
NINA TOTENBERG
ReportingThe Supreme Court said on Thursday it will hear arguments in May on whether the U.S. Constitution guarantees birthright citizenship, a case stemming from an executive order by President Trump.
The State Department Is Changing Its Mind About What It Calls Human RightsNPR Morning Edition
GRAHAM SMITH
ReportingThe Trump administration is substantially scaling back the State Department's annual reports on international human rights to remove longstanding critiques of abuses such as harsh prison conditions, government corruption and restrictions on participation in the political process, NPR has learned. They won't condemn retaining political prisoners without due process or restrictions on "free and fair elections."
Los Angeles Schools Leader Explains Why He Refused to Let DHS Agents See StudentsPBS News Hour
ALBERTO CARVALHO
LA Unified School District SuperintendentOfficers with the Department of Homeland Security recently attempted to enter elementary schools in Los Angeles but were not allowed in. Agents claim to have been conducting a welfare check, not an immigration enforcement action. School administrators say DHS lied about having permission from caregivers to speak to students. The agency denies that its officers lied. Laura Barrón-López reports.
Chicago Fed President on Trump's Trade War and Threats to Fire PowellPBS News Hour
AUSTAN GOOLSBEE
Federal Reserve Bank of ChicagoPresident Trump took aim at Jerome Powell, calling interest rates cuts and saying the Fed Chair's termination "cannot come fast enough." It comes as his administration's tariffs continue to cause global fallout. The International Monetary Fund warns it expects slower economic growth and higher inflation. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Austan Goolsbee of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
Court Denies White House Appeal of 'Shocking' Abrego Garcia Deportation CaseNPR
XIMENA BUSTILLO
ReportingThe U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has denied the Trump administration's effort to appeal an order mandating that government officials be deposed about the accidental deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador. The Fourth Circuit ruling against the Trump administration came just one day after the government filed an appeal of a lower court order, a remarkably short time for a court to reach a ruling.
Tariffs Against China Threaten the Booming Board Game IndustryHere & Now
SAM BRYANT
GWEN RUELLE
Runaway Parade GamesBoard games have been booming. But the industry is starting to collapse under the weight of hefty tariffs against China, where most board games are produced. "The big companies might be able to bring manufacturing back or invest in it. But for us, we're not experts in manufacturing or building factories or building infrastructure. We're really just a small business; two creatives who had an idea and were able to produce it. There is no way we could manufacture in this country at any time in the future that I can see," Bryant explains.
Republican Lawmakers Face Fresh Backlash to Trump at HomeThe New York Times
MICHAEL GOLD
MAYA C. MILLER
ReportingDespite some attempts to create controlled environments aimed at thwarting disruptions by protesters, congressional Republicans who are holding town halls are catching continued heat from their constituents. "We would like to know what you, as the people, the Congress who are supposed to rein in this dictator -- what are you going to do about it?" one man asked, gesticulating as much of the crowd applauded. After criticizing the Trump administration's deportations, the man scowled, leaned toward Grassley and asked, "Why won't you do your job, Senator?"
Doge Tried to Embed Staffers in Criminal Justice Non-Profit, Says GroupThe Guardian
NICK ROBINS-EARLY
ReportingDoge staff member Nate Cavanaugh emailed the Vera Institute of Justice, a criminal justice reform non-profit independent from the government, to demand a meeting to discuss embedding a team within their organization. "We have watched this administration try to kneecap academia, law firms, media and now they are coming for the non-profit sector," said Insha Rahman, Vera's vice-president of advocacy and partnerships.
Trump Attacks Fed Chair Over Interest Rates and Says His Termination 'Cannot Come Fast Enough'The Guardian
JASPER JOLLY
TOM AMBROSE
JOANNA WALTERS
ReportingDonald Trump early on Thursday blasted the Federal Reserve chairman, Jerome Powell, for not lowering U.S. interest rates and expressed a wish for him to be gone from his role. The U.S. Senate confirms the chair and the U.S. president cannot terminate the head of the Federal Reserve before the end of their four-year fixed stints.
Cory Booker to Visit El Salvador in Effort to Return Wrongly Deported Man to U.S.The Guardian
CHRIS STEIN
ReportingBooker's trip to the Central American country would come after the Maryland senator Chris Van Hollen traveled there this week to meet with his constituent Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadorian national deported last month in what the Trump administration acknowledged was an "administrative error." Despite a Supreme Court ruling saying his administration must "facilitate" Ábrego García's return, Trump has refused to take steps to do so and El Salvador's government on Wednesday denied Van Hollen a meeting with the deportee.
Wesleyan President Michael Roth Discusses Trump's Pressure Campaign on UniversitiesNPR Morning Edition
MICHAEL ROTH
Wesleyan PresidentNPR's A Martinez speaks to Wesleyan University President Michael Roth about the Trump administration's pressure campaign on universities and its antisemitic "cloak."
Researcher Discusses CDC Findings That Autism Rates Have Increased in KidsNPR Morning Edition
HELEN TAGER-FLUSBERG
Boston UniversityNPR's Michel Martin speaks with Helen Tager-Flusberg, director of Boston University's Center for Autism Research Excellence, about CDC findings that autism rates have increased among children.
'Homegrowns Are Next': Trump Hopes to Deport and Jail U.S. Citizens AbroadNPR Morning Edition
BRIAN MANN
ReportingPresident Trump says his administration is actively exploring a proposal to detain U.S. citizens and send them to prisons in El Salvador. "It's obviously unconstitutional, obviously illegal. There's no authority in any U.S. law to deport U.S. citizens and certainly not to imprison them in a foreign country," said David Bier of the Cato Institute.
Destroying Endangered Species' Habitat Wouldn't Count as 'Harm' Under Proposed Trump RuleNPR Morning Edition
JONATHAN LAMBERT
ReportingThe Trump administration is proposing to significantly limit the Endangered Species Act's power to preserve crucial habitats by changing the definition of one word: harm. On Wednesday, the administration proposed a rule change that would essentially prohibit only actions that directly hurt or kill actual animals, not the habitats they rely on. "Habitat loss is the biggest single cause of extinction and endangered species -- it makes sense to address it," said Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity. He called efforts to deny that cause "callous and reckless."
California Is Taking Trump to Court to Stop His TariffsThe New York Times
SHAWN HUBLER
SOUMYA KARLAMANGLA
ReportingCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Attorney General Rob Bonta have sued President Trump to try to stop his flurry of tariffs, accusing the president of taking unlawful action to escalate a global trade war that has caused "immediate and irreparable harm" to the state's economy. Newsom said that California had a responsibility to fight the tariffs as the largest importer and second-largest exporter among the states. "Where the hell is Congress? Where the hell is Speaker Johnson? Do your job," Newsom said.
Address by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome PowellFederal Reserve System
JEROME POWELL
Federal Reserve Chair"As that great Chicagoan Ferris Bueller once noted, 'Life moves pretty fast.' For the time being, we are well positioned to wait for greater clarity before considering any adjustments to our policy stance. We continue to analyze the incoming data, the evolving outlook and the balance of risks. We understand that elevated levels of unemployment or inflation can be damaging and painful for communities, families and businesses. We will continue to do everything we can to achieve our maximum-employment and price-stability goals."
NPR CEO Katherine Maher Addresses Future of Federal Funding for Public MediaAll Things Considered
MARY LOUISE KELLY
TYLER BARTLAM
MATT OZUG
ReportingThe Trump administration has drafted a memo to Congress outlining its intent to eliminate nearly all federal funding for public media -- which includes NPR and PBS -- according to a White House official who spoke to NPR on condition of anonymity. In the memo, the administration accused both networks of spreading "radical, woke propaganda, disguised as 'news.'" NPR has asked the White House to comment on their goal with pulling back funding. The White House has not responded.
Maryland Sen. Van Hollen Meets With El Salvador's Vice President in Push for Abrego Garcia's ReleaseThe Associated Press
MARY CLARE JALONICK
YOLANDA MAGAÑA
MATT BROWN
ReportingMaryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador on Wednesday and met with the country's vice president to push for the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man who was sent there by the Trump administration in March despite an immigration court order preventing his deportation.
NLRB Whistleblower Claims Musk's DOGE Potentially Caused Significant Security BreachPBS News Hour
DANIEL BERULIS
NLRB IT StaffThe National Labor Relations Board protects workers' right to organize and investigates unfair labor practices. A whistleblower complaint filed by an IT staffer claims Elon Musk and his DOGE team gained access to sensitive data that could have led directly to a "significant cybersecurity breach." Amna Nawaz discussed more with NLRB whistleblower Daniel Berulis and attorney Andrew Bakaj.
Challenge to Trump Deportations Morphs Into a Battle Over Executive and Judicial PowerPBS News Hour
STEVE VLADECK
Georgetown UniversityWhat started as a challenge to the Trump administration's deportation policy has morphed into a battle over executive and judicial power. A federal judge said there is probable cause to hold the administration in criminal contempt after officials defied his orders to turn around planes carrying deported migrants to a mega-prison in El Salvador. Amna Nawaz discussed the latest with Constitutional law professor Steve Vladeck.
Judge: 'Probable Cause' to Hold U.S. In Contempt Over Alien Enemies Act DeportationsNPR
NPR STAFF
ReportingJudge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia ruled Wednesday that there is "probable cause" to find the Trump administration in criminal contempt of court for violating his order last month to immediately pause any deportations under the Alien Enemies Act.
Fed Resists Pressure to Rescue Treasury MarketSemafor
LIZ HOFFMAN
ReportingThe Federal Reserve is resisting pressure from the White House and Washington to spur big banks to buy more Treasury bonds, a reluctance that could further shake an unnerved market for U.S. debt.
U.S. Sues Maine Over Trump Executive Order on Transgender AthletesReuters
SARAH N. LYNCH
ReportingU.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Maine, in an escalation of President Donald Trump's conflict with the state for refusing to ban transgender athletes from participating in women's and girls' sports. The lawsuit comes five days after the administration tried to cut off all of Maine's federal funding for public schools and its school lunch program over the issue, following a Feb. 21 meeting of Trump and a group of U.S. governors where he clashed with Maine's Democratic governor, Janet Mills.
Harvard Professor Gives Perspective on the Trump Administration Clash With UniversityNPR Morning Edition
MICHEL MARTIN
Harvard Law SchoolWhat does the clash between Harvard and the Trump administration look like from the perspective of its faculty? NPR's Michel Martin akss Harvard Law School professor Nikolas Bowie.
What Kilmar Abrego Garcia's Case Says About the Trump Administration and the CourtsNPR Morning Edition
KATE SHAW
University of PennsylvaniaWhat does Kilmar Abrego Garcia's case tell us about the relationship between the Trump administration and the courts? NPR's A Martinez asks Kate Shaw, law professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
Trump Administration Ending Temporary Protected Status for Afghans Living in U.S.NPR Morning Edition
SHAWN VANDIVER
AfghanEvacThe Trump administration is ending temporary protection status for Afghan citizens living in the U.S. NPR's A Martinez speaks to Shawn VanDiver, president and CEO of the nonprofit AfghanEvac.
Van Hollen Announces Departure for El Salvador Tomorrow MorningVan Hollen Web Site
SEN. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN
Sen. Van Hollen's statement: "Following his abduction and unlawful deportation, U.S. federal courts have ordered the safe return of my constituent Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States. It should be a priority of the U.S. government to secure his safe release, which is why tomorrow I am traveling to El Salvador. My hope is to visit Kilmar and check on his wellbeing and to hold constructive conversations with government officials around his release. We must urgently continue working to return Kilmar safely home to Maryland."
The White House Is Starting a New Media Policy That Restricts Wire Services' Access to the PresidentThe Associated Press
DAVID BAUDER
ReportingFresh from a courtroom loss over The Associated Press' access to the presidency, the White House on Tuesday put forward a new media policy that sharply curtails access to Donald Trump by news agencies that serve media outlets around the world. It was the latest attempt by the new administration to control coverage of its activities.
yJoe Biden Accuses Trump and Musk of Taking 'Hatchet' to Social SecurityThe Guardian
LAUREN GAMBINO
ReportingFormer President Joe Biden on Tuesday accused Donald Trump and his billionaire lieutenant, Elon Musk, of taking a "hatchet" to the Social Security Administration as part of their warp-speed effort to tear down the federal government. "In the 90 years since Franklin Roosevelt created the Social Security system, people have always gotten their Social Security checks," Biden said. "They've gotten them during wartime, during recessions, during a pandemic. No matter what, they got them. But now for the first time ever, that might change. It'd be a calamity for millions of families."
Obama Backs Harvard as Yale Faculty Members Support Standing Up to TrumpThe Guardian
EDWARD HELMORE
ReportingFormer President Barack Obama has come out in support of Harvard after the Trump administration elected to cut $2bn of its federal grants after the Ivy League school in Massachusetts rejected what it said was an attempt at "government regulation" of the university. Meanwhile, faculty at Yale University -- another prominent Ivy League institution -- has asked its leadership "to resist and legally challenge any unlawful demands that threaten academic freedom and ... self-governance."
Students at Pentagon Schools Sue Hegseth Over Book Bans on Race and GenderThe Guardian
ED PILKINGTON
ReportingTwelve students studying in Pentagon schools in the U.S. and around the world are suing the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, over the book bans he has instigated to remove titles on race and gender from their libraries. The complaint says that the censorship has been applied system-wide across Pentagon schools and was endangering children by preventing them from learning critical information about health, hygiene, biology and abuse. The volumes included Maya Angelou's celebrated autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and many titles relating to race and LGBTQ+ rights. Meanwhile, two copies of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf were allowed to remain in the library.
Judge Presses Trump Administration on Why It Hasn't Returned Wrongfully Deported ManPBS News Hour
MARY McCORD
Georgetown UniversityA federal judge told Justice Department lawyers to cancel vacation as she launched rapid discovery in the case of a wrongfully deported man. Judge Paula Xinis scolded the Trump administration for doing "nothing" to facilitate Kilmar Abrego Garcia's release from El Salvador's custody and return him to the United States. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López discussed more with Mary McCord.
Billions in Grants Frozen After Harvard Pushes Back Against Trump's DemandsPBS News Hour
CORNELL WILLIAM BROOKS
Harvard ProfessorHarvard became the first major school to push back against the Trump administration's efforts against colleges. The administration told Harvard it would lose federal funding if it didn't change hiring practices and address allegations of antisemitism. But Harvard rejected that request, saying it can't "allow itself to be taken over." William Brangham discussed more with Cornell William Brooks.
How College Communities Are Reacting to Funding Threats, International Student ArrestsPBS News Hour
THREE EDITORS OF STUDENT NEWSPAPERS
ReportingRecent threats to federal funding and arrests of international students have created a sense of unease on many college campuses. A trio of editors at student newspapers across the country share a unique perspective about what they are seeing on the ground and how campus communities are reacting.
Why Abortions Are Rising in the U.S. Despite More RestrictionsPBS News Hour
MARY ZIEGLER
Author of 'Personhood'Access to abortion services has shifted dramatically in the three years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade. Twelve states currently ban the procedure with limited exceptions, another four have bans after six weeks of pregnancy. Stephanie Sy discussed a new report that shows whether bans have led to a drop in abortions with Mary Ziegler, author of "Personhood."
In Showdowns With the Courts, Trump Is Increasingly CombativeThe New York Times
ADAM LIPTAK
ReportingThe Trump administration's compliance with court orders started with foot-dragging, moved to semantic gymnastics and has now arrived at the cusp of outright defiance.
Inside Trump's Plan to Halt Hundreds of RegulationsThe New York Times
CORAL DAVENPORT
ReportingTrump and his allies see the new steps as the coup de grâce in a systematic overhaul of the federal government that began with mass layoffs and efforts to shut down some agencies. They believe that the rapid repeal of some rules -- and the stop-work order on enforcing others -- will quickly and permanently uproot a vast network of regulations that many see as a safety net, but that they view as a drag on industry and a tool for what Vought has called a "woke and weaponized" bureaucracy.
'An Existential Threat to Democracy': The U.S. Judge Facing a Challenge to Her Election VictoryThe Guardian
SAM LEVINE
ReportingIn November, Allison Riggs, a Democratic justice on the North Carolina supreme court, won an election for the state supreme court by 734 votes. On Friday, the North Carolina supreme court ordered the state board of elections to give certain overseas voters 30 days to prove their eligibility in order to have the votes they cast more than five months ago count. "I worry that this is honing a playbook to be used in the future, that people in power hold on to power by selectively challenging election outcomes that they don't like," she said.
Constitutional Scholar on Trump's Refusal to Demand Return of Wrongly Deported ManNPR Morning Edition
KIM WEHLE
Constitutional ScholarNPR's Michel Martin talks with constitutional scholar Kim Wehle about President Trump's refusal to demand the return of a wrongly-deported Salvadoran national, despite a Supreme Court order. The right to due process goes back to the Magna Carta, she points out. Foreign affairs authority does not supersede that right, she says.
Five Takeaways About NPR's Reporting on the Whistleblower Report About DOGE at the NLRBNPR Morning Edition
JENNA MCLAUGHLIN
Reporting"There is nothing that I can see about what DOGE is doing that follows any of the standard procedures for how you do an audit that has integrity and that's meaningful and will actually produce results that serve the normal auditing function, which is to look for fraud, waste and abuse," said Sharon Block, the executive director of Harvard Law School's Center for Labor and a Just Economy and a former NLRB board member.
Attorney for Detained Tufts Student Discusses Her Detention and Immigration HearingNPR Morning Edition
RAMZI KASSEM
Attorney for OzturkNPR speaks with Ramzi Kassem, a member of the legal team for Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk, about her detention and arguments in her immigration hearing.
Judge Explains Why She Spoke Out Against Directive to Pause LGBTQ+ CasesNPR Morning Edition
KAREN ORTIZ
Equal Opportunity CommissionKaren Ortiz, An administrative judge at the federal agency that enforces U.S. workplace anti-discrimination laws, explains why she spoke out against a directive to pause all LGBTQ+ cases. "It's time for us to embody the civil rights work we were hired to do and honor the oath to the Constitution that we all took," she emailed 200 colleagues in the New York district office.
Trump Administration Freezes More Than $2.2 Billion After Harvard Rejects DemandsNPR Morning Edition
LEILA FADEL
ReportingThe Trump administration on Monday froze more than $2.2 billion in contracts and multiyear grants for Harvard after the university said it would defy government demands to change certain policies.
White House to Ask Congress to Claw Back Funding From NPR and PBSThe New York Times
BENJAMIN MULLIN
TONY ROMM
JONATHAN SWAN
ReportingThe White House is planning to ask Congress to claw back more than $1 billion slated for public broadcasting in the United States, according to two people briefed on the plan, a move that could ultimately eliminate almost all federal support for NPR and PBS. Most of the government funding goes to local stations, which rely on it to finance their newsrooms and pay for programming.
Trump Administration Sued Over Tariffs in U.S. International Trade CourtThe Guardian
REUTERS AND GUARDIAN STAFF
ReportingA legal advocacy group has asked the U.S. court of international trade to block Trump's sweeping tariffs on foreign trading partners, arguing the president overstepped his authority. The lawsuit was filed by the Liberty Justice Center on behalf of five U.S. businesses that import goods from countries targeted by the tariffs.
Will the SAVE Act Make It Harder for Married Women to Vote? We Ask Legal ExpertsNPR
JULIANA KIM
ReportingAs the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act heads to the Senate, there has been growing debate on how the bill may affect voting for millions of married women, particularly those who have changed their last names, if it becomes law.
Harvard LetterTalking Points Memo
JOSH MARSHALL
Founder and Editor-in-Chief"I'd really recommend reading the letter. Among other things it requires the University to hire a cadre of White House approved commissars to ensure that MAGA conservatives are equally represented not only at the University level but at each individual department, teaching and research 'unit' -- both in hiring and admissions. The White House demands that every department and unit be 'audited' by the outside commissar group for 'viewpoint diversity.' Each department or unit found not to have sufficient MAGA representation (defined as 'viewpoint diversity') 'must be reformed by hiring a critical mass of new faculty' to 'provide viewpoint diversity.' Same language but with respect to admissions. Any department or unit which lacks MAGA representation must admit a bunch of new MAGA 'viewpoint diverse' students. Again, it's just one example."
Harvard Defies Trump's Demands and Risks $9 Billion in Federal FundingThe Associated Press
MICHAEL CASEY
ReportingHarvard University announced it won't comply with a list of demands from the Trump administration, which included a ban on face masks, despite putting almost $9 billion in federal funding at risk. In a letter to the Harvard community today, Harvard President Alan Garber said the demands violated the university's First Amendment rights and "exceeds the statutory limits of the government's authority under Title VI," which prohibits discrimination against students based on their race, color or national origin.
Confusion Over Electronics Tariffs Injects More Uncertainty Into EconomyPBS News Hour
DAVID WESSEL
The Hutchins CenterThe escalating trade war between the U.S. and China is continuing to inject uncertainty into the world's two largest economies. Over the weekend, President Trump and top trade officials added to the confusion, carving out exemptions for tariffs on electronic products. To discuss the trade war, William Brangham spoke with David Wessel of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy.
Trump, El Salvador's President Indicate No Intention of Returning Man Mistakenly DeportedPBS News Hour
LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ
ReportingPresident Trump met with El Salvador's leader as both governments rejected responsibility for the fate of a man the administration admits was wrongly deported. The Supreme Court said last week the U.S. must facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Attorney General Bondi said the return is at El Salvador's discretion, but President Bukele claims his hands are tied. Laura Barrón-López reports.
How the Trump Administration Is Impacting the First Amendment Rights of ScientistsNPR Morning Edition
LEILA FADEL
ReportingMorning Edition's First Amendment series looks at the cost of speaking out or staying silent in the scientific community, amid pressure from colleagues or officials in Washington.
Troops Arrive at the Border to Help With Enforcement Despite Fewer Migrant CrossingsNPR Morning Edition
CARLOS MORALES
ReportingThe Trump administration's deployment of active-duty soldiers to Presidio, Tex., has begun. "I feel like they're basically turning this place into a military zone or a wanna-be conflict zone when in reality it isn't," said local resident Anibal Galindo of the deployment. "The surveillance is here," said Galindo. "So what else do you want?"
Richard Haass Discusses Trump's Tariff Pauses and Their Impact on U.S. Trade PolicyNPR Morning Edition
RICHARD HAASS
The Council on Foreign RelationsNPR's Michel Martin speaks with Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, about the impact of President Trump's tariff pauses and what they mean for U.S. trade policy.
A Fifth of Americans Are on Medicaid; Some of Them Have No IdeaStateline
ANNA CLAIRE VOLLERS
ReportingSome Americans who rely on Medicaid to pay for their health care don't realize their insurance is funded by that very program, which congressional Republicans are looking to shrink. One reason is that state programs aren't always called "Medicaid." Many states have rebranded their programs with consumer-friendly names such as SoonerCare in Oklahoma, Apple Health in Washington, Medi-Cal in California or TennCare in Tennessee.
Bernie Sanders Rally in LA Draws Thousands to Protest Trump: 'We Can't Just Let This Happen'The Guardian
VICTORIA CLAYTON
ReportingVermont senator Bernie Sanders and New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez drew a record-breaking crowd at their rally in Los Angeles on Saturday, which included musical acts from Joan Baez and Neil Young, who encouraged the crowd to "take America back."
'Bureaucratic Cruelty': 9/11 Responders and Survivors Shaken by U.S. Health CutsThe Guardian
JESSICA GLENZA
ReportingA program that provides free healthcare to first responders and survivors of the World Trade Center terror attacks has been in turmoil for months, with services cut, restored and cut again as part of the Trump administration's "restructuring" of the federal health department.
Eco-Rollbacks From TrumpAll Things Considered
DAVID CASH
Former New England EPA administratorThe Trump administration has paused funding from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, impacting multiple projects that were already approved and in progress. The Environmental Protection Agency also set up a new email address for companies to fast track requests for exemptions of pollution rules under the Clean Air Act. Former New England EPA administrator David Cash joined Host Aynsley O'Neill to discuss.
Trump Attacks State Climate LawsAll Things Considered
AYNSLEY O'NEILL
PALOMA BELTRAN
ReportingTrump has issued an executive order titled "Protecting American Energy from State Overreach." The order directs the U.S. attorney general to identify and block state laws that deal with climate change, environmental justice and carbon emissions, including the climate superfund laws passed in New York and Vermont that impose stiff fines on big fossil fuel companies. Hosts Aynsley O'Neill and Paloma Beltran report.
Trump Admin Tells Judge Man Wrongly Deported to El Salvador Is Alive, Still DetainedNPR
CHANDELIS DUSTER
ReportingA Maryland man who was wrongly deported to El Salvador is alive and still detained in the country, the Trump administration said in a filing to a federal judge on Saturday. Abrego Garcia's attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, said in a statement to NPR, "We are incredulous. Twenty-four more hours and still no answers as to what they've done so far and what they're planning to do going forward, to carry out the Supreme Court's ruling."
Trump Trade Team Chases 90 Deals in 90 DaysReuters
DAVID LAWDER
ANDREA SHALAL
ReportingPresident Donald Trump's administration wants to strike 90 trade deals in 90 days, but the challenges to quickly resolving the president's trade war are already apparent. "Teeing up these decisions is going to take some serious negotiations," said Wendy Cutler, a former U.S. Trade Representative chief negotiator who heads the Asia Society Policy Institute. "There's no way during this timeframe we're doing a comprehensive agreement with any of these countries."
U.S. 'Demands Control' From Ukraine of Key Pipeline Carrying Russian GasThe Guardian
LUKE HARDING
ReportingThe U.S. has demanded control of a crucial pipeline in Ukraine used to send Russian gas to Europe, according to reports, in a move described as a colonial shakedown. Trump wants Kyiv to hand over its natural resources as "payback" in return for weapons delivered by the previous Biden administration.
Trump Administration Says It Will Exclude Some Electronics From Reciprocal TariffsThe Associated Press
MAE ANDERSON
ReportingThe Trump administration late Friday said they would exclude electronics like smartphones and laptops from reciprocal tariffs, a move that could help keep the prices down for popular consumer electronics that aren't usually made in the U.S.
An Emboldened Anti-Abortion Faction Wants Women Who Have Abortions to Face Criminal ChargesThe Associated Press
CHRISTINE FERNANDO
ReportingMainstream anti-abortion groups have largely shied away from legislation that would punish women for having abortions, but abortion abolitionists believe abortion should be considered homicide and punished with the full force of the law. In many states, they have been advocating for legislation to do just that.
Law Firm Targeted by Trump Sues as Five Other Top Firms Make DealsReuters
MIKE SCARCELLA
SARA MERKEN
DAVID THOMAS
ReportingSusman Godfrey accused Trump of trying to "exact revenge" on the firm that represented Dominion Voting Systems in defamation cases related to the president's false claims that the 2020 U.S. election was rigged. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
Immigration Judge Rules Trump Administration Can Deport Columbia Protestor Mahmoud KhalilPBS News Hour
LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ
ReportingA Louisiana immigration judge ruled that the Trump administration can deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia grad student detained last month for his role in campus protests against the war in Gaza. Khalil has not been charged with a crime and the administration is trying to remove him through a Cold War immigration law. Laura Barrón-López discussed more with immigration attorney David Leopold.
How Trump's Tariffs and Trade War Are Impacting U.S. And Global EconomiesPBS News Hour
MARY LOVELY
Peterson Institute for International EconomicsFor a closer look at how President Trump's tariffs are already impacting the U.S. and global economies, Amna Nawaz spoke with Mary Lovely, a senior fellow who studies tariffs at the nonpartisan Peterson Institute for International Economics.
State Department Staff Told to Report Colleagues for 'Anti-Christian Bias'The Guardian
JOSEPH GEDEON
ReportingThe state department is ordering staff to report colleagues for instances of "anti-Christian bias." The internal cable, obtained by the Guardian, establishes a short seven-day window for employees to report perceived religious discrimination committed by state department officials, with particular emphasis on Christianity.
Harriet Tubman, Erased From U.S. Parks Web Site Without Agency's Permission, RestoredHyperallergic
RHEA NAYYAR
ReportingChanges to a National Park Service Web site that removed any mention of Harriet Tubman from a text about the Underground Railroad were "made without approval from NPS leadership," a spokesperson said. The NPS has restored its original text after outcry in light of a Washington Post report identifying the altered webpage earlier this week.
U.S. Law Firms Quietly Scrub DEI References From Web sites to Appease TrumpThe Guardian
SAM LEVINE
ReportingNearly two dozen U.S. law firms have quietly scrubbed references to diversity, equity and inclusion from their Web site and revised descriptions of pro-bono work to more closely align with Donald Trump's priorities, a Guardian review has found, underscoring the Trump administration's successful campaign of intimidation against the legal profession.
White House Orders NIH to Research Trans 'Regret' and 'Detransition'NPR Shots
ROB STEIN
ReportingThe Trump administration has ordered the National Institutes of Health to study the physical and mental health effects of undergoing gender transition. The directive was shared with NPR by two current NIH staffers who did not want to be identified for fear of retribution. It is from acting NIH Director Mark Memoli and says the NIH must study the impact of "social transition and/or chemical and surgical mutilation" among children who transition. Specifically, the White House wants the NIH to study "regret" and "detransition" among children and adults who have transitioned.
Senator Todd Young on U.S.-China RelationsNPR Morning Edition
STEVE INSKEEP
ReportingRepublican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana speaks with NPR's Steve Inskeep about a range of China issues, from the administration's trade war with Beijing to China's growing advantage in biotechnology.
U.S. Fires Greenland Military Base Chief for 'Undermining' VanceBBC
ADRIENNE MURRAY
HAFSA KHALIL
ReportingCol. Susannah Meyers has been fired after she reportedly sent an email distancing herself from Vice-President JD Vance's criticism of Denmark. The alleged email, released by a military news site, told staff Vance's comments were "not reflective" of the base. A Pentagon spokesman cited the article, saying "undermining" U.S. leadership was not tolerated.
Australian With Working Visa Detained and Deported Returning From Sister's MemorialThe Guardian
DAISY DUMAS
ReportingJonathan says his visa was still valid for more than 15 months and he had left and re-entered the U.S. without any problems about 20 times holding the same class of visa. An official told him his visa had been cancelled and he was banned from entering the U.S. for five years, including as a transit passenger. He was told he would be placed on a flight to Australia. He says the official then told him, "Trump is back in town; we're doing things the way we should have always been doing them."
Pressuring Migrants to 'Self-Deport,' White House Moves to Cancel Social Security NumbersThe New York Times
NYT STAFF
ReportingThe Trump administration has been aggressively revoking the temporary legal status of hundreds of thousands of immigrants. Now, it is pressuring some of those immigrants and others who had legal status to "self-deport" by effectively canceling the Social Security numbers they had lawfully obtained. The goal is to cut those people off from using crucial financial services like bank accounts and credit cards, along with their access to government benefits.
Supreme Court Sides With Migrant Wrongly Deported to El SalvadorThe New York Times
ADAM LIPTAK
ReportingThe Supreme Court on Thursday instructed the government to take steps to return a Salvadoran migrant it had wrongly deported to a notorious prison in El Salvador. In an unsigned order, the court endorsed part of a trial judge's order that had required the government to "facilitate and effectuate the return" of the migrant, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia.
What Hungary Can Teach Us About President Trump's Pressure on Law Firms and CollegesHere & Now
KIM LANE SCHEPPELE
Princeton UniversityMany law firms and universities are making deals with President Trump after executive orders targeting them. Scott Tong looks at the calculation they're making and what we can learn from Hungary, where Prime Minister Victor Orbán has decimated democratic norms.
Trump Directs DOJ to Investigate Former Administration Officials Who Criticized HimPBS News Hour
LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ
ReportingPresident Trump signed executive orders Wednesday targeting two former aides who criticized him. Escalating his retribution campaign, the president directed the Justice Department to investigate Miles Taylor, a former Homeland Security official and Christopher Krebs, a top cybersecurity official.
Solution to U.S.-China Trade War 'May Take a While,' AEI's Derek Scissors SaysPBS News Hour
DEREK SCISSORS
American Enterprise InstituteMarkets flashed more warning signs over the enormous tariffs placed on Chinese imports by President Trump. To discuss the concerns around China's trade relationship with the U.S., Amna Nawaz spoke with Derek Scissors, a senior fellow for the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank.
Food Banks Feel the Pain From Higher Prices and Cuts to Government ProgramsPBS News Hour
DEMA ZEIN
ReportingTrump's tariffs mean Americans can expect to see even higher prices on items ranging from coffee to fruits and cheese. It comes at a time when food banks nationwide are reporting record levels of need and after the USDA halted more than $500 million in deliveries to those food banks.
Egg Prices Increase to Record HighThe Associated Press
JSH FUNK
ReportingU.S. egg prices increased again last month to reach a new record-high of $6.23 per dozen despite President Donald Trump's predictions, a drop in wholesale prices and no egg farms having bird flu outbreaks.
What Trump Just Cost AmericaThe New York Times
THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Foreign Affairs ColumnistIn the last few weeks, we have told our closest friends in the world -- countries that stood shoulder to shoulder with us after Sept. 11, in Iraq and in Afghanistan -- that none of them were any different from China or Russia. They were all going to get tariffed under the same formula -- no friends-and-family discounts allowed.
Federal Workers Fear Musk's 'Efficiency' Agency Is Using AI to Spy on Them: 'They Are Omnipresent'The Guardian
MATT BERG
JOSEPH GEDEON
ReportingFederal employees now fear that senior agency leaders or agents from Elon Musk's so-called "department of government efficiency" may be snooping on conversations, using software to track computer activity and, possibly, using artificial intelligence to scan for disloyalty or mentions of diversity, equity and inclusion buzzwords. Many fear losing their jobs, as thousands already have.
Where Did U.S. Humanities Grants Go? To Projects From a Baseball Film to AI ResearchNPR
ELIZABETH BLAIR
ReportingAfter two years of work, the Center for Liberal Arts and AI was expected to launch this fall. Then, last week, NEH funds for the project were terminated by letter effective immediately. More than a thousand grants befell the same fate in rural and urban areas in all 50 states. Neither the White House nor the NEH responded to NPR's requests for comment.
An Anxious Musician Emailed the Director of the Kennedy Center -- and Got a ResponseNPR Morning Edition
ISABELLA GOMEZ SARMIENTO
ReportingSince President Trump took over leadership of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts earlier this year, some artists are trying to figure out how to proceed. One musician was feeling anxious about the new direction of the Kennedy Center, so she emailed the interim director, Richard Grenell. He responded.
Teachers Feel Watched Under Trump's 'End-DEI' Push in EducationNPR Morning Edition
LEILA FADEL
ReportingThe Education Department's "End DEI" portal allows students and parents to report diversity, equity and inclusion activity in schools, leaving educators uncertain about what they can and can't say.
Universities Push Back Against Trump's Cuts on Federal FundingNPR Mroning Editiion
ELISSA NADWORNY
MICHEL MARTIN
ReportingThe White House says it is freezing more than one billion dollars in federal funding for Cornell University and almost 800 million dollars for Northwestern University. The cuts are part of an effort by the Trump administration to use government funding to encourage colleges and universities to comply with the President's political agenda.
Attorney Representing a Student Protestor Detained by Federal Immigration AgentsAll Things Considered
JUANA SUMMERS
TYLER BARTLAM
PATRICK JARENWATTANANON
ReportingMichigan-based attorney Amir Makled was detained by federal immigration agents while returning home from a family vacation to the Dominican Republic. He was never given a reason for his detainment. One of his current clients is a student who has been charged in connection to a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Michigan.
Michael Lewis Highlights Crucial Work of Public Servants in 'Who Is Government?'PBS News Hour
MICHAEL LEWIS
Financial JournalistThe role of the federal government has been at the center of a national debate over the last few months. But who really is our government and what is it made of? Judy Woodruff set out for answers from Michael Lewis, author of Who Is Government?
How the Global Trade Wars Could Affect Personal Finances of AmericansPBS News Hour
MICHELLE SINGLETARY
The Washington PostAmid a roller coaster week for the stock market, we're taking a look at how the global trade wars could affect personal finances in the U.S. Amna Nawaz spoke with Michelle Singletary, personal finance columnist for The Washington Post, for some advice.
Trump Backs Down on Most Tariffs for 90 Days but Raises Rate on Chinese Imports to 125 Pct.PBS News Hour
JOSH BOAK
The Associated PressFacing a global market meltdown, President Donald Trump on Wednesday abruptly backed down on his tariffs on most nations for 90 days, but raised his tax rate on Chinese imports to 125 percent. Global markets surged on the development, but the precise details of Trump's plans to ease tariffs on non-China trade partners were not immediately clear.
Judges Take Steps to Stop Deportation of Venezuelans in Texas and New YorkThe Associated Press
VALERIE GONZALEZ
LARRY NEUMEISTER
ReportingJudges in Texas and New York on Wednesday said they would temporarily bar the U.S. government from deporting Venezuelans jailed in parts of those two states while their lawyers challenge the Trump administration's use of a rarely-invoked law giving presidents the power to imprison and deport noncitizens in times of war.
Which Types of People Aren't Big Fans of 'Impartial' News?Nieman Lab
JOSHUA BENTON
Nieman Lab FounderA new study finds that the poor, those with less education, young people and women are less likely to prefer "impartial" news sources over those that align with their own views.
What the Government Knows About You in Official Data Sets Trump Wants to Link TogetherThe New York Times
EMILY BADGER
SHEERA FRENKEL
ReportingThe federal government knows your mother's maiden name and your bank account number. The student debt you hold. Your disability status. The company that employs you and the wages you earn there. And that's just a start. Elon Musk and his lieutenants with the Department of Government Efficiency have sought access to dozens of databases as they have swept through agencies across the federal government. Along the way, they have elbowed past the objections of career staff, data security protocols, national security experts and legal privacy protections.
We Are Witnessing the Destruction of Science in AmericaThe Guardian
PAUL DARREN BIENIASZ
Rockefeller University"If we continue the destructive course plotted by this administration, medicines that would otherwise have saved lives in future generations, will not be invented. Technologies that would have ensured future employment and prosperity in the U.S. will not be devised. Solutions that allow the generation of power while causing less damage to the environment, will never be developed," he writes.
Dramatic Sell-Off of U.S. Government Bonds as Tariff War Panic DeepensThe Guardian
PHILLIP INMAN
JASPER JOLLY
ReportingU.S. government bonds, traditionally one of the world's safest financial assets, are undergoing a dramatic sell-off as Trump's escalation of his tariff war with China sends panic through the financial markets. The falls suggest that as Trump's fresh wave of tariffs on dozens of economies came into force, including 104 percent levies against Chinese goods, investors are losing confidence in the U.S. as a cornerstone of the global economy.
New York Times Editor David Enrich on the State of the Free PressNPR Morning Edition
DAVID ENRICH
New York Times EditorNew York Times editor David Enrich joins NPR's Michel Martin to talk about the state of the free press in the U.S. and the threats to existing libel laws, which could make it easier to sue news organizations and publishers.
Supreme Court Lets Trump Administration Move Forward With Firing of Probationary Federal EmployeesNPR Morning Edition
NINA TOTENBERG
ReportingThe U.S. Supreme Court has said the administration is free to move forward with the firing of 16,000 probationary federal employees. But the decision wasn't a total victory for the administration, since the court made no ruling on whether the firings themselves were actually legal.
Sen. Maria Cantwell Says There Is Bipartisan Support to Rein Trump's TariffsNPR Morning Edition
SEN. MARIA CANTWELL
Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa have introduced a bill requiring the president to notify Congress of impending tariffs within 48 hours. Congress would have to approve of the action within 60 days of notification.
Trump Officials Freeze $1 Billion for Cornell and $790 Million for NorthwesternThe New York Times
MICHAEL C. BENDER
SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
ReportingThe Trump administration has frozen more than $1 billion in funding for Cornell and $790 million for Northwestern amid investigations into both schools, two administration officials said. The funding pause involves mostly grants and contracts with the departments of Agriculture, Defense, Education and Health and Human Services, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the unannounced decision.
Judge Orders White House to Allow AP Access to News EventsNPR
DAVID FOLKENFLIK
ReportingU.S District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden, a Trump appointee ordered the Trump White House to let Associated Press journalists return to the Oval Office and other spaces immediately to cover news events, ruling it was unlawful to block the news service in a dispute over its choice of words. Even so, an AP reporter and photographer were turned back from joining a reporting pool on a presidential motorcade early Tuesday evening, almost two hours after the decision came down.
U.S. Trade Battle 'Headed to a Good Spot Long-Term,' GOP Sen. Lankford SaysPBS News Hour
SEN. JAMES LANKFORD
As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma questioned President Trump's trade representative Jamieson Greer about the president's tariffs. Sen. Lankford joined Amna Nawaz to discuss that issue and his new book, Turnaround: America's Revival.
Analyst Breaks Down China's Response to Trump's Trade WarPBS News Hour
ELIZABETH ECONOMY
The Hoover Institution"Today, when you look at Chinese social media, what you see is a range of emotions, everything from confusion to defiance and anger and all of it targeted at the United States, none of it now targeted at Xi Jinping. We have essentially created for Xi Jinping a scapegoat for all of the economic ills that his policies created," Economy says.
Employees Say a Plan to Reorganize HHS Will Have Health and Safety ConsequencesPBS News Hour
ALI ROGIN
ReportingThe Trump administration says the merging and downsizing of some Health and Human Services agencies is aimed at realigning them toward the "core mission" of ending chronic disease. But the reductions ripple across parts of the American health care system that many people don't know exist yet are essential to public health. Employees interviewed for this story said the expertise lost in these reductions would lead to real-world health and safety consequences.
Supreme Court Lets Trump Move Forward With Firing Thousands of Federal WorkersAll Things Considered
NINA TOTENBERG
CHRISTINA GATTI
ReportingThe U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration's firing of 16,000 probationary federal employees to go forward, at least for now. Without addressing the question of whether the terminations themselves were lawful, the court in an unsigned order said the nonprofits that brought the case did not have legal standing to sue over federal employees' firings. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson would have kept the firings paused while the case plays out in the lower courts.
Harriet Tubman Web Page Targeted Amid Trump-Led Anti-DEI EffortsThe Guardian
ANNA BETTS
ReportingThe National Park Service has removed a quote and an image of U.S. abolitionist Harriet Tubman from a Web page about the Underground Railroad network that helped enslaved people escape captivity -- and instead, the page now emphasizes what it describes as "Black/White Cooperation" as Donald Trump's presidential administration continues its effort to rewrite the country's history.
'Citizenship Won't Save You': Free Speech Advocates Say Student Arrests Should Worry AllNPR Morning Edition
LEILA FADEL
TAYLOR HANEY
AREZOU REZVANI
KYLE GALLEGO-MACKIE
Reporting"This is what happens in a dictatorship and these are test cases," said Eric Lee, a lawyer who represents Momodou Taal, a Cornell University Ph.D. student and advocate for Palestinian rights whose visa was revoked. "If the government can get away with doing this to these students, it can do it to everybody in this country. Your citizenship won't save you.... Your views will be next."
Democrats Hold 'Shadow Hearing' on What They Call Trump's Attacks on the Rule of LawNPR Morning Edition
KRISTIN WRIGHT
ReportingDemocrats in Congress on Monday held a "shadow hearing" -- without Republicans -- to put a spotlight on what they say are President Trump's attacks on the rule of law.
Court Overturns Trump's Firings of Two Independent Agency Board MembersThe Guardian
ROBERT TAIT
ReportingThe Washington D.C. court of appeals ordered that Cathy Harris and Gwynne Wilcox be restored to the positions with the Merit Systems Protection Board and the National Labor Relations Board respectively. The ruling overturned a previous verdict by a three-judge panel which had ruled that their dismissals -- which had been earlier overturned under legal challenge -- were indeed legal.
Supreme Court Allows Trump to Deport Venezuelans Under Wartime Law, But Only After Judges' ReviewThe Associated Press
MARK SHERMAN
ReportingThe Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Trump administration to use an 18th century wartime law to deport Venezuelan migrants, but said they must get a court hearing before they are taken from the United States. In a bitterly divided decision, the court said the administration must give Venezuelans who it claims are gang members "reasonable time" to go to court. But the conservative majority said the legal challenges must take place in Texas, instead of a Washington courtroom.
Chief Justice Pauses Deadline for Trump Administration to Return Maryland Man From El SalvadorPNS News Hour
MARK SHERMAN
The Associated PressChief Justice John Roberts agreed Monday to pause a midnight deadline for the Trump administration to return a Maryland man mistakenly deported to a notorious prison in El Salvador.
Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Block Order Returning Man Deported to El Salvador Because of ErrorPBS News Hour
MARK SHERMAN
The Associated PressThe administration has conceded that Abrego Garcia should not have been sent to El Salvador because an immigration judge found he likely would face persecution by local gangs. But he is no longer in U.S. custody and the government has no way to get him back, the administration argued.
Republican Senator Claims Video Floating Killing of Journalists Was a 'Joke'The Guardian
RICHARD LUSCOMBE
ReportingThe Republican U.S. senator and Donald Trump loyalist Markwayne Mullin has evidently sought to backtrack from comments suggesting politicians could "handle our differences" with journalists by shooting and killing them, insisting he was trying to make a joke.
Alarm as Republicans in Congress Back Trump and Musk's Attacks on U.S. JudgesThe Guardian
PETER STONE
ReportingAs Donald Trump and Elon Musk widen their radical attacks on U.S. judges who have stalled some of Trump's executive orders and Musk's slashing of federal agencies, they're gaining backing from top House Republicans and other politicians, including some to whom the tech billionaire made big campaign donations.
The Trump White House Cited My Research to Justify Tariffs. They Got It All Wrong.The New York Times
BRENT NEIMAN
Former Treasury OfficialThe Office of the U.S. Trade Representative released its methodology and cited an academic paper produced by four economists, including me, seemingly in support of their numbers. But they got it wrong. Very wrong. I disagree fundamentally with the government's trade policy and approach. But even taking it at face value, our findings suggest the calculated tariffs should be dramatically smaller -- perhaps one-fourth as large.
Judge Says Deportation of Maryland Man to an El Salvador Prison Was 'Wholly Lawless'AP News
The Associated Press
The U.S. government's decision to arrest a Maryland man and send him to a notorious prison in El Salvador appears to be "wholly lawless," a federal judge wrote Sunday in a legal opinion explaining why she had ordered the Trump administration to bring him back to the United States.
RFK Jr. Visits Epicenter of Texas Measles Outbreak After Second Child Who Was Infected DiesPBS News Hour
DEVI SHASTRI
AMANDA SEITZ
The Associated PressDr. Peter Marks, the Food and Drug Administration's former vaccine chief, said responsibility for the death rests with Kennedy and his staff. Marks was forced out of the FDA after disagreements with Kennedy over vaccine safety. "This is the epitome of an absolute needless death," Marks told The Associated Press in an interview Sunday. "These kids should get vaccinated -- that's how you prevent people from dying of measles."
'Your RIF Notice Is Not Cancelled.' Inside a Chaotic Week of Massive Layoffs at HHSNPR Shots
NPR STAFF
ReportingChaos and confusion dominated the restructuring affecting thousands of workers at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services this week. Some people who were fired are being unfired, at least temporarily. Some managers don't even know who still works for them. With human resources teams gutted, answers are extremely hard to come by for those sent complex reduction in force, "RIF" messages. This is according to documents reviewed by NPR reporters and interviews with dozens of staff, many of whom did not share their names for fear of retaliation.
Trump Family's Cash Registers Ring as Financial Meltdown Plays OutThe New York Times
ERIC LIPTON
THEODORE SCHLEIFER
ZOLAN KANNO-YOUNGS
ReportingThe financial market meltdown was underway when President Trump boarded Air Force One on his way to Florida on Thursday for a doubleheader of sorts: a Saudi-backed golf tournament at his family's Miami resort and a weekend of fund-raisers attracting hundreds of donors to his Palm Beach club.
Trump Administration Moves to Cut Humanities EndowmentThe New York Times
JENNIFER SCHUESSLER
ReportingStarting late Wednesday night, state humanities councils and other grant recipients began receiving emails telling them their funding was ended immediately. Instead, they were told, the agency would be "repurposing its funding allocations in a new direction in furtherance of the president's agenda."
Doge's Attack on Social Security Causing 'Complete, Utter Chaos', Staff SaysThe Guardian
MICHAEL SAINATO
Reporting"It's just been a lot of craziness, a lot of foolishness. Until they get rid of Doge and the person in office right now and the Republicans actually get a backbone and stand up for something for once in their lives, things are just going to be complete chaos. That's really the best word to describe SSA right now, just complete, utter chaos," one worker observed. "They couldn't understand the coding, so everything they said SSA was doing illegally, they weren't. Common sense is something they lack. They don't know what they're doing."
'Hands Off' Protests Take Off Across U.S. and Europe to Oppose Trump AgendaThe Guardian
MAYA YANG
ReportingHundreds of protesters -- including Americans living abroad -- have taken to the streets across major European cities in a show of defiance against Donald Trump's administration. Protesters rallied in Frankfurt, Berlin, Paris, London and Lisbon, all in a united show of opposition against Trump's policies.
Mass Protests Across the Country Show Resistance to TrumpThe New York Times
SHAILA DEWAN
ReportingThey came out in defense of national parks and small businesses, public education and health care for veterans, abortion rights and fair elections. They marched against tariffs and oligarchs, dark money and fascism, the deportation of legal immigrants and the Department of Government Efficiency. Demonstrators had no shortage of causes as they gathered in towns and cities across the country on Saturday to protest President Trump's agenda. Rallies were planned in all 50 states and images posted on social media showed crowds in places like St. Augustine, Fla. and Franklin, N.C. and rainy Frankfort, Ky.
Inside the 'Vital' Office for Reproductive Health Gutted by Mass HHS FiringsMother Jones
JULIANNE MCSHANE
ReportingOne of the casualties of Tuesday's massive purge of workers from the Department of Health and Human Services is an office dedicated to promoting healthy pregnancies. Most of the more than 100 employees at the Division of Reproductive Health lost their jobs this week, including some who conduct work mandated by federal law, according to seven former staffers.
Trump Officials Quietly Move to Reverse Bans on Toxic 'Forever Chemicals'The Guardian
TOM PERKINS
ReportingThe Trump administration is quietly carrying out a plan that aims to kill hundreds of bans on highly toxic PFAS "forever chemicals" and other dangerous compounds in consumer goods. The bans, largely at the state level, touch most facets of daily life, prohibiting everything from bisphenol in children's products to mercury in personal care products to PFAS in food packaging and clothing.
How Educational Leaders Are Navigating This MomentNPR Weekend Edition
ELISSA NADWORNY
ReportingThe Trump administration is putting pressure on institutions of higher education, threatening to withhold federal grants unless these institutions fall in line with the administration's policies.
Paul Krugman on the 'Biggest Trade Shock in History'The New York Times
EZRA KLEIN
"U.S. trade policy has been based upon reciprocity," Krugman says. "The legal basis for all of these trade agreements that we've had these past 90 years is the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act of 1934, which is Franklin D. Roosevelt establishing a system where the United States would negotiate that we will cut our tariffs if other countries cut their tariffs."
More Than 500 Law Firms Back Perkins Coie in Fight With TrumpThe New York Times
BEN PROTESS
ReportingMore than 500 law firms on Friday threw their support behind some of their embattled peers, declaring that President Trump's recent crackdown on the law firm industry poses "a grave threat to our system of constitutional governance and to the rule of law itself."
National Endowment for the Humanities Staff Put on Immediate LeaveNPR
ELIZABETH BLAIR
Reporting"This will mean the erasure of our ability to preserve and share our history," Caroline Lowery, executive director of the Oklahoma Humanities Council, told NPR. "We have broad bipartisan support for our work. This is not a partisan issue. These funds had already been congressionally mandated and signed into law by people who we elect to represent us."
Congress Demands Answers After Trump Abruptly Fires Head of National Security AgencyPBS News Hour
LOLITA C.BLADOR
The Associated PressPresident Trump has abruptly fired the director of the National Security Agency, according to U.S. officials and members of Congress, but the White House and the Pentagon have provided no reasons for the move.
Supreme Court Lets Trump Administration Cut Teacher-Training Money, for NowPBS News Hour
MARK SHERMAN
The Associated PressThe Supreme Court on Friday granted the Trump administration's plea to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in teacher-training money as part of its anti-DEI efforts, while a lawsuit continues. The justices split 5-4, with Chief Justice John Roberts joining the three liberal justices in dissent.
A Catastrophe Is Unfolding at the Top U.S. Health Agency -- And It Will Put American Lives at RiskVox
DYLAN SCOTT
Reporting"This is not a so-called restructuring. These are reckless, thoughtless cuts that will only make American communities less healthy and less safe," Dr. Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a former acting CDC director, said in a statement. "They represent an abdication of the department's essential responsibility to promote and protect health."
Fed Chair Powell Warns Trump Tariffs Likely to Raise Inflation and Slow Economic GrowthPBS News Hour
CHRISTOPHER RUGABE
The Associated PressThe Trump administration's expansive new tariffs will likely lead to higher inflation and slower growth, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Friday.
Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin Discusses Impact of Auto Tariffs on the StateNPR Morning Edition
SEN. ELISSA SLOTKIN
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., talks with NPR's Michel Martin about the impact of car and auto parts tariffs on her state where the auto industry still drives the economy.
College Presidents Say Threats to Cut Federal Funding Making Leadership DifficultNPR Morning Edition
ELISSA NADWORNY
ReportingUniversity leaders are under pressure to comply with federal executive orders and policy changes or risk losing federal funding. Some college presidents say that makes their jobs more challenging.
Democrats Decry Reported Dismissal of NSA Director Tim HaughThe Guardian
Guardian Staff and Agency
Top congressional Democrats are protesting against the reported firing of Gen Tim Haugh as director of the National Security Agency (NSA), with one lawmaker saying the decision "makes all of us less safe."
White House Fires National Security Agency ChiefBBC
BERND DEBUSMANN
ReportingThe Trump administration has fired the head of both the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, the BBC's U.S. partner CBS has reported. The removal of General Timothy Haugh comes amid what appears to be a wider purge of top security officials at the agency and at the White House.
Federal Judge Says She Will Temporarily Block Billions in Health Funding Cuts to StatesThe Associated Press
DEVNA BOSE
ReportingU.S. District Judge Mary McElroy will temporarily block President Donald Trump’s administration from cutting billions in federal dollars that support Covid-19 initiatives and public health projects throughout the country.
Judge Considers 'Contempt' After Trump Officials Stonewall Ruling on Migrant Removal FlightsAll Things Considered
SERGIO MARTÍNEZ-BELTRÁN
JOEL ROSE
ReportingU.S. District Judge James Boasberg said there is a "fair likelihood" the Trump administration violated his orders over its decision to allow two flights carrying migrants to continue to El Salvador last month despite his ruling ordering the planes back.
Markets Plunge in Wake of Trump's New Tariffs and Fears of Global Trade WarPBS News Hour
RON INSANA
Financial JournalistU.S. markets plunged in the wake of President Trump's announcement of new tariffs. Many stocks had their worst single day since the start of the pandemic in 2020. Leaders around the world denounced the tariffs and experts warned the president's action could risk more inflation, stall growth and even trigger a recession. Lisa Desjardins reports and Geoff Bennett discusses more with Ron Insana.
Officials in 19 States Sue to Block Trump's Election Order, Saying It's UnconstitutionalPBS News Hour
LINDSAY WHITEHURST
CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY
The Associated PressThe lawsuit is the fourth against the executive order issued just a week ago. It seeks to block key aspects of it, including new requirements that people provide documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote and a demand that all mail ballots be received by Election Day.
'Did You Stand Up?' Read Part of Cory Booker's Blockbuster 25-Hour SpeechThe Guardian
SEN. CORY BOOKER
"I can't allow this body to continue without doing something different -- speaking out. The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent. And we all must do more. We all must do more against them."
DOGE Gained Access to Sensitive Data of Migrant Children, Including Reports of AbuseThe Guardian
NICK ROBINS-EARLY
ReportingKyle Schutt, a 38-year-old software engineer turned DOGE staffer, was granted "read-only access" to the UAC portal and "has not modified, copied and shared with any unauthorized users, or removed any records," nor has he been granted access to other HHS systems, according to a court filing. Neither Schutt, nor DOGE spokesperson Katie Miller or HHS responded to requests for comment. The filing cites Doge's broad mission to "identify waste, fraud, and abuse and to modernize government technology and software to increase efficiency and productivity" as reason for Schutt's access, but gives no further details.
Trump’s Tariffs Are a Major Setback for AISemafor
TIM MCDONNELL
Climate & Energy EditorSweeping global tariffs announced by President Trump this week will significantly raise the costs of renewable energy, making it harder for U.S. Big Tech companies to meet their data center energy needs.
The Childish Tariff Formula That Will Reshape the Global EconomyThe New York Times
BINYAMIN APPELBAUM
Editorial BoardIn 2023, Lesotho exported about $228 million worth of goods and services to the United States and imported just $7.33 million worth from the United States. To rectify this imbalance, which the Trump administration regards as an intolerable abuse of the American people, the president is imposing a 50 percent tax on future imports from Lesotho -- the highest rate on any country. Lesotho is one of the poorest countries on Earth.
HHS Guts the Teams That Fulfill Public Records Requests for Health AgenciesNPR Shots
SYDNEY LUPKIN
ReportingTeams that fulfilled requests for government documents lost their jobs on Tuesday as part of the Trump administration's 10,000-person staff cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services. Their work, mandated by Congress since the 1960s under the Freedom of Information Act or FOIA, gives the public a view of the inner workings of federal health agencies.
Trump Administration Dismantling Public Diplomacy Institutions Built Up Since WWIINPR Morning Edition
EMILY FENG
ReportingThe U.S. built up a network of institutions supporting public diplomacy and scholarship after World War Two and throughout the Cold War. The Trump administration is dismantling these institutions.
World Leaders Criticize Trump Tariffs as 'Major Blow'BBC
SOFIA FERREIRA SANTOS
AMY WALKER
ReportingEuropean Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen vowed that Europe would take a unified approach and warned that the European Union -- which will be subject to a 20 percent tariff -- is preparing countermeasures in case negotiations fail. "If you take on one of us, you take on all of us," she said.
Important HHS Services 'Will Grind to a Halt' With Cuts, Former Secretary Sebelius SaysPBS News Hour
KATHLEEN SEBELIUS
Former HHS SecretaryThere’s growing concern over massive cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services as Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. works to reduce the agency workforce by 25 percent. Geoff Bennett discussed the Trump administration's cuts with Kathleen Sebelius, the HHS secretary during the Obama administration.
Scientists Sue NIH, Saying Politics Cut Their Research FundingSTAT
The Associated Press
A group of scientists and health groups sued the National Institutes of Health on Wednesday, arguing that an "ideological purge" of research funding is illegal and threatens medical cures.
Adam Schiff: Putin Sees Trump as a 'Child' Who Can Be Easily ManipulatedForeign Policy
JOHN HALTIWANGER
ReportingSen. Adam Schiff, one of the president's fiercest critics on Capitol Hill, told Foreign Policy in an interview that Trump is only "feigning indignation" with Putin. He said that "Putin has Trump's number" and views him as "a child who can be easily controlled and manipulated."
HHS Layoffs Hit Meals on Wheels and Other Services for Seniors and DisabledNPR Shots
JOSEPH SHAPIRO
ReportingThe layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services slashed the staffs of major federal aging, disability and anti-poverty programs, leaving the future of those programs uncertain.
Judge Orders White House to Restore Legal Aid to Unaccompanied Migrant ChildrenThe Guardian
The Associated Press
A federal judge in California has ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore legal aid to tens of thousands of migrant children who are in the United States without a parent or guardian.
I Just Saw the Future. It Was Not in America.The New York Times
THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Foreign Affairs ColumnistThe Lianqiu Lake R. & D. campus is basically Huawei's response to the U.S. attempt to choke it to death beginning in 2019 by restricting the export of U.S. technology, including semiconductors, to Huawei amid national security concerns. The ban inflicted massive losses on Huawei, but with the Chinese government's help, the company sought to innovate its way around us.
Unmarked Vans. Secret Lists. Public Denunciations. Our Police State Has Arrived.The New York Times
M. GESSEN
ColumnistThose of us who have lived in countries terrorized by a secret police force can’t shake a feeling of dreadful familiarity. "I never realized until this moment how much fear I carried with me from my childhood in Communist Romania," another friend, the literary scholar Marianne Hirsch, told me. "Arrests were arbitrary and every time the doorbell rang, I started to shiver."
Trump Administration Begins Firing Thousands of HHS EmployeesNPR
SELENA SIMMONS-DUFFIN
ReportingThe Trump administration began firing thousands of employees at the Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday as part of a plan announced by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Supreme Court to Decide if States Can Strip Planned Parenthood of Medicaid FundsNPR Morning Edition
NINA TOTENBERG
ReportingThe Supreme Court hears arguments Wednesday in a case that isn't really about abortion, except that it is. Parenthood clinics from its state Medicaid program, even though Medicaid funds cannot generally be used to fund abortions.
Canadian Jasmine Mooney Describes Detention After Trying Routine Border CrossingNPR
LEILA FADEL
ReportingCanadian actress Jasmine Mooney was detained for 12 days after trying to make a routine trip across the U.S.-Canada border. She talks with NPR's Leila Fadel about her experience.
Sackets Harbor Community Calls for Return of Three Children Taken During ICE Dairy Farm VisitNCPR
AMY FEIEREISEL
Reporting"Basically, law enforcement was executing a warrant for a person who was allegedly involved in a crime. This happened at a local farm within my school district boundaries," said Jennifer Gaffney, the Sackets Harbor Superintendent. "My students were caught in the middle of that raid, and they were taken and detained."
What Kind of Support Is the U.S. Offering in the Wake of the Myanmar Quake?NPR
MELODY SCHREIBER
Reporting"This is disastrous," said Jim Kunder, former deputy administrator of USAID who served under three presidential administrations. Dismantling USAID is "inconceivably chaotic and obviously disruptive to the ability to respond when an earthquake like this hits," Kunder told NPR.
The Impact of Private Equity’s Expansion Into Health CarePBS News Hour
PAUL SOLMAN
ReportingSteward Health Care was once the largest private hospital system in the country. When the private equity-backed network filed for bankruptcy last year, it devastated providers and patients. In Massachusetts, five of the eight Steward-owned hospitals were salvaged by the state and two were shuttered. Economics correspondent Paul Solman went there to see what happened and how.
Library and Museum Support Agency Faces Massive Cuts After Trump OrderPBS News Hour
CINDY HOHL
American Library Association PresidentIt's a small federal agency few have heard of, but it has a large impact around the country. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the largest source of federal funding for museums and libraries and the Trump administration has placed roughly 80 percent of IMLS staff on administrative leave. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown interviews American Library Association President Cindy Hohl.
Cory Booker Slams Trump’s Policies in Marathon Senate Floor SpeechThe New York Times
SEN. CORY BOOKER
The New Jersey senator criticized the president’s plans for Social Security, education, immigration and health care, saying the "nation is in crisis." He began speaking Monday night and was still going on Tuesday morning.
Why Leadership Changes at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Are Raising Big ConcernsNPR Morning Edition
LAUREL WAMSLEY
A MARTÍNEZ
ReportingWhy leadership changes at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are raising big concerns
Yale Professor Describes Why He Is Leaving the U.S. To Teach in CanadaNPR Morning Edition
JASON STANLEY
Yale UniversityNPR's A Martinez asks Yale University philosophy professor Jason Stanley, an expert on fascism, about his decision to leave the U.S. and accept a position teaching American studies in Canada. And how American Jews are being set up by the Trump administration.