★★ 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
8 Nov 2025
UPDATED
Sat 8:37 am PST
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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Federal Judge Delays Expiration of TPS for Hondurans, Nicaraguans and NepaleseNPR
SERGIO MARTÍNEZ-BELTRÁN
ReportingA federal judge in San Francisco on Thursday blocked the Trump administration, for now, from terminating Temporary Protected Status for people from Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal. Judge Trina Thompson's decision postopones the terminations until November, when a hearing to discuss the merits will take place. It affects about 60,000 immigrants whose temporary protected status was set to expire beginning Aug. 5. Most of them have been living in the U.S. for more than 20 years. In her ruling, Thompson chided the actions of the Trump administration. "The freedom to live fearlessly, the opportunity of liberty and the American dream. That is all Plaintiffs seek," Thompson wrote. "Instead, they are told to atone for their race, leave because of their names and purify their blood. The Court disagrees."
Arab States Call for Hamas to Disarm Amid Push for a Palestinian StateThe New York Times
FARNAZ FASSIHI
EPHRAT LIVNI
ReportingThe world's Arab countries for the first time have joined unanimously in the call for Hamas to lay down its weapons, release all hostages and end its rule of the Gaza Strip, conditions that they said could help the establishment of a Palestinian state. The surprise declaration, endorsed on Tuesday by the 22 member nations of the Arab League, also condemned Hamas's Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, which set off the devastating war in Gaza. The statement came at a United Nations conference in New York on a two-state solution to end the decades-long conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. "In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, with international engagement and support, in line with the objectives of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state," said the declaration. It was also signed by all 27 European Union states and 17 other countries.
Ex-CIA Analyst Challenges Trump's Attempt to Discredit Russian Election Interference ProbePBS News Hour
GEOFF BENNETT
ReportingThe Trump administration is trying to discredit the intelligence assessment that concluded Russian President Putin ordered a campaign to interfere in the 2016 election with the intent of helping elect Trump. Contrary to almost all intelligence findings, Trump and his aides allege a conspiracy by the Obama White House. Geoff Bennett discussed more with former CIA analyst Michael Van Landingham.
FCC Chairman Says Network Oversight Offers a Needed 'Course Correction'PBS News Hour
GEOFF BENNETT
ReportingWe continue our look at the FCC's decision to allow Paramount, the parent company of CBS, to merge with the Hollywood studio Skydance. The scrutinized media deal was approved in a 2-1 vote after Paramount agreed to a settlement with President Trump and Skydance agreed to other concessions. Geoff Bennett discussed more with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who voted in favor of the merger.
Sen. Shaheen on Why More Dems Voted to Block Weapons to Israel: 'Things Need to Change'PBS News Hour
AMNA NAWAZ
ReportingA late-night congressional vote fell short of the number needed to block weapons sales to Israel. But in a dramatic shift, more than half of Democrats supported the measure, reaching its highest level of support to date. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and was one of those yes votes. She joined Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest.
Pentagon Orders Removal of 1,350 National Guard Troops From Los AngelesThe Guardian
CY NEFF
ReportingThe Pentagon will remove 1,350 national guard troops from Los Angeles originally sent to the state by the Trump administration to deal with protests over its immigration policies. Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, ordered the national guard members to leave this week. A remaining 250 troops will stay put to protect federal personnel and property, according to the statement attributed to Sean Parnell, chief Pentagon spokesperson.
Appellate Judges Question Trump's Authority to Impose Tariffs Without CongressThe Associated Press
PAUL WISEMAN
MATT SEDENSKY
ReportingAppellate court judges expressed broad skepticism Thursday over President Donald Trump's legal rationale for his most expansive round of tariffs. Members of the 11-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington appeared unconvinced by the Trump administration's insistence that the president could impose tariffs without congressional approval and it hammered its invocation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to do so. "IEEPA doesn't even mention the word 'tariffs' anywhere," Circuit Judge Jimmie Reyna said, in a sign of the panel's incredulity to a government attorney's arguments. An attorney for the plaintiffs, Neal Katyal, characterized Trump's maneuver as a "breathtaking" power grab that amounted to saying "the president can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, for as long as he wants so long as he declares an emergency."
Key Inflation Measure Rose in June, Adding to Pressure on FedThe New York Times
BEN CASSELMAN
ReportingThe Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation picked up last month, the latest sign that President Trump's tariffs are starting to bleed through into consumer prices. Consumer prices rose 0.3 percent in June and were up 2.6 percent from a year earlier, according to the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, which the Commerce Department released on Thursday. Personal income grew more slowly in June and didn't rise at all after adjusting for inflation. And while consumer spending overall was solid, Americans pulled back spending on discretionary services such as travel.
Layoffs at the Department of Justice Are Transforming Its WorkforceNPR Morning Edition
CARRIE JOHNSON
ReportingMore than 200 people have been fired at the Department of Justice this year. Sometimes, for reasons they don't even know. That's transforming the workforce a the DOJ.
Two Federal Reserve Governors Dissent on Holding Interest RatesNPR Morning Edition
A MARTÍNEZ
ReportingNPR's A Martinez speaks with historian and legal scholar Peter Conti-Brown about Wednesday's vote of the Federal Reserve's rate-setting body, which saw two dissenting votes.
Senator Alex Padilla on Redistricting Efforts by RepublicansNPR Morning Edition
A MARTÍNEZ
ReportingA Martinez talks with Sen. Alex Padilla of California about Democrats' plans to push back against Republicans' redistricting efforts, with control of the House at stake in the midterm elections.
FEMA Denies Grants to Three Kentucky Counties Hit by Devastating StormsThe Guardian
GABRIELLE CANON
ReportingThe Federal Emergency Management Agency denied requests for three Kentucky counties affected by severe storms last spring and deemed the state ineligible for hazard mitigation grants that would help prepare for future disasters . FEMA officials claimed the areas did not suffer enough damage to merit federal support, in a letter issued to the governor on Tuesday. But the move is just the latest in a series of denials from the agency, as the Trump administration seeks to shift the burden of responding to and recovering from disasters on to states. Last week, FEMA also rejected Maryland's request for disaster assistance after near-record-level flooding in May destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses and tore into roads and public infrastructure, leaving close to $16m in damages. "This administration is abandoning states and local communities that rely on federal funding to protect their residents and, in the event of disaster, save lives," said the Massachusetts attorney general, Andrea Campbell, in a statement about the elimination of FEMA's building resilient infrastructure and communities program, which was approved and funded by Congress.
Georgia Detainee With Prosthetic Legs Who Objected to Flooded Cell Sent to SolitaryThe Guardian
TIMOTHY PRATT
ReportingA Liberian-born man detained by ICE in Georgia was put in solitary confinement after complaining about flooding in his cell that he said was potentially dangerous for his electronic prosthetic legs, the Guardian can reveal. Rodney Taylor recently spent three days in what CoreCivic calls a "restrictive housing unit" at Georgia's Stewart detention center, after refusing to enter his cell because a leak had left the floor covered with about an inch of water. That would be a potential disaster for Taylor, since his battery-powered, microprocessor-controlled prosthetic legs can't get wet. "They don't see you as an individual, but as someone being deported," Taylor said. Taylor's fiancee, Mildred Pierre, called the experience of monitoring his wellbeing during the last six months like "receiving blow after blow."
All the Ways Republicans Want to Honor Trump, From the $100 Bill to Mount RushmoreThe Associated Press
KEVIN FREKING
LEAH ASKARINAM
ReportingImagine getting the day off work for Donald Trump's birthday. Receiving a $100 bill with Trump's portrait on it. Touching down at Donald J. Trump International Airport near the nation's capital. And taking in a show at the Donald J. Trump Center for Performing Arts. All would be possible under a flurry of bills Republican lawmakers have sponsored this year. Several lawmakers are also talking Trump up as someone who should win the Nobel Peace Prize. Democrats have taken note of the flurry of Trump tributes, seeing it as a chance to portray a pliant Republican majority as being focused on placating Trump rather than helping Americans. "House Republicans continue to embarrass themselves," said Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York. "These people are sycophants."
Colorado AG Explains Why the State Is Suing a Deputy Who Aided ICEPBS News Hour
GEOFF BENNETT
ReportingThe state of Colorado is suing a local sheriff's deputy, accusing him of aiding federal immigration agents with the arrest of a college student with an expired visa. Attorney General Phil Weiser says the deputy violated state laws that ban state and local government employees from cooperating with federal officials on immigration enforcement. Weiser joined Geoff Bennett to discuss the case.
Medicaid Recipients in Louisiana Brace for Impact of Work Requirements and CutsPBS News Hour
LISA DESJARDINS
ReportingMembers of the U.S. House have left Washington for their summer break and Republicans are working to promote the tax and spending cuts President Trump recently signed into law. But concerns about cuts to Medicaid remain. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports from Louisiana, home to the top two House leaders and the state with the greatest reliance on Medicaid in the country.
Economy Grows More Than Expected Despite Trade War ConcernsPBS News Hour
GEOFF BENNETT
ReportingThe Federal Reserve announced it would keep interest rates steady, despite dissents from two members of its rate-setting committee who were appointed by President Trump. Trump has been pressuring Jerome Powell to cut rates, but the Fed chair has expressed concerns about tariffs and inflation. Geoff Bennett discussed where things stand with Nick Timiraos of The Wall Street Journal.
Trump Accused of 'Attack on Brazilian Democracy' After Sanctioning Bolsonaro Trial JudgeThe Guardian
TOM PHILLIPS
ReportingAllies of Brazil's president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, have accused Donald Trump of launching "a direct attack on Brazilian democracy" after the U.S. Treasury slapped sanctions on Alexandre de Moraes, the Supreme Court judge widely credited with helping save Brazilian democracy from a 2022 rightwing coup. The highly controversial U.S. move was announced on Wednesday by the Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent shortly before Trump followed through on a threat to hit Brazilian imports with 50 percent tariffs by signing an executive order "to deal with the recent policies, practices and actions by the government of Brazil." Trump has partly attributed those tariffs to his outrage at the supposed political "witch-hunt" against his far-right ally the former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who is on trial for allegedly seeking to seize power after losing the 2022 presidential election to Lula.
Ex-CIA Agent Hits Back at Tulsi Gabbard After She Accused Obama of 'Treasonous Conspiracy' Against TrumpThe Guardian
ROBERT TAIT
ReportingA former CIA officer who helped lead the intelligence assessments over alleged Russia interference in the 2016 presidential election has said Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, is ignorant of the practices of espionage after she accused Barack Obama and his national security team of "treasonous conspiracy" against Donald Trump. Susan Miller, the agency's head of counter-intelligence at the time of the election, told the Guardian that Gabbard's allegations were based on false statements and basic misrepresentations of discoveries made by Miller's team about Russian actions, which she insisted that were based on multiple trusted and verified sources.
Judge Orders Trump Administration to Explain Why Order to Restore Voice of America Wasn't FollowedThe Associated Press
DAVID BAUDER
ReportingA federal judge on Wednesday essentially accused the Trump administration of ignoring his orders to restore Voice of America's operations and explain clearly what it is doing with the government-run operation that provides news to other countries. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth of the District of Columbia gave the administration until Aug. 13 to explain how it will get VOA working again. The outlet that dates back to World War II has been largely dark since March. Lamberth said the administration needs to show what it is doing with the $260 million Congress appropriated for VOA's operations this year.
Bessent Says New Trump Child Savings Accounts Are 'Back Door for Privatizing Social Security'The Associated Press
MICHELLE L. PRICE
LISA MASCARO
ReportingTreasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday that the Trump administration was committed to protecting Social Security hours after he said in an interview that a new children's savings program President Donald Trump signed into law "is a back door for privatizing Social Security." Bessent said Wednesday evening that the accounts created under Trump's tax break-and-spending cut law "will supplement the sanctity of Social Security's guaranteed payments." Bessent's remarks about privatizing Social Security, which he made at a forum hosted by Breitbart News, were striking after Trump's repeated promises on the campaign trail and in office that he would not touch Social Security. It also reignited an issue that has dogged Republicans for years. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Trump Administration Is Launching a New Private Health Tracking System With Big Tech's HelpThe Associated Press
AMANDA SEITZ
ReportingThe Trump administration announced it is launching a new program that will allow Americans to share personal health data and medical records across health systems and apps run by private tech companies, promising that will make it easier to access health records and monitor wellness. More than 60 companies, including major tech companies like Google, Amazon and Apple as well as health care giants like UnitedHealth Group and CVS Health, have agreed to share patient data in the system. The initiative will focus on diabetes and weight management, conversational artificial intelligence that helps patients and digital tools such as QR codes and apps that register patients for check-ins or track medications. The system, spearheaded by an administration that has already freely shared highly personal data about Americans in ways that have tested legal bounds, could put patients' desires for more convenience at their doctor's office on a collision course with their expectations that their medical information be kept private. "There are enormous ethical and legal concerns," said Lawrence Gostin, a Georgetown University law professor who specializes in public health. "Patients across America should be very worried that their medical records are going to be used in ways that harm them and their families."
Why Trump Is Obsessed With Building a White House BallroomNPR Morning Edition
TAMARA KEITH
ReportingThe White House ballroom is something that Trump has been talking about for at least 15 years, actively pitching himself to manage the project long before he ran for office. Trump has said he wants a ballroom that holds a thousand people. The largest event space at the White House now is the East Room, which only seats about 200 for dinner.
Trump Lawyer Bove Confirmed to U.S. Appeals Court, Overcoming Democratic OppositionReuters
ANDREW GOUDSWARD
ReportingThe U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Emil Bove as a federal judge, installing a Trump loyalist who presided over a tumultuous period at the Justice Department on a crucial appeals court. The Republican-majority Senate voted 50-49 to confirm Bove, who has been serving as a senior Justice Department official, to a lifetime appointment on the Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Bove overcame fierce opposition from Democrats, who walked out in protest when the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced his nomination and more than 900 former Justice Department employees, who accused Bove of undermining the integrity of the department. Moderate Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine joined all Democrats in opposition.
U.S. Medical Groups Fill Gap With Own Vaccine Guides Amid 'Information Crisis'The Guardian
MELODY SCHREIBER
ReportingMedical groups now plan to issue vaccine recommendations in the wake of changes to routine vaccine guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommendations like these may help the public -- and health insurance companies -- understand which shots should be part of the routine schedule and why. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists announced this month that it will release new guidance for Covid, flu and RSV vaccination during pregnancy. The guidance will appear at the end of the summer, before the winter respiratory season. Five other scientific groups -- the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Physicians -- also plan to release vaccine guidance.
U.S. Placed on Rights Watchlist Over Health of Its Civil Society Under TrumpThe Guardian
MAYA YANG
ReportingA group of global civil society organizations have placed the U.S. on a watchlist for urgent concern over the health of its civic society, alongside Turkey, Serbia, El Salvador, Indonesia and Kenya. On Wednesday, a new report released by the non-profit Civicus placed the U.S. on its watchlist following "sustained attacks on civic freedoms" across the country, according to the group. Civicus pointed to three major issues including the deployment of military to quell protests, growing restrictions placed on journalists and civil society, as well as the aggressive targeting of anti-war advocates surrounding Palestine. At Civicus, countries are assigned a rating over their civic space conditions. The ratings include "open," "narrowed," "obstructed," "repressed" and "closed." The group has declared the U.S.'s civic space as "narrowed."
FDA Vaccine Chief Leaving Agency After Less Than 3 MonthsThe Associated Press
MATTHEW PERRONE
ReportingThe Food and Drug Administration's polarizing vaccine chief is leaving the agency after a brief tenure that drew the ire of biotech executives, patient groups and conservative allies of President Donald Trump. Dr. Vinay Prasad "did not want to be a distraction" and was stepping down from his role as the FDA's top vaccine regulator "to spend more time with his family," a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement late Tuesday. Two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Prasad was ousted following several recent controversies. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal personnel matters. Prasad did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday morning.
Senators Highlight Importance of Working Across the Aisle in Mission to Fight WildfiresPBS News Hour
AMNA NAWAZ
ReportingWith razor-thin GOP majorities in the House and Senate, many lawmakers are retreating to their political corners rather than seeking out compromise. But one bipartisan duo is bucking the trend, arguing their disaster prevention proposal can overcome political dysfunction. Amna Nawaz discussed that with Republican Sen. John Curtis of Utah and Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California.
Trump's 'Censorship and Control' Campaign Threatens Press Freedom, FCC Commissioner SaysPBS News Hour
ANNA GOMEZ
FCC CommissionerThe $8 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance is fueling a fierce First Amendment fight and raising questions about the influence of the Trump administration. The FCC approved the deal by a 2-1 vote along party lines and came shortly after Paramount paid $16 million to settle a lawsuit brought by Trump. Anna Gomez was the sole dissenting vote and joined Geoff Bennett to discuss more.
American Jews Are Reclaiming German Citizenship Amid Political ConcernsAll Things Considered
JASON DEROSE
ReportingA growing number of American Jews whose parents and grandparents fled Germany during World War II are now getting German citizenship, in part because of political concerns in the United States.
New Whistleblower Emerges Against Trump Lawyer Ahead of Confirmation VoteThe Associated Press
MARY CLARE JALONICK
ERIC TUCKER
ReportingThe Senate is set to vote as soon as Tuesday evening to confirm former Trump lawyer Emil Bove for a lifetime appointment as a federal appeals court judge despite vocal Democratic opposition and a new whistleblower complaint against him. The whistleblower provided Congress with an audio recording of Bove that runs contrary to some of his testimony at his confirmation hearing last month, according to two people familiar with the recording. The audio is from a private video conference call at the Department of Justice in February in which Bove, a top official at the department, discussed his handling of the dismissed corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, according to transcribed quotes from the audio reviewed by The Associated Press. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because the whistleblower has not made the recording public. The whistleblower's claims were first reported by the Washington Post.
Trump Administration Slashed Federal Funding for Gun Violence PreventionReuters
BIANCA FLOWERS
ReportingThe Trump administration has terminated more than half of all federal funding for gun violence prevention programs in the U.S., cutting $158 million in grants that had been directed to groups in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, DC and Baltimore. Of the 145 community violence intervention grants totaling more than $300 million awarded through the U.S. Department of Justice, 69 grants were abruptly terminated in April, according to government data analyzed by Reuters.
U.S. Workers Say Trump's Immigration Crackdown Is Causing Labor Shortages: 'A Strain on Everybody'The Guardian
MICHAEL SAINATO
ReportingTrump's crackdown on immigration is piling pressure on U.S. factories, according to employees and union leaders, as veteran workers from overseas are forced to leave their jobs. As economists warn the administration's full-scale deportation ambitions could ultimately cost millions of jobs, workers at two sites -- in Michigan and Kentucky -- told the Guardian that industrial giants are grappling with labor shortages.
With AI Plan, Trump Keeps Chipping Away at a Foundational Environmental LawThe Associated Press
MELINA WALLING
MATTHEW DALY
ReportingWhen Trump rolled out a plan to boost artificial intelligence and data centers, a key goal was wiping away barriers to rapid growth. And that meant taking aim at the National Environmental Policy Act -- a 55-year-old, bedrock law aimed at protecting the environment though a process that requires agencies to consider a project's possible impacts and allows the public to be heard before a project is approved. Data centers, demanding vast amounts of energy and water, have aroused strong opposition in some communities. The AI Action Plan Trump announced last week would seek to sweep aside NEPA to streamline environmental reviews and permitting for data centers and related infrastructure.
In Fight for House, New York May Follow Texas in Redrawing MapsThe New York Times
BENJAMIN ORESKES
ReportingIf Texas lawmakers follow through on President Trump's call to redraw state congressional maps to help the Republican Party, New York leaders say they want to be ready to respond in kind. Democrats in the State Assembly and Senate will introduce a bill on Tuesday that would allow New York to redraw its own congressional lines mid-decade -- instead of every 10 years, linked to the U.S. census -- if another state does so first. California and Illinois have also given consideration to drawing new lines in response to Texas.
EU Ambassador Breaks Down Implications of U.S. Trade Deal: 'We Know Where We Are Going'PBS News Hour
AMNA NAWAZ
ReportingThe announcement of the U.S.-European trade deal marks an important moment in President Trump's larger battles over tariffs and trade. But it's generating mixed reactions in Europe and in the U.S. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Jovita Neliupšienė, the European Union's ambassador to the United States.
Immigrants Sue Over Trump's Mandatory Detention, No-Bail PolicyAll Things Considered
TOVIA SMITH
ReportingThe Trump administration has stopped a longstanding practice of allowing immigrants who are challenging deportation to do so while free on bond. Officials now say they should all remain in detention.
Judge Orders Trump Administration to Continue Medicaid Funding to Planned ParenthoodThe Guardian
CARTER SHERMAN
ReportingThe Trump administration must continue reimbursing Planned Parenthood clinics for Medicaid-funded services, a federal judge ruled on Monday. Days after Donald Trump signed his sweeping tax bill, Planned Parenthood sued over a provision in the bill that ended Medicaid payments for one year to abortion providers that received more than $800,000 from Medicaid in 2023, such as Planned Parenthood. The new court order, from U.S. district judge Indira Talwani in Boston, will protect Medicaid funding for all Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide while litigation in the case continues. The order also replaces and expands a previous edict handed down by Talwani, which initially granted a preliminary injunction specifically blocking the government from cutting Medicaid payments only to Planned Parenthood affiliates that did not provide abortions or did not receive at least $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in a given year.
Trump Justice Department Sued Over Legal Memo on Qatar's Luxury Jet GiftThe Guardian
JOSEPH GEDEON
ReportingThe U.S. Department of Justice is facing a federal lawsuit for refusing to release a legal memorandum that reportedly cleared the way for Donald Trump's acceptance of a $400m luxury aircraft from Qatar's government. The Freedom of the Press Foundation, represented by the watchdog group American Oversight, filed the Freedom of Information Act lawsuit in Washington D.C.'s federal district court after the Justice Department failed to produce the document despite granting expedited processing more than two months ago.
Trump's Tariffs to Face Major Court Test Brought by U.S. Small Business OwnersThe Guardian
ED PILKINGTON
ReportingA group of small business owners are suing Donald Trump claiming he lacks legal authority from Congress to impose tariffs that could damage their bottom line. The Trump administration has invoked a 1977 law, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, claiming that various national emergencies -- including U.S. trade deficits with trading partners and the scourge of fentanyl trafficking -- demand urgent action. But the plaintiffs have countered the IEEPA does not give Trump the power to impose tariffs and has never been used in such a way in its almost half a century on the statute books. The case has the potential to derail Trump's tariff deals and negotiations.
Pete Buttigieg Warns Democrats Can't Go Back to Status Quo After President TrumpNPR Morning Edition
STEVE INSKEEP
ReportingIn his conversation with NPR, Buttigieg warned that Democrats can't and shouldn't, try to restore everything in the government that President Trump has broken this year. "You've got an administration that is burning down so many of the most important institutions that we have in this country, which is wrong," Buttigieg said in a Morning Edition interview in New York City. "It is also wrong to imagine that we should have just kept everything going along the way it was."
Dropped Cases Against LA Protesters Reveal False Claims From Federal AgentsThe Guardian
SAM LEVIN
ReportingU.S. immigration officers made false and misleading statements in their reports about several Los Angeles protesters they arrested during the massive demonstrations that rocked the city in June, according to federal law enforcement files obtained by the Guardian. The officers' testimony was cited in at least five cases filed by the U.S. Department of Justice amid the unrest. The justice department has charged at least 26 people with "assaulting" and "impeding" federal officers and other crimes during the protests over immigration raids. Prosecutors, however, have since been forced to dismiss at least eight of those felonies, many of them which relied on officers' inaccurate reports, court records show. The justice department has also dismissed at least three felony assault cases it brought against Angelenos accused of interfering with arrests during recent immigration raids, the documents show.
American Medical Association Concerned Over RFK Jr's Reported Plans to Cut Preventive Health PanelThe Guardian
MAYA YANG
ReportingA top U.S. medical body has expressed "deep concern" to Robert F Kennedy Jr over news reports that the health secretary plans to overhaul a panel that determines which preventive health measures including cancer screenings should be covered by insurance companies. The letter from the American Medical Association comes after the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Kennedy plans to overhaul the 40-year old U.S. Preventive Services Task Force because he regards it as too "woke," according to sources familiar with the matter.
What Will It Cost to Renovate the 'Free' Air Force One? Don't Ask.The New York Times
DAVID E. SANGER
ERIC SCHMITT
ReportingTo hide the cost of renovating the plane Qatar donated to President Trump, the Air Force appears to have tucked it inside an over-budget, behind-schedule nuclear modernization program. Officially, and conveniently, the price tag has been classified. But even by Washington standards, where “black budgets” are often used as an excuse to avoid revealing the cost of outdated spy satellites and lavish end-of-year parties, the techniques being used to hide the cost of Mr. Trump’s pet project are inventive.
This Was the Week That Comedy Pushed BackNPR Weekend Edition
ERIC DEGGANS
Reporting"What I think we've learned this week is that comedians and satirists have a more direct and dramatic way to push back against real or perceived corporate pressure -- showing fans right away they will not be intimidated."
'Hell on Earth': Venezuelans Deported to El Salvador Mega-Prison Tell of Brutal AbuseNPR Weekend Edition
SERGIO MARTÍNEZ-BELTRÁN
MANUEL RUEDA
ReportingHundreds of Venezuelans were sent to El Salvador by the Trump administration, many under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a rarely-used wartime power. They were accused -- without evidence -- of being members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. For nearly four months, the U.S. government withheld the identities of the men it deported and barred them from contacting their families or lawyers. They described being subjected to violence -- and, in some cases, sexual abuse -- by prison guards, denied adequate food and forced to endure inhumane conditions.
An FDA Panel Spread Misinformation About SSRI Use in Pregnancy. Doctors Are ConcernedNPR Weekend Edition
RHITU CHATTERJEE
ReportingObstetricians and psychiatrists are concerned about a recent FDA panel spreading misinformation about the potential harms of using SSRIs during pregnancy and postpartum.
Cuts to the U.S. Forest Service Are Impacting Popular Trails During Peak Hiking SeasonNPR Weekend Edition
JEFF KISH
Pacific Northwest Trail AssociationRecent cuts to the U.S. Forest Service could affect the maintenance of popular hiking trails during peak season. NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Jeff Kish of the Pacific Northwest Trail Association.
EPA Shutting Down Independent ResearchLiving on Earth
KYLA BENNETT
Public Employees for Environmental ResponsibilityThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is shutting down its Office of Research and Development, representing 50 years of independent scientific research. Kyla Bennett, director of science policy for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, joins host Aynsley O'Neill to discuss the impact on employees and science. "This work that the people at ORD do does everything from protecting the public from harmful chemicals, to setting air quality standards, working on climate change issues, keeping our drinking water safe and they also fund a lot of research elsewhere, academia and other places. So, it's a super important, theoretically, independent division, which is much needed by EPA," Bennett says.
An ICE Facility in the Everglades Is Under Scrutiny for the Treatment of DetaineesNPR Weekend Edition
TIM PADGETT
ReportingDetainees at an ICE facility in the Florida Everglades referred to as Alligator Alcatraz allege harsh punishments from guards and inhumane conditions. Lawyers for the detainees are not allowed inside the facility.
Why the New Postmaster General's Tenure Reignites Worries About Postal ReformsNPR Weekend Edition
NICK LOOMIS
ReportingAs a new Postmaster General with ties to FedEx assumes control of the agency, rural customers and postal workers worry about privatization or downsizing of the agency.
A Look at the Responsibility of the SCOTUS in Explaining CasesNPR Weekend Edition
NINA TOTENBERG
ReportingThe Trump administration often prevails in cases on the Supreme Court's emergency docket. The opinion-less decisions in these "shadow docket" cases create questions about the resulting policy.
Immigration Judges Fired by Trump Administration Say They Will Fight BackThe Associated Press
SOPHIA TAREEN
ReportingFederal immigration judges fired by the Trump administration are filing appeals, pursuing legal action and speaking out in an unusually public campaign to fight back. More than 50 immigration judges -- from senior leaders to new appointees -- have been fired since Donald Trump assumed the presidency for the second time. Normally bound by courtroom decorum, many are now unrestrained in describing terminations they consider unlawful and why they believe they were targeted. Their suspected reasons include gender discrimination, decisions on immigration cases played up by the Trump administration and a courthouse tour with the Senate's No. 2 Democrat. "I cared about my job and was really good at it," Jennifer Peyton, a former supervising judge told The Associated Press this week. "That letter that I received, the three sentences, explained no reason why I was fired."
Judge Issues Temporary Injunction Against Trump Administration Cancellation of Humanities GrantsThe Associated Press
GARY FIELDS
ReportingA district court judge in New York issued a preliminary injunction Friday night stopping the mass cancellation of National Endowment for the Humanities grants to members of the Authors Guild on the grounds that their First Amendment rights were violated. Judge Colleen McMahon of the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York stayed the mass cancellations of grants previously awarded to guild members and ordered that any funds associated with the grants not be reobligated until a trial on the merits of the case is held. In reaching her decision, the judge said the "defendants terminated the grants based on the recipients' perceived viewpoint, in an effort to drive such views out of the marketplace of ideas. This is most evident by the citation in the Termination Notices to executive orders purporting to combat 'Radical Indoctrination' and 'Radical ... DEI Programs,' and to further 'Biological Truth.'"
Trump Plays Golf in Scotland While Protesters Take to the Streets and Decry His VisitThe Associated Press
WILL WEISSERT
ReportingPresident Donald Trump played golf Saturday at his course on Scotland's coast while protesters around the country took to the streets to decry his visit and accuse United Kingdom leaders of pandering to the American. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered on the cobblestone and tree-lined street in front of the U.S. Consulate about 100 miles (160 kilometers) away in Edinburgh, Scotland's capital. Speakers told the crowd that Trump was not welcome and criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for striking a recent trade deal to avoid stiff U.S. tariffs on goods imported from the U.K. Protests were planned in other cities as environmental activists, opponents of Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza and pro-Ukraine groups loosely formed a "Stop Trump Coalition." Anita Bhadani, an organizer, said the protests were "kind of like a carnival of resistance."
Kagan Criticizes Fellow Justices Over Lack of Explanation in Recent Supreme Court RulingsPBS News Hour
GEOFF BENNETT
ReportingThe Supreme Court has handled a flood of appeals from the Trump administration on its emergency docket, also known as the shadow docket. In the first six months of Trump's term, the conservatives on the court have sided with him on several key policies, but the decisions have come with little to no explanation for their rationale. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Supreme Court analyst Amy Howe.
What Trump's Order on Clearing Encampments, Forced Hospitalization Means for the UnhousedPBS News Hour
LISA DESJARDINS
ReportingPresident Trump signed an executive order that makes it easier for states to remove homeless encampments and force unhoused people into mental health or addiction treatment programs. Homeless rates have been steadily rising since 2017. A federal count found that more than 770,000 people are living in shelters or outside on a single night. Lisa Desjardins discussed more with David Ovalle.
How Private Companies Could Cash in on Trump's Mass DeportationsPBS News Hour
JAMILES LARTEY
The Marshall ProjectThe ramifications of President Trump's sweeping tax cut and spending law are beginning to play out. That includes cuts to several federal programs, while significantly increasing spending in other areas, like immigration enforcement. Stephanie Sy talks to Jamiles Lartey of The Marshall Project. "Whether we're talking about immigration detention or prisons more broadly, there's often a lot of focus on private companies because of the, I think, obviously unseemly incentives at play," he says.
Judge Blocks Trump's Birthright Citizenship Restrictions in Third Ruling Since High Court DecisionThe Associated Press
MICHAEL CASEY
ReportingA federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration from ending birthright citizenship for the children of parents who are in the U.S. illegally, issuing the third court ruling blocking the birthright order nationwide since a key Supreme Court decision in June. U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin, joining another district court as well as an appellate panel of judges, found that a nationwide injunction granted to more than a dozen states remains in force under an exception to the Supreme Court ruling. That decision restricted the power of lower-court judges to issue nationwide injunctions.
White House Releases $5.5bn in Education Funds It Had WithheldThe Guardian
MAYA YANG
ReportingThe White House has announced that it will release $5.5bn in frozen education funds back to U.S. states. That announcement came on Friday after Donald Trump's administration decided to abruptly withhold the congressionally approved funds a day before their July 1 release for the 2025-26 school year. The funds include money for educator training, arts and music education and additional English as a second language support for children from immigrant families.
Two Top NOAA Officials Linked to Trump's 'Sharpiegate' Incident Put on LeaveThe Guardian
GABRIELLE CANON
ReportingTwo high-ranking officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were placed on administrative leave on Friday, fueling speculation that the Trump administration was retaliating against them for actions taken during the president's first term. First reported by CNN, the two were placed on leave just days before Neil Jacobs -- the former NOAA chief at the center of the scandal -- returns for a confirmation hearing as Donald Trump's pick to lead the agency once again.
Artist Amy Sherald Has Canceled Her Upcoming Show at the SmithsonianNPR Morning Edition
ELIZABETH BLAIR
ReportingArtist Amy Sherald, best known for her painting of Michelle Obama, is canceling an upcoming show of her work at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. She is canceling the show after the gallery expressed concerns about including her painting of a trans woman with pink hair and a blue gown holding a torch, called Trans Forming Liberty, 2024. "We're talking about erasure every day," Sherald said in April.
Texas Democrats to Confer With California and Illinois Governors on RedistrictingThe New York Times
J. DAVID GOODMAN
ReportingDemocrats in the Texas House, struggling to beat back an aggressive Republican redistricting effort, traveled on Friday to meet with the Democratic governors of California and Illinois who have suggested they could redraw their own political maps to counter changes in Texas. "We want the country to understand what's going on in Texas is a national battle," said State Representative Richard Peña Raymond, a Democrat from Laredo who was part of the group heading to Chicago to meet with Pritzker. Raymond said he would stress to the Illinois governor that the redistricting is "clearly aimed at affecting the entire country."
Trump Signs an Executive Order to Make It Easier to Remove Homeless People From StreetsNPR Morning Edition
JENNIFER LUDDEN
ReportingFulfilling a campaign promise, President Trump has signed an executive order that seeks to overhaul the way the U.S. manages homelessness. The order signed Thursday calls for changes to make it easier for states and cities to remove outdoor encampments and get people into mental health or addiction treatment. That includes involuntary civil commitment for those "who are a risk to themselves or others." Jesse Rabinowitz with the National Homelessness Law Center said, "This executive order is forcing people to choose between compassionate data driven approaches like housing, or treating it like a crime to have a mental illness or be homeless."
Trump Tries to Keep a Former Personal Lawyer as New Jersey's Top Federal ProsecutorNPR Morning Edition
SACHA PFEIFFER
ReportingThe Trump administration is attempting to keep Alina Habba in her interim position as New Jersey's top federal prosecutor, despite a court's selection of another official for that role.
DOJ Faces Credibility Questions as It Investigates Jeffrey EpsteinNPR Morning Edition
STAFF
ReportingAs the Department of Justice continues its investigation into disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, some are raising questions about its credibility under the current administration.
Democratic Lawmakers Seek Answers From Homeland Security About Masked Ice AgentsThe Guardian
JOSÉ OLIVARES
ReportingDemocratic members of Congress are pressing the Department of Homeland Security to reveal information about immigration officers' practice of wearing masks and concealing their identities, according to a letter viewed by the Guardian. Congressman Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the powerful committee on oversight and government reform, along with Representative Summer Lee, wrote to the secretary of the DHS, Kristi Noem, pressing for "memoranda, directives, guidance, communications" regarding immigration officers' use of masks and unmarked cars for immigration operations. "For every person within the United States, the Fourth Amendment guarantees protection from unreasonable searches and seizures and the Fifth Amendment guarantees a right to due process under the law," the pair wrote. "In direct violation of these principles, the Department of Homeland Security has allowed its agents -- primarily from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) -- to conceal their identities and use unmarked vehicles while conducting immigration enforcement activities."
A Columbia Genocide Scholar Says She May Leave Over University's New Definition of AntisemitismThe Associated Press
JAKE OFFENHARTZ
ReportingFor years, Marianne Hirsch, a prominent genocide scholar at Columbia University, has used Hannah Arendt's book about the trial of a Nazi war criminal, "Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil," to spark discussion among her students about the Holocaust. But after Columbia's redefinition of antisemitism, which casts certain criticism of Israel as hate speech, Hirsch fears she may face official sanction for even mentioning the landmark text by Arendt. For the first time since she started teaching five decades ago, Hirsch, the daughter of two Holocaust survivors, is now thinking of leaving the classroom altogether. "A university that treats criticism of Israel as antisemitic and threatens sanctions for those who disobey is no longer a place of open inquiry," she told The Associated Press. "I just don't see how I can teach about genocide in that environment."
What Columbia's Settlement With the Trump Administration Means for Higher EducationPBS News Hour
AMNA NAWAZ
ReportingColumbia University and the Trump administration reached a deal that restores federal funding and research grant money to the university. As part of the agreement, Columbia will pay $200 million to the federal government. Amna Nawaz discussed the agreement and what it means for higher education with Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University.
Trump Ramps Up Pressure on Powell to Cut Interest Rates During Visit to Federal ReservePBS News Hour
GEOFF BENNETT
ReportingPresident Trump continued to dial up the pressure on Jerome Powell during a visit to the Fed. The president's public remarks and personal insults about Powell are a major departure from past presidents and his approach has sparked questions about whether the Fed's independence could be undermined in the months ahead. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Julia Coronado of Macro Policy Perspectives.
Federal Regulators Approve Paramount's $8 Billion Deal With Skydance, Capping Months of TurmoilThe Associated Press
WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS
ReportingFederal regulators on Thursday approved Paramount's $8 billion merger with Skydance, clearing the way to close a deal that combined Hollywood glitz with political intrigue. The stamp of approval from the Federal Communications Commission comes after months of turmoil revolving around President Donald Trump's legal battle with "60 Minutes," the crown jewel of Paramount-owned broadcast network CBS. With the specter of the Trump administration potentially blocking the hard-fought deal with Skydance, Paramount earlier this month agreed to pay a $16 million settlement with the President. Critics of the settlement lambasted it as a veiled a bribe to appease Trump, amid rising alarm over editorial independence overall.
Trump's EPA Now Says Greenhouse Gases Don't Endanger PeopleNPR Morning Edition
JEFF BRADY
ReportingThe Trump administration wants to overturn a key 2009 Environmental Protection Agency finding that underpins the federal government's actions to rein in climate change. The EPA has crafted a proposal that would undo the government's "endangerment finding," a determination that pollutants from burning fossil fuels can be regulated under the Clean Air Act. This comes in the wake of the hottest year \ever recorded on Earth, climate-fueled wildfires that destroyed thousands of homes in Los Angeles and hotter ocean temperatures that made Hurricane Helene stronger and more likely to cause damage inland. "The Trump administration's intent is clear: They want to undermine or overturn the endangerment finding so as to evade EPA's legal responsibility to address the harms caused by climate change," says Rachel Cleetus, policy director with the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "This is simply a giveaway to the fossil fuel industry and an attempt to undo pollution standards to limit heat-trapping emissions from motor vehicles, from power plants, [and] from oil and gas operations."
Prosecutor Fired by Trump Officials Defiantly Says She Is Set to Take JobThe New York Times
JONAH E. BROMWICH
TRACEY TULLY
ReportingDesiree Leigh Grace, who was appointed as the next U.S. attorney by federal judges in New Jersey, said Wednesday she was prepared to take the job, even though she had been fired the day before by senior Justice Department officials. In a LinkedIn post, calling it an honor to have been selected for the position "on merit" and saying that she was ready to begin to serve "in accordance with the law."
Robert Reich on Trump, the Economy and PowellNPR Morning Edition
SACHA PFEIFFER
ReportingNPR's Sacha Pfeiffer speaks with former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich about Trump's criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
A Former Federal Prosecutor on the Epstein Federal InvestigationNPR Morning Edition
MICHEL MARTIN
ReportingNPR's Michel Martin speaks with Elie Honig, legal analyst and former federal prosecutor, about the details of the federal investigation into disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
U.N. Court Rules That Nations Must Act on Climate ChangeNPR Morning Edition
LAUREN SOMMER
ReportingNations have a duty to act on climate change under international law -- and if they don't, they could be held liable. That's the ruling of the top United Nations court.
Republicans Want to Rename the Kennedy Center's Opera House After Melania TrumpNPR Morning Edition
ELIZABETH BLAIR
SACHA PFEIFFER
ReportingGOP Lawmakers have approved funds for the Kennedy Center under the condition that the opera house be renamed after the first lady. It's the latest big change for the arts organization under Trump.
South Park Targets Paramount After Signing $1.5bn Deal and Skewers TrumpThe Guardian
JENNA AMATULLI
ReportingSouth Park has kicked off its 27th season with a blistering episode taking aim at Donald Trump and its newly minted parent company, Paramount, just one day after signing a $1.5bn deal with the network. The premiere episode, Sermon on the Mount, sees the U.S. president in bed with series regular Satan and covers topics including Trump's lawsuit against Paramount, the cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, wokeness, Trump's attacks on Canada and more. When South Park's parents protest to Trump that they don't want Jesus in schools and Trump threatens to sue them for $5bn, Jesus begs them to settle with the president. "I didn't want to come back and be in the school, but I had to because it was part of a lawsuit and the agreement with Paramount," Jesus says through gritted teeth.
Trump Effort to Ditch Greenhouse Gas Finding Ignores 'Clearcut' Science, Expert SaysThe Guardian
OLIVER MILMAN
ReportingOne of the architects of a landmark 16-year-old finding on pollution's impact on health that the Trump administration now wants to eliminate says that doing so would ignore "clear cut" science that has only become clearer today because of extreme weather. The Trump administration plans would sweep away the U.S. government's legal authority to limit greenhouse gases in order to address the climate crisis.
Columbia University's Deal With White House Met With Mixed ReactionsThe Guardian
ALICE SPERI
ReportingColumbia University's long anticipated deal with the Trump administration after months of negotiations has drawn both condemnation and praise from faculty, students and alumni -- a sign that the end of negotiations will hardly restore harmony on a campus profoundly divided since the beginning of Israel's war in Gaza. The deal will reinstate $400m in federal funds the administration cut from the university after it accused it of allowing antisemitism to fester on campus. But it will cost Columbia some $220m in legal settlements, as well as a host of new measures that critics warn significantly restrict the university's independence and will further repress pro-Palestinian speech. David Pozen, a professor at Columbia Law School, slammed the deal as giving "legal form to an extortion scheme," he wrote.
Appeals Court Finds Trump's Effort to End Birthright Citizenship Unconstitutional, Upholds BlockPBS News Hour
LINDSAY WHITEHURST
HALLIE GOLDEN
ReportingA federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that President Donald Trump's order seeking to end birthright citizenship is unconstitutional, affirming a lower-court decision that blocked its enforcement nationwide. The ruling from a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals comes after Trump's plan was also blocked by a federal judge in New Hampshire. It brings the issue one step closer to coming back quickly before the Supreme Court. "The district court correctly concluded that the Executive Order's proposed interpretation, denying citizenship to many persons born in the United States, is unconstitutional. We fully agree," the majority wrote.
What's in Trump's New AI Policy and Why It MattersPBS News Hour
AMNA NAWAZ
ReportingPresident Trump unveiled his approach to the development of AI. Surrounded by some of the biggest names in tech, he signed three executive orders. One targets what Trump called "ideological bias" in AI chatbots, another aims to make it easier to build massive AI data centers and the third encourages the export of American AI tech. Amna Nawaz discussed the implications with Will Oremus.
How the National Parks Service Is Struggling With Drastic Funding and Staffing CutsPBS News Hour
STEPHANIE SY
ReportingSummer is the height of the visitor season for the National Park Service. Last year, nearly 332 million people visited NPS sites, a record that is likely to be broken this year. That surge in visitors continues despite staff and budget cuts imposed by the Trump administration with no end in sight. Stephanie Sy discussed more with Theresa Pierno of the National Parks Conservation Association.
Gabbard Pushes Report on Obama and Russia Probe as Trump Faces Pressure Over EpsteinPBS News Hour
NICK SCHIFRIN
ReportingDirector of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard ramped up efforts to sow doubt about the investigation that found Russia interfered in the 2016 election. Gabbard pushed claims about former President Obama and called it the "most egregious weaponization and politicization of intelligence in American history."
House Subcommittee Votes 8-2 to Subpoena Justice Department for Epstein FilesPBS News Hour
STEPHEN GROVES
Associated PressA House subcommittee on Wednesday voted to subpoena the Department of Justice for files in the sex trafficking investigation into Jeffrey Epstein after Democrats successfully goaded GOP lawmakers to defy President Donald Trump and Republican leadership to support the action. The vote showed the intensifying push for disclosures in the Epstein investigation even as House Speaker Mike Johnson -- caught between demands from Trump and clamoring from his own members for the House to act -- was sending lawmakers home a day early for its August recess. The House Committee on Oversight also issued a subpoena Wednesday for Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted sex offender and girlfriend of the late Epstein, to testify before committee officials in August.
Bondi Facing Democratic Calls to Testify Following Report She Told Trump He Was in Epstein FilesThe Associated Press
STAFF
ReportingAttorney General Pam Bondi is facing Democratic calls to testify before Congress following a newspaper's revelation that she told President Donald Trump that his name appeared in the files of the Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking investigation. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Bondi told Trump his name was among many high-profile figures mentioned in the files, which the Justice Department this month said it would not be releasing despite a clamor from online sleuths, conspiracy theorists and members of Trump's base.
House Speaker Johnson Calls Summer Recess Early to Avoid Vote on Epstein FilesNPR Morning Edition
CLAUDIA GRISALES
MICHEL MARTIN
ReportingRepublican House Speaker Mike Johnson is sending lawmakers home early for their summer recess to avoid dragging out a fight within the GOP over the Jeffrey Epstein saga.
DOJ Fires U.S. Attorney for New Jersey After State Picks Her Over Former Trump Lawyer Alina HabbaABC News
AARON KATERSKY
PETER CHARALAMBOUS
ReportingThe Justice Department on Tuesday said it fired Desiree Leigh Grace as the newly appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, hours after federal judges in the state chose her over President Donald Trump's pick, Alina Habba. Federal law gives district judges the authority to name a United States attorney if the president's nominee is not acted upon by the U.S. Senate within 120 days. It's unclear if the Trump Justice Department now believes it can bypass that process or if it plans to seek Senate confirmation for Habba. Grace, a nine-year career prosecutor, previously ran the New Jersey office's criminal division. Habba served as Trump's legal spokesperson in several cases after he left the White House in 2021.
U.S.-Funded Contraceptives for Poor Nations to Be Burned in France, Sources SayReuters
AMMU KANNAMPILLY
JENNIFER RIGBY
JONATHAN LANDAY
ReportingU.S.-funded contraceptives worth nearly $10 million are being sent to France from Belgium to be incinerated, after Washington rejected offers from the United Nations and family planning organisations to buy or ship the supplies to poor nations, two sources told Reuters. The supplies have been stuck for months in a warehouse in Geel, a city in the Belgian province of Antwerp, following President Donald Trump's decision to freeze U.S. foreign aid in January.
FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Chief Resigns, Citing Agency 'Chaos', Colleagues SaidThe New York Times
LISA FRIEDMAN
ReportingKen Pagurek, who worked with FEMA's search and rescue branch for more than a decade and served as chief for the past year, has resigned, telling colleagues he was frustrated by bureaucratic hurdles the Trump administration imposed that delayed the agency's response to deadly flooding in Texas, according to three people familiar with his reasoning. He said he worried that a new policy that requires purchases of more than $100,000 be personally approved by Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, could hurt disaster response efforts that require speed and agility.
Trump Told Park Workers to Report Displays That 'Disparage' Americans. Here's What They Flagged.The New York Times
MAXINE JOSELOW
LISA FRIEDMAN
ReportingAccording to internal documents reviewed by The New York Times, employees of the National Park Service have flagged descriptions and displays at scores of parks and historic sites for review in connection with President Trump's directive to remove or cover up materials that "inappropriately disparage Americans" by Sept. 17. In response, a coalition of librarians, historians and others organized through the University of Minnesota has launched a campaign called "Save Our Signs." It is asking the public to take photos of existing content at national parks and upload it. The group is using those images to build a public archive before any materials may be altered. So far, it has more than 800 submissions.
Examining the Facts About Contraceptives as Birth Control Misinformation Spreads OnlinePBS News Hour
SARAH VARNEY
ReportingThe birth control pill is one of the most common forms of contraception in the U.S. But in recent years, claims of side effects of the pill have filled social media platforms, often fueled by influencers promoting misinformation. Special correspondent Sarah Varney reports on the science behind birth control for our series, The Next Frontier.
As Immigration Courts Face Backlog, DOJ Cuts Dozens of JudgesPBS News Hour
AMNA NAWAZ
ReportingA key part of the Trump administration's hardline immigration agenda is to deport immigrants without legal status more quickly. But there's a massive backlog in immigration courts and the Justice Department has fired or not renewed the contracts of dozens of judges. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Ximena Bustillo of NPR.
Judges End Trump Pick Alina Habba's Tenure as New Jersey's Top ProsecutorThe Guardian
EDWARD HELMORE
ReportingAlina Habba, Donald Trump's defence lawyer during a defamation case brought by the writer E Jean Carroll, has lost her bid to become New Jersey's top federal prosecutor, with the clock running out on her interim status on Tuesday. According to an order from New Jersey's district court, a panel of judges declined to permanently appoint Habba to be the state's U.S. attorney, signaling a rebuke against the Trump administration. Habba inflamed Democratic hostilities when she brought charges, later dropped, against the mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka and the state representative LaMonica McIver after they visited a privately operated immigration detention center in Newark.
Obama Breaks Silence on Trump's 'Outrageous' Call to Prosecute HimThe Guardian
ROBERT TAIT
ReportingBarack Obama has broken his silence on calls from Donald Trump for him to be prosecuted by unequivocally for "treason," rejecting his successor's accusations that he tried to engineer a "coup" following Trump's 2016 election victory by "manufacturing" evidence of Russian interference. "Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response," the statement said. "But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction."
U.S. House Calls Early Summer Recess to Block Voting on Release of Epstein FilesThe Guardian
CHRIS STEIN
ReportingRepublicans announced Tuesday that the House of Representatives will call it quits a day early and head home in the face of persistent Democratic efforts to force Republicans into voting on the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. The chamber was scheduled be in session through Thursday ahead of the annual five-week summer recess, but on Tuesday, the Republican majority announced that the last votes of the week would take place the following day. Democrats in turn accused the GOP of leaving town rather than dealing with the outcry over Donald Trump's handling of the investigation into the alleged sex trafficker. "They are actually ending this week early because they're afraid to cast votes on the Jeffrey Epstein issue," said Ted Lieu, the vice-chair of the House Democratic caucus.
Trump Pulls U.S. Out of Unesco in Blow for UN Culture and Education AgencyThe Guardian
ANGELIQUE CHRISAFIS
ReportingThe U.S. will quit the United Nations' culture and education agency Unesco, the U.S. state department has said, as Donald Trump continues to pull out of international institutions. "Unesco works to advance divisive social and cultural causes and maintains an outsized focus on the UN's sustainable development goals, a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy," a state department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, said. The move is a blow to the Paris-based global organisation, founded after the second world war to promote peace through international cooperation in education, science and culture.
NY Times Defends WSJ After White House Ban From Press Pool: 'Simple Retribution'The Guardian
JOSEPH GEDEON
ReportingThe New York Times is defending the Wall Street Journal after the Trump administration decided to bar the global outlet from the White House press pool following its investigative coverage of ties between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. In the public statement, a Times spokesperson said the White House's actions represented "simple retribution by a president against a news organization for doing reporting that he doesn't like," warning that "such actions deprive Americans of information about how their government operates." "The White House's refusal to allow one of the nation's leading news organizations to cover the highest office in the country is an attack on core constitutional principles underpinning free speech and a free press," the spokesperson said. "Americans regardless of party deserve to know and understand the actions of the president and reporters play a vital role in advancing that public interest."
Trump's Labor Department Proposes More Than 60 Rule Changes in a Push to Deregulate WorkplacesThe Associated Press
CATHY BUSSEWITZ
ReportingThe U.S. Department of Labor is aiming to rewrite or repeal more than 60 "obsolete" workplace regulations, ranging from minimum wage requirements for home health care workers and people with disabilities to standards governing exposure to harmful substances. If approved, the wide-ranging changes unveiled this month also would affect working conditions at constructions sites and in mines and limit the government's ability to penalize employers if workers are injured or killed while engaging in inherently risky activities such as movie stunts or animal training.
Harvard's Case Against Trump Administration Now in Hands of a Federal JudgeNPR Morning Edition
ELISSA NADWORNY
SACHA PFEIFFER
ReportingA federal judge in Boston is weighing arguments from both sides in Harvard's lawsuit against the Trump administration. Harvard claims the government's freezing of research funds is illegal.
Trump Administration Releases Files on Martin Luther King Jr. AssassinationNPR Morning Edition
STEVE INSKEEP
ReportingThe National Archives has published thousands of newly digitized documents relating to the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as part of a directive by President Trump over the objections of King's family.
Summer Surge in COVID Cases Appears to Have Begun, Epidemiologists SayNPR Morning Edition
ROB STEIN
ReportingThis summer's Covid-19 surge appears to have begun, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
U.S. Coffee Drinkers and Businesses Will Pay the Price for Trump's Brazil TariffsNPR Morning Edition
JACLYN DIAZ
ReportingThis month, President Trump announced plans to levy a 50 percent tariff on all goods from Brazil -- the world's largest coffee producer and the source of about 30 percent of U.S. coffee imports. That's on top of the 10 percent tariff that impacts nearly everything the U.S. brings in. This looming tariff threat has sent shock waves through the U.S. coffee industry, raising fears especially among small roasters like Lost Sock.
DHS Plans to Use Military Bases in New Jersey and Indiana to Detain ImmigrantsNPR Morning Edition
XIMENA BUSTILLO
SACHA PFEIFFER
ReportingThe Department of Homeland Security plans to use military bases in New Jersey and Indiana to detain immigrants amid its broader crackdown.
Ben Bernanke and Janet Yellen: The Fed Must Be Independentundefined
BEN BERNANKE
JANET YELLEN
Guest Essay"The Fed's credibility -- its perceived willingness to make hard decisions based on data and nonpartisan analysis -- is an important national asset. It is hard to acquire and easy to lose. That credibility requires that monetary policy be seen as independent from short-term political considerations. In the long run, preserving the Fed's independence from politics is not about protecting a few individuals or a Washington bureaucracy. It's about protecting America's prosperity."
Trump Threatens to Hold Up Stadium Deal if Washington Commanders Don't Switch Back to RedskinsThe Associated Press
JOE REEDY
ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON
ReportingPresident Donald Trump is threatening to hold up a new stadium deal for Washington's NFL team if it does not restore its old name of the Redskins, which was considered offensive to Native Americans. Trump also said Sunday that he wants Cleveland's baseball team to revert to its former name, the Indians, saying there was a "big clamoring for this" as well. The Washington Commanders and Cleveland Guardians have had their current names since the 2022 seasons and both have said they have no plans to change them back.
'It's Really Theft': The Republican Plan to Redraw Texas Maps -- and Grab More PowerThe Guardian
GEORGE CHIDI
ReportingA plan for Texas to redraw its congressional districts and gain five additional Republican seats barrels through flimsy legal arguments and political norms like a rough-stock rodeo bronco through a broken chute. "It is more than redistricting. It's really theft," said Democratic representative Al Green, whose Houston-area congressional district is likely to be one targeted by Republicans in a redrawn map. "It's the kind of election theft that you use when you realize that you can't win playing with the hand that you've been dealt. So, you decide that you'll just rearrange the cards so that they favor you."
A Look at Congress' Decision to Cede the 'Power of the Purse' to President TrumpNPR Morning Edition
JONATHAN MARTIN
PoliticoNPR's Steve Inskeep talks with Politico's Jonathan Martin about Congress ceding the "power of the purse" over to President Trump.
Volunteers Flock to Immigration Courts to Support Migrants Arrested in the HallwaysThe Associated Press
MARTHA BELLISLE
CEDAR ATTANASIO
COLLEEN SLEVIN
ReportingA diverse group -- faith leaders, college students, grandmothers, retired lawyers and professors -- has been showing up at immigration courts across the nation to escort immigrants at risk of being detained for deportation by masked ICE officials. They're giving families moral and logistical support and bearing witness as the people are taken away.
In the West Virginia Mountains, a Radio Station Is Caught in the Funding Cut CrossfireNPR Weekend Edition
FRANK LANGFITT
ReportingAllegheny Mountain Radio, a network of three community stations, is not an NPR member station. But it will get caught in the crossfire of funding cuts.
Why Trump Has Championed the Vaping IndustryNPR Weekend Edition
ADRIAN MA
ReportingNPR's Adrian Ma speaks to Nicholas Florko from The Atlantic about President Trump's support for the vaping industry, which contradicts his stance during his first administration.
Trump's Budget Bill Overhauls the Federal Student Loan System. Here's What to KnowNPR Weekend Edition
CORY TURNER
ADRIAN MA
ReportingThe new Republican spending bill will usher in a sweeping overhaul of the federal student loan system for both current and future borrowers.
Weakening Disaster PrepLiving on Earth
ALICE HILL
Council on Foreign RelationsWeather forecasting, climate research and climate resilience are being hit with major budget and staffing cuts by the Trump administration. Alice Hill is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who served on the National Security Council under President Obama and she joins Host Jenni Doering to discuss how recent federal cuts can impact emergency preparedness for floods such as the one that devastated the Texas hill country.
Transgender Military Members Fight to Continue Serving Despite Trump's BanPBS News Hour
DAN MING
Evident MediaThousands of transgender troops are facing removal from the U.S. military because the Trump administration is banning them from serving. The Pentagon says they can either self-identify and leave voluntarily with extended benefits or face involuntary separation. Evident Media's Dan Ming speaks with some of the transgender military members who are fighting the ban in court.
How National Cancer Institute Funding Cuts Could Affect the Fight Against the DiseasePBS News Hour
WILLIAM BRANGHAM
ReportingFor decades, the National Cancer Institute has spearheaded breakthrough advancements against the disease. Cancer deaths have been reduced by a third since the 1990s, but now the world's premier cancer institute is in the midst of a fierce battle over its future. William Brangham speaks with Rachana Pradhan of KFF Health News for more.
A Pro-Trump Community Reckons With Losing a Beloved Immigrant NeighborThe New York Times
NICHOLAS KRISTOF
Opinion Columnist,Voters here in Oregon's rural Yamhill County have backed Donald Trump for three presidential elections in a row, most recently by a six-point margin. Then last month ICE detained Moises Sotelo, a beloved but undocumented Mexican immigrant who has lived in the county for 31 years and owns a vineyard management company employing 10 people. Two of his children were born here and are American citizens and Sotelo was a pillar of his church and won a wine industry award -- yet he was detained for five weeks and on Friday was deported to Mexico, his family said. Bubba King, a county commissioner, put it this way: "We want tighter border security" but also humane treatment of families, he said. A community group erected a billboard in the county that declares: "We live here, together. Losing immigrants hurts us all."
New Album Honors the National Symphony Orchestra, Snubs Trump's Kennedy Center ChangesPBS News Hour
JUSTIN BARNEY
ReportingPop pianist Ben Folds' new record is a celebration of the National Symphony Orchestra and a protest against President Trump's changes at the Kennedy Center.
The Rescission Package Will Pull Money From UN Peacekeeping Work. What Does This Mean?PBS News Hour
MICHELE KELEMEN
ReportingCongress has approved a rescission package that claws back about a billion dollars intended for the United Nations -- affecting peacekeeping missions, UNICEF and more.
As State Department Office Combating Human Trafficking Faces Cuts, Former Leader Weighs InPBS News Hour
JOHN YANG
ReportingFor 25 years, the State Department has had an office tracking the scope of human trafficking and working to combat it. In 2023, more than 133,000 victims were identified globally, leading to more than 18,000 prosecutions. Last week, the Trump administration drastically cut that office's staff. John Yang discussed more with Cindy Dyer, the former ambassador to monitor and combat trafficking.
A Look at Life for Small Group of Refugees Allowed in U.S. Since Trump Took OfficePBS News Hour
LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ
ReportingShortly after being sworn into office, President Donald Trump indefinitely suspended refugee admissions to the United States. After months of legal challenges, only a small group of refugees has been allowed into the country. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López, who is leaving PBS for MSNBC, has reports on one family's journey.
Justice Department Asks Federal Court to Unseal Epstein Grand Jury TranscriptsPBS News Hour
ALANNA DURKIN RICHER
Associated PressThe Justice Department asked a federal court on Friday to unseal grand jury transcripts in Jeffrey Epstein's case at the direction of President Donald Trump amid a firestorm over the administration's handling of records related to the wealthy financier. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche filed motions urging the court to unseal the Epstein transcripts as well as those in the case against British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein. Epstein killed himself in 2019 shortly after his arrest while awaiting trial.
FEMA and Volunteers Lift Up Hunt, TexasHere & Now
MARTIN KASTE
ReportingAfter early criticism for being late on the scene, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is now getting high marks from people affected by the July 4 flash flood, especially in the hard-hit community of Hunt, Texas. But locals heap even more praise on the help from religious charities.
An Abuse Survivor Speaks Out About the Justice Department's Handling of Epstein FilesAll Things Considered
TYLER BARTLAM
CHRISTOPHER INTAGLIATA
AILSA CHANG
ReportingDanielle Bensky, who met Jeffrey Epstein when she was a young ballerina, is speaking out against the Justice Department's decision not to release additional documents about his case.
Funding Cuts Will Hit Rural Areas Hard. One Station Manager Explains HowAll Things Considered
TOM MICHAEL
Boise State Public RadioNPR's Juana Summers speaks with Tom Michael, general manager of Boise State Public Radio, about what the cuts to federal public media funding mean for his station.
ACA Health Insurance Will Cost on Average 75 Pct. More Next Year, Research ShowsNPR Morning Edition
SELENA SIMMONS-DUFFIN
ReportingHealth insurance premiums are going way up next year for people who buy their insurance on Healthcare.gov or the state-based marketplaces, according to an analysis out Friday. The average person who buys Affordable Care Act insurance will be paying 75 percent more for their premium, according to the analysis from KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research group.
NPR CEO Katherine Maher Discusses the Future of Public RadioNPR Morning Edition
KATHERINE MAHER
NPR CEONPR CEO Katherine Maher answers questions on the future of public radio as Congress strips over $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
'Devastating': U.S. Public Broadcasters Condemn Trump Cuts to Key ProgramsThe Guardian
MAYA YANG
ReportingPublic broadcasters are condemning Trump's latest victory after Congress approved a bill to cancel all federal funding for public broadcasting programs, including PBS and NPR. The House signed off on the bill early Friday morning, after Wednesday's decision in the Senate to pass $9bn in spending cuts, slashing public broadcasting as well as foreign aid. PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger said the Senate's approval of the package "goes against the will of the American people." "These cuts will significantly impact all of our stations, but will be especially devastating to smaller stations and those serving large rural areas. Many of our stations which provide access to free unique local programming and emergency alerts will now be forced to make hard decisions in the weeks and months ahead," Kerger said. "Despite today's setback, we are determined to keep fighting to preserve the essential services we provide to the American public."
For Sale: Trump Is Leveraging Power of His Office to Reap Profits for Family BusinessesThe Associated Press
BRIAN SLODYSKO
WILL WEISSERT
Reportingf one theme has emerged in President Donald Trump's second term, it's this: He's leveraged the power of his office for personal gain unlike anyone before in history. From crypto coins to bibles, overseas development deals to an upcoming line of cellphones, Trump family businesses have raked in hundreds of millions of dollars since his election, an unprecedented flood of often shadowy money from billionaires, foreign governments and cryptocurrency tycoons with interests before the federal government. "He is president and is supposed to be working in the public's interest," said James Thurber, an emeritus professor at American University, who has researched lobbying, campaign finance and political corruption for decades. "Instead, he is helping his own personal interest to grow his wealth. It's totally not normal."
Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' Is Canceled by CBS and Will End in May 2026The Associated Press
DAVID BAUDER
ALICIA RANCILIO
ANDREW DALTON
ReportingCBS is canceling "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" next May, shuttering a decades-old TV institution in a changing media landscape and removing from air one of President Donald Trump's most prominent and persistent late-night critics. CBS said "Late Show" was canceled for financial reasons, not for content. But the timing -- three days after Colbert criticized the settlement between Trump and Paramount Global, parent company of CBS, over a "60 Minutes" story -- led two U.S. senators to publicly question the motives. The most recent ratings from Nielsen show Colbert gaining viewers so far this year and winning his timeslot among broadcasters, with about 2.417 million viewers across 41 new episodes. On Tuesday, Colbert's "Late Show" landed its sixth Emmy nomination for outstanding talk show. It won a Peabody Award in 2021.
Planned Parenthood CEO Says Blocking It From Medicaid Funding Is 'Devastating to Patients'PBS News Hour
ALEXIS MCGILL JOHNSON
Planned ParenthoodSince President Trump signed his sweeping domestic policy bill into law, a key provision that prevents Planned Parenthood clinics from receiving Medicaid funding has already been temporarily blocked by a federal judge. William Brangham discussed the legal challenge with Alexis McGill Johnson, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood.
Ken Burns Calls Public Media Funding Cuts 'Shortsighted,' but Vows 'We Will Continue'PBS News Hour
WILLIAM BRANGHAM
ReportingCongress is moving toward revoking a billion dollars in already approved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the entity that steers funds to public media stations. William Brangham discussed the potential impact on PBS with one of the network's most acclaimed filmmakers, Ken Burns. His documentaries covered subjects like the Civil War, baseball, Vietnam, country music and more.
IRS to Share Personal Data With Immigration Agents to Aid Deportation EffortsPBS News Hour
CHRISTOPHER BING
ProPublicaThe Trump administration is giving personal data to immigration authorities to aid its crackdown. The AP reported ICE is getting access to Medicaid data and ProPublica found the IRS is building a program that would give immigration agents unprecedented access to sensitive taxpayer data, including home addresses. William Brangham discussed more with Christopher Bing of ProPublica.
Trump Administration Hands Over Medicaid Recipients' Personal Data, Including Addresses, to ICEThe Associated Press
KIMBERLY KINDY
AMANDA SEITZ
ReportingImmigration and Customs Enforcement officials will be given access to the personal data of the nation's 79 million Medicaid enrollees, including home addresses and ethnicities, to track down immigrants who may not be living legally in the United States, according to an agreement obtained by The Associated Press. The information will give ICE officials the ability to find "the location of aliens" across the country, says the agreement signed Monday between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Homeland Security. The agreement has not been announced publicly. The extraordinary disclosure of millions of such personal health data to deportation officials is the latest escalation in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, which has repeatedly tested legal boundaries in its effort to arrest 3,000 people daily.
Former Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President on Importance of Fed IndependenceNPR Morning Edition
STEVE INSKEEP
ReportingNPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with Loretta Mester, former president of the Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank, on President Trump's pressure on Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
StoryCorps' David Isay Reacts to the Senate's Vote to Cut Funding for Public MediaNPR Morning Edition
DAVID ISAY
StoryCorpsNPR's Steve Inskeep and Michel Martin speak with David Isay, founder and president of StoryCorps, about the Senate vote to cut funding for public broadcasting.
Senate Panel to Vote on Federal Judge Nomination for Emil Bove, Who Defended TrumpNPR Morning Edition
CARRIE JOHNSON
ReportingA Senate panel is preparing to vote Thursday to advance a life-tenured judicial nomination for Emil Bove. Bove, 44, previously served as a federal prosecutor in Manhattan and defended Trump in a pair of criminal cases filed by the Justice Department. Bove's record in and outside the Justice Department has fueled opposition from 900 former DOJ lawyers who identify with both major political parties and a group of more than 75 retired state and federal court judges who fear his intense loyalty to the president would carry over onto the bench.
How Layoffs Will Affect the State Department and American DiplomacyNPR Morning Edition
STEVE INSKEEP
ReportingNPR's Steve Inskeep asks John Dinkelman, new president of the American Foreign Service Association, about how layoffs will affect the State Department and American diplomacy.
Senate Approves Cuts to NPR, PBS and Foreign Aid ProgramsNPR Morning Edition
SCOTT NEUMAN
DEIRDRE WALSH
ReportingThe Senate has approved the Trump administration's $9 billion rescission package aimed at clawing back money already allocated for public radio and television -- a major step toward winding down nearly six decades of federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. CPB stands to lose $1.1 billion dollars meant to fund it through the next two years, while the bill also cuts $7.9 billion in other programs. CPB acts as a conduit for federal money to NPR, PBS and their member stations.
Rural Public Media at Risk as Congress Moves Toward Funding CutPBS News Hour
TOM ABBOTT
KFSKAmong the programs targeted for cuts in the White House rescissions package is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It's the independent nonprofit created by Congress to distribute federal funds to more than 1,500 noncommercial TV and radio stations. Tom Abbott of public radio station KFSK in Petersburg, Alaska, joined William Brangham to discuss what's at stake for rural stations.
Idaho Farmer Calls for New Look at Immigration Policy Amid RaidsPBS News Hour
SHAY MYERS
FarmerPresident Trump's immigration enforcement is being felt across the country. Arrests have gone up in every state and more than doubled in 38 states. The biggest increase is happening in Idaho, where ICE has made more than 300 arrests. Farmer Shay Myers, who grows onions and other vegetables in Idaho, joined William Brangham to discuss his immigrant workforce.
Canadian Tourism to U.S. Drops Dramatically Amid Trump's Harsh RhetoricPBS News Hour
WILLIAM BRANGHAM
ReportingCanada sends more tourists to America than any other country. Last year, Canadians made over 20 million visits to the U.S. and spent more than $20 billion. But this year, many are avoiding U.S. travel.
Trump Administration Sued for Arresting People at Immigration CourtsThe Guardian
CECILIA NOWELL
ReportingTwelve immigrants and their legal advocates filed a class action lawsuit on Wednesday against the Trump administration, alleging that the justice department and the Department of Homeland Security colluded to arrest and deport potentially thousands of people at their immigration hearings. "The Trump administration has cast an unconscionably wide net to ensnare people and families who attend immigration court hearings in compliance with their legal obligations, only to face life-threatening imprisonment, swift removal and the prospect of indefinite family separation," said Faisal Al-Juburi, chief external affairs officer at the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Legal Education and Services. "The egregious and unprecedented coordination amongst government agencies that we are witnessing not only inflicts irreparable harm upon infants and adults alike for seeking refuge in the U.S., but also establishes a chilling precedent in which law and order are abandoned in favor of stoking widespread panic and fear -- leaving the entire American public at risk, regardless of immigration status."
Justice Department Fires Maurene Comey, Prosecutor on Epstein Case and Daughter of Ex-FBI DirectorThe Associated Press
ALANNA DURKIN RICHER
ERIC TUCKER
ReportingThe Justice Department has fired Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James Comey and a federal prosecutor in Manhattan who worked on the cases against Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jeffrey Epstein, three people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Wednesday. There was no specific reason given for her firing, according to one of the people. They spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters.
Senate Set to Debate Cuts to NPR, PBS and Foreign AidNPR Morning Edition
SCOTT NEUMAN
DEIRDRE WALSH
ReportingThe Senate voted by a razor-thin margin late Tuesday to advance debate on a package of funding cuts requested by President Trump. They're aimed at clawing back $1.1 billion previously allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, along with $7.9 billion earmarked for international efforts to combat famine and disease. Congress has a midnight Friday deadline for approving the rescission package or the cuts expire. Because of the changes made to the House version of the rescission, if the Senate approves it, the package will go back to the House for a final vote.
What Massive Cuts to the Department of Education Mean for Schools and StudentsNPR Morning Edition
SEQUOIA CARRILLO
ReportingThe Supreme Court on Monday ruled to allow the Trump administration to resume its efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. What will that mean to schools, students and families?
How School Districts Are Preparing for a Future Without the Education DepartmentNPR Morning Edition
SARAH MCCAMMON
ReportingHow are states and local school districts preparing for a future without the Department of Education? NPR asks Robert Taylor, superintendent of the Wake County Public School System in North Carolina.
Projects Bringing Water to Drought-Ridden Land Could End With USAID's DismantlingPBS News Hour
WILLIAM BRANGHAM
ReportingAs the Trump administration ends USAID's mission, a project to bring water to drought-ridden lands is now in peril. In partnership with the Pulitzer Center, William Brangham and producer Molly Knight Raskin traveled to a community in central Kenya to look at the legacy of American foreign aid.
How an Inflation Uptick and Trump's Pressure Complicate the Fed's Interest Rate DecisionPBS News Hour
WILLIAM BRANGHAM
ReportingA new report shows inflation has picked up and analysts believe the prices of many goods increased, in part, because of President Trump's tariffs. It will play into decisions by the Federal Reserve about when and whether to cut interest rates and comes as the president and his team have ramped up their pressure campaign on Fed Chair Jerome Powell. William Brangham discussed more with David Wessel.
Foreign Aid: Where Is the Fraud Waste and Abuse?All Things Considered
FATMA TANIS
ReportingThe Trump administration seeks a claw back billions in foreign aid following an "exhaustive review." But officials at USAID say it did not conduct a review of foreign aid programs it has terminated.
Pentagon Ends Deployment of 2,000 National Guard Troops in Los AngelesThe Associated Press
AMY TAXIN
DAVID KLEPPER
DAMIAN DOVARGANES
ReportingThe Pentagon said Tuesday it is ending the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles, accounting for nearly half of the soldiers sent to the city to deal with protests over the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Roughly 4,000 National Guard soldiers and 700 Marines have been in the city since early June. It wasn't immediately clear what prompted the 60-day deployment to end suddenly, nor was it immediately clear how long the rest of the troops would stay in the region. Trump ordered the deployment against the wishes of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who sued to stop it.
Trump Tells Texas Republicans to Redraw the State Congressional Map to Help Keep House MajorityThe Associated Press
JOEY CAPPELLETTI
NICHOLAS RICCARDI
ReportingPresident Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is pushing Texas Republicans to redraw the state's congressional maps to create more House seats favorable to his party, part of a broader effort to help the GOP retain control of the chamber in next year's midterm elections. The president's directive signals part of the strategy Trump is likely to take to avoid a repeat of his first term, when Democrats flipped the House just two years into his presidency. It comes shortly before the GOP-controlled Texas Legislature is scheduled to begin a special session next week during which it will consider new congressional maps to further marginalize Democrats in the state.
Dismissals at Justice Dept. Would Bypass Civil Service and Whistle-Blower LawsThe New York Times
DEVLIN BARRETT
ReportingThe Justice Department is accelerating its efforts to undo decades of civil service protections intended to insulate the work of law enforcement officials from political interference, according to current and former officials, ramping up a wave of firings in recent days. A new batch of more than 20 career employees at the department and its component agencies were fired on Friday, including the attorney general's own ethics adviser, Joseph W. Tirrell. Others who were dismissed included a handful of senior officials at the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as prosecutors and support staff who once worked for Jack Smith when he was a special counsel prosecuting Donald J. Trump.
Trump Makes Final Blitz on RescissionsSemafor
BURGESS EVERETT
ReportingPresident Trump is getting directly involved in the $9.4 billion rescissions measure this week, talking to senators directly. Senators are also bracing for him to erupt if the federal cuts fail and the White House does not want the Senate to amend the package, a senior administration official told Semafor. This week "may be a huge pivot point in how this town does business," budget director Russ Vought said ahead of Tuesday's procedural vote. There's also a political squeeze: Trump is telegraphing that Republicans who fight for Corporation for Public Broadcasting funding won't have his support.
President Trump Announces Major Shift in Policy Toward RussiaNPR Morning Edition
CHARLES MAYNES
ReportingPresident Trump says his conversations with Russia's Putin have led him to doubt Putin's interest in a ceasefire. Now, Trump has threatened harsh measures if Russia doesn't make a peace deal.
Employees at the Nation's Consumer Financial Watchdog Say It's Become Toothless Under TrumpThe Associated Press
KEN SWEET
ReportingThe lights are on at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and employees still get paid. But, in practice, the bureau has been mostly inoperable for nearly six months. CFPB employees say they spend the workday sitting on their hands, forbidden from doing any work by directive from the White House. The bureau is supposed to be helping oversee the nation's banks and financial services companies and taking enforcement action in case of wrongdoing. Instead, the situation is Kafkaesque: the main function seems to be undoing the rulemaking and law enforcement work that was done under previous administrations, including in President Trump's first term. American consumers can no longer look to the bureau for help when it comes to their checking account, credit card, payday loan, auto loan or mortgage. Trump has neutered the watchdog, employees say.
The Tariff-Driven Inflation That Economists Feared Begins to EmergeThe Associated Press
CHRISTOPHER RUGABER
JOSH BOAK
ReportingInflation rose last month to its highest level since February as President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs push up the cost of a range of goods, including furniture, clothing and large appliances. Consumer prices rose 2.7 percent in June from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Tuesday, up from an annual increase of 2.4 percent in May. On a monthly basis, prices climbed 0.3 percent from May to June, after rising just 0.1 percent the previous month. Worsening inflation poses a political challenge for Trump, who promised during last year's presidential campaign to immediately lower costs only to engage in a whipsawed frenzy of tariffs that have left businesses and consumers worried.
With Temporary Protections for Some Afghans Set to Expire, Appeals Court Steps InThe Associated Press
REBECCA SANTANA
ReportingAn appeals court late Monday stepped in to keep in place protections for nearly 12,000 Afghans that have allowed them to work in the U.S. and be protected from deportation after they were set to expire as part of the Trump administration's efforts to make more people eligible for removal from the country. The Department of Homeland Security in May said it was ending Temporary Protected Status for 11,700 people from Afghanistan in 60 days. That status had allowed them to work and meant the government couldn't deport them.
Republicans Face Deadline to Claw Back Funding for Foreign Aid and Public MediaPBS News Hour
LISA DESJARDINS
ReportingThe White House effort to cut back $9.4 billion of already allocated government spending faces a critical vote in the Senate this week. Some Republicans have concerns about the cuts to foreign aid and public broadcasting as the clock ticks to Friday's deadline to approve or modify the Trump administration plan. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports.
Former FEMA Head Responds to Praise and Criticism of Federal Response to Texas FloodsPBS News Hour
WILLIAM BRANGHAM
ReportingThe federal response to the flash flooding disaster in Texas has come under scrutiny. President Trump, who has called for cuts to FEMA, praised the agency during his recent visit to Texas, but did not comment on his plans for its future. William Brangham discussed more with former FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.
More Immigration Judges Are Being Fired Amid Trump's Efforts to Speed Up DeportationsAll Things Considered
XIMENA BUSTILLO
ReportingFifteen immigration judges learned that they would be put on leave and that their employment would terminate on July 22, according to two people familiar with the firings and a confirmation from the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, a union that represents immigration judges. The two people spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. Like the 50 other judges fired within the last six months, the union said, the judges who received the most recent notices were not given a reason for the terminations. "It's outrageous and against the public interest that at a time when the Congress has authorized 800 immigration judges, we are firing large numbers of immigration judges without cause," said Matt Biggs, president of the IFPTE union. "This is hypocritical -- you can't enforce immigration laws when you fire the enforcers."
The U.S. Sanctions a U.N. Rights Expert, an Outspoken Critic of IsraelAll Things Considered
MICHELE KELEMEN
ReportingThe most recent target of the Trump administration's sanctions is a UN special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories. Israel applauded the move.
New York Clerk Again Refuses to Enforce Texas Judgment Against Doctor Who Provided Abortion PillsThe Associated Press
MICHAEL HILL
ReportingA county clerk in New York on Monday again refused to file a more than $100,000 civil judgment from Texas against a doctor accused of prescribing abortion pills to a Dallas-area woman. New York is among eight states with shield laws that protect providers from other states' reach. Abortion opponents claim the laws violate a constitutional requirement that states respect the laws and legal judgments of other states. Republican Texas State Attorney General Ken Paxton wants a New York court to enforce a civil decision from Texas against Dr. Margaret Carpenter, who practices north of New York City in Ulster County, for allegedly prescribing abortion medication via telemedicine.
How Trump Plans to Dismantle the Education Department After Supreme Court RulingThe Associated Press
COLLIN BINKLEY
ReportingEducation Secretary Linda McMahon is expected to move quickly now that the Supreme Court has cleared the way for the Trump administration to continue unwinding her department. The justices on Monday paused a lower court order that had halted nearly 1,400 layoffs and had called into question the legality of President Donald Trump's plan to outsource the department's operations to other agencies. Now, Trump and McMahon are free to execute the layoffs and break up the department's work among other federal agencies. Trump had campaigned on closing the department and McMahon has said the department has one "final mission" to turn over its power to the states.
Nobel Prize-Winning Economist Paul Krugman Discusses Trump's Use of TariffsNPR Morning Edition
STEVE INSKEEP
ReportingNPR's Steve Inskeep talks with Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman about what he says is the "unprecedented" use of tariffs by President Trump to send political messages.
Lawyer Discusses Judge's Decision to Bar Indiscriminate Immigration Arrests in LANPR Morning Edition
SARAH MCCAMMON
ReportingNPR asks Mark Rosenbaum, special counsel at the nonprofit law firm Public Council, about a judge's decision to bar indiscriminate immigration arrests in the LA area. Rosenbaum represented plaintiffs.
As Protection for Afghan Refugees Ends, Many Fear for Their Safety if Forced to LeaveNPR Morning Edition
MONIKA EVSTATIEVA
ReportingTemporary protected status for Afghan refugees in the U.S. ends Monday. Hundreds could face deportation back to Afghanistan, which is now under Taliban rule.
Confederacy Group Sues Georgia State Park Over Exhibit on Slavery, White SupremacyNPR Morning Edition
SAM GRINGLAS
ReportingA group representing descendants of Confederate Civil War veterans is suing a Georgia state park over an exhibit they say won't properly reflect the history of the Confederate monument there.
Rosie O'Donnell Dismisses Trump's Threat to Revoke Her U.S. CitizenshipThe Guardian
RORY CARROLL
ReportingRosie O'Donnell has shrugged off a threat from Donald Trump to revoke her U.S. citizenship on the grounds she is "a threat to humanity." The New York-born actor and comedian said on Sunday that she was the latest in a long list of artists, activists and celebrities to be threatened by the U.S. president. "So, I didn't take it personally, but I will tell you the way that he is has emboldened people like him," O'Donnell told RTÉ Radio's Sunday with Miriam show. The actor also posted a 1980s-era photograph of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein, amid renewed attention on the president's relationship with the disgraced financier.
The Claim That Cloud Seeding Caused the Texas Floods Is Untrue -- and Actively HarmfulNPR Weekend Edition
AYESHA RASCOE
ReportingMore and more voices, including politicians, say that cloud seeding -- or man-made ways of increasing precipitation -- caused the deadly floods in Texas. Experts say this misinformation is damaging public trust.
Can 'Able-Bodied' Adults on Medicaid Replace Farm Workers Amid Immigration Crackdown?NPR Weekend Edition
AYESHA RASCOE
ReportingNPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Robin Rudowitz vice-president of the health policy organization KFF about the Trump administration idea that Medicaid enrollees could replace migrant farmworkers. It didn't work before, Rudowitz points out.
Houses of Worship Are Preparing Migrants for Encounters With Immigration AgentsNPR Weekend Edition
JASON DEROSE
ReportingHouses of worship and faith-based groups in the Los Angeles area are responding to ongoing federal immigration actions in the region. Among their efforts: educating migrants about their rights and creating plans for if immigration agents show up at their doors.
Trump Administration's NIH Funding Cuts Threaten Research on Sickle Cell DiseasePBS News Hour
ALI ROGIN
ReportingSo far in 2025, the Trump administration has cut more than $1 billion in NIH grants. That includes a study on sickle cell disease, a blood disorder that affects roughly 100,000 people in the U.S. According to the CDC, 90 percent of them are Black. Ali Rogin speaks with Dr. Charity Oyedeji, a Duke University hematologist whose research grant was terminated, to learn more.
FEMA Missed Major Flood Risks at Camp Mystic in Texas, New Analysis RevealsPBS News Hour
JOHN YANG
ReportingThe search for more than 100 people still missing from the catastrophic July 4 flash floods in Texas began its second week Saturday. Officials have rejected suggestions that the calamity could have been anticipated, but an analysis by NPR and PBS Frontline suggests otherwise. John Yang speaks with Laura Sullivan, an NPR investigative correspondent, to learn more.
Trump Says He's Considering 'Taking Away' Rosie O'Donnell's U.S. CitizenshipThe Associated Press
STAFF
ReportingPresident Donald Trump says he is considering "taking away" the U.S. citizenship of a longtime rival, actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell, despite a decades-old Supreme Court ruling that expressly prohibits such an action by the government. "Because of the fact that Rosie O'Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship," Trump wrote in a social media post on Saturday. He added that O'Donnell, who moved to Ireland in January, should stay in Ireland "if they want her." It's just the latest threat by Trump to revoke the citizenship of people with whom he has publicly disagreed, most recently his former adviser and one-time ally, Elon Musk.
FEMA Didn't Answer Thousands of Calls From Flood Survivors, Documents ShowThe New York Times
MAXINE JOSELOW
ReportingTwo days after catastrophic floods roared through Central Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency did not answer nearly two-thirds of calls to its disaster assistance line, according to documents reviewed by The New York Times. The lack of responsiveness happened because the agency had fired hundreds of contractors at call centers, according to a person briefed on the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal matters. On July 5, as floodwaters were starting to recede, FEMA received 3,027 calls from disaster survivors and answered 3,018 or roughly 99.7 percent, the documents show. Contractors with four call center companies answered the vast majority of the calls. That evening, however, Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, did not renew the contracts with the four companies and hundreds of contractors were fired, according to the documents and the person briefed on the matter. The next day, July 6, FEMA received 2,363 calls and answered 846 or roughly 35.8 percent, according to the documents. And on Monday, July 7, the agency fielded 16,419 calls and answered 2,613 or around 15.9 percent, the documents show.
What the Federal Ruling That Blocked Trump's Policy on Birthright Citizenship MeansNPR Weekend Edition
SCOTT SIMON
ReportingNPR's Scott Simon speaks with Vanderbilt University law professor Brian T. Fitzpatrick about class action lawsuits attempting to block Trump administration's policies on birthright citizenship and other issues.
Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Discusses Downsizing in the State DepartmentNPR Weekend Edition
SCOTT SIMON
ReportingNPR's Scott Simon asks veteran career diplomat Nicholas Burns about the Trump administration's plans to downsize the State Department. Scott Simon
A Controversial Amendment Cut From Trump's Tax Bill Is to Be ReintroducedNPR Weekend Edition
KIRK SIEGLER
ReportingA plan to force the sale of federal public lands was taken out of President Trump's tax and spending bill but the fight appears far from over.
Trump Authorizes Ice Agents to Protect Themselves Using 'Whatever Means' NecessaryThe Guardian
EDWARD HELMORE
ReportingDonald Trump has given "total authorization" to federal immigration agents to protect themselves after a series of clashes with protesters, including during a enforcement raid on a California cannabis farm. Trump said he's told the administrators to "instruct all ICE, Homeland Security or any other Law Enforcement Officer who is on the receiving end of thrown rocks, bricks or any other form of assault, to stop their car and arrest these SLIMEBALLS, using whatever means is necessary to do so."
As Texas Cleans Up, Ex-Officials Say FEMA Has 'Eroded Capacity' for Multiple DisastersThe Guardian
ROBERT TAIT
ReportingAs the cleanup continues from this month's torrential rain storms and flooding in Texas that left more than 120 dead, recently departed officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency say the organization is dangerously underresourced and overstretched in the event of further natural catastrophes. FEMA's weakness, exacerbated by grant cuts imposed by the Trump administration and the loss of institutional knowledge in strategic leadership positions, will be exposed if the nation is faced with more than one disaster simultaneously, according to Michael Coen, the agency's former chief of staff.
'Tremendous Uncertainty' for Cancer Research as U.S. Officials Target mRNA VaccinesThe Guardian
MELODY SCHREIBER
ReportingAs U.S. regulators restrict Covid mRNA vaccines and as independent vaccine advisers re-examine the shots, scientists fear that an unlikely target could be next: cancer research. Messenger RNA or mRNA, vaccines have shown promise in treating and preventing cancers that have often been difficult to address, such as pancreatic cancer, brain tumors and others. But groundbreaking research could stall as federal and state officials target mRNA shots, including ending federal funding for bird flu mRNA vaccines, restricting who may receive existing mRNA vaccines and, in some places, proposing laws against the vaccines.
Federal Judge Temporarily Halts Alleged Indiscriminate Immigration StopsThe Los Angeles Times
BRITTNY MEJIA
RACHEL URANGA
ReportingU.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from carrying out what advocates allege are unlawful stops and arrests that have terrorized Angelenos, forced some immigrants into hiding and damaged the local economy. The ruling came after a hearing Thursday in a lawsuit filed on behalf of several immigrant rights groups, three immigrants picked up at a bus stop and two U.S. citizens, one whom was held despite showing agents his identification. In her ruling, Frimpong said she found a sufficient amount of evidence that agents were stopping people based on their race, language, their vocation or the location they are at, such as Home Depot or a carwash, to form reasonable suspicion to stop someone for possible immigration law violations. "What the federal government would have this Court believe in the face of a mountain of evidence presented in this case is that none of this is actually happening," she said.
U.S. State Department Issues First of 1,350 Termination Orders After Court Lifted BanThe Guardian
ANDREW ROTH
ReportingThe U.S. State Department has begun issuing the first of more than 1,350 termination notices as part of a huge reorganization of America's diplomatic corps under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to internal documents and U.S. diplomats at the state department on Friday. Career diplomats and other staff began to receive the notices on Friday morning, days after the Supreme Court lifted a ban on the Trump administration moving forward with mass firings of government employees that will affect hundreds of thousands of federal workers. "At a moment of great global instability -- with war raging in Ukraine, conflict between Israel and Iran and authoritarian regimes testing the boundaries of international order -- the United States has chosen to gut its frontline diplomatic workforce," said a statement from the American Foreign Service Association, a professional group that represents U.S. diplomats. "We oppose this decision in the strongest terms."
How the Toy Industry Is Feeling the Effects of Trump's TariffsPBS News Hour
WILLIAM BRANGHAM
ReportingPresident Trump is dialing up the pressure on several countries in pursuit of trade deals. Trump dismissed a warning from Hasbro's CEO that toy prices will rise if the U.S. continues to hike tariffs. William Brangham discussed the tariffs and their impact with Jay Foreman, CEO Basic Fun, which sells toys like Tonka trucks, Care Bears and Lite Brite.
How U.S. Views of Immigration Have Changed Since Trump Took Office, According to Gallup PollingThe Associated Press
LINLEY SANDERS
ReportingJust months after President Donald Trump returned to office amid a wave of anti-immigration sentiment, the share of U.S. adults saying immigration is a "good thing" for the country has jumped substantially -- including among Republicans, according to new Gallup polling. About 8 in 10 Americans, 79 percent, say immigration is "a good thing" for the country today, an increase from 64 percent a year ago and a high point in the nearly 25-year trend. Only about 2 in 10 U.S. adults say immigration is a bad thing right now, down from 32 percent last year.
Federal Agents Clash With Protesters During Immigration Raid at California FarmThe New York Times
LIVIA ALBECK-RIPKA
ReportingFederal agents raided a large cannabis farm in Southern California on Thursday, clashing with protesters and arresting multiple people, the latest confrontation in a state that has become a flashpoint for President Trump's immigration agenda. Footage taken by local news media from helicopters showed the agents firing tear gas and crowd control munitions during the operation in Camarillo, Calif. The agents were "executing criminal search warrants," Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said on social media. Thursday's raids were sharply criticized by Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, as well as Representative Salud Carbajal, a Democrat, who said that he tried to enter the area in Carpinteria where ICE was operating but was denied entry.
Democrats Look to Republicans for Help Undoing Medicaid Cuts in Trump's MegabillSemafor
ELEANOR MUELLER
BURGESS EVERETT
ReportingCongressional Democrats are already plotting how to reverse Republicans' just-passed Medicaid cuts if they take the House or Senate majorities in 2026. And they're notably confident that they'll get the GOP votes they need to do it.
Former FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell Discusses Natural Disaster ResponseNPR Morning Edition
MICHEL MARTIN
ReportingNPR's Michel Martin talks with Deanne Criswell, former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency under President Biden, about responding to natural disasters. The current FEMA administrator has not been on site to evaluate what's needed.
Michael McFaul, Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Discusses Trump's Change on PutinNPR Morning Edition
MICHEL MARTIN
ReportingNPR asks Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, about President Trump's recent tough talk about Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said he's now considering new sanctions.
Trump Attacks Fed Chair Powell for Not Moving Quickly to Cut Interest RatesNPR Morning Edition
DAVID WESSEL
Hutchins CenterNPR speaks with David Wessel, director of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution, about Trump's attacks on the Fed chair for not moving to cut interest rates. Powell has repeatedly pointed out that Trump's tariffs will likely lead to higher inflation.
DOGE Has Access to Database That Controls Government Payments to Farmers and RanchersNPR Morning Edition
A MARTÍNEZ
JENNA MCLAUGHLIN
ReportingThe Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, recently gained high-level access to a database that controls billions of dollars in government payments to farmers and ranchers across the U.S.
Trump Administration Yanks $15m in Research Into PFAS on U.S. Farms: 'Not Just Stupid, It's Evil'The Guardian
TOM PERKINS
ReportingThe Trump administration has killed nearly $15m in research into PFAS contamination of U.S. farmland, bringing to a close studies that public health advocates say are essential for understanding a worrying source of widespread food contamination. "We have to do this research and take steps to not just make sure that our food supply is safe, but also ensure our farms and farmers are safe," said Bill Pluecker, a Maine state representative and public policy organizer at Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, which has advocated for stricter sludge regulations. "As we've seen here in Maine, farmers are the most affected by the Pfas because they're working the soil, eating the food and drinking from wells."
Threats, Delays and Confusion: 10 Key Points to Understand Another Week of Trump Tariff TurmoilThe Guardian
STAFF
ReportingDonald Trump ramped up his trade rhetoric this week, firing off more than 20 letters to governments outlining new tariff rates if agreements aren't reached by 1 August. Trump officials initially suggested they would strike dozens of deals with key economies by the 9 July deadline, but as the 90-day pause ended this week, the president announced a range of new rates for various countries, but delayed their implementation until next month.
L.A.-Area Bishop Excuses Faithful From Mass Over Fear of Immigration RaidsThe New York Times
CLAIRE MOSES
ORLANDO MAYORQUÍN
ReportingThe Diocese of San Bernardino has told its parishioners that they do not have to attend Mass for fear of federal immigration raids. Bishop Alberto Rojas, the leader of the Roman Catholic community of about 1.6 million worshipers in Southern California, said in a letter on Tuesday that members who face a "genuine fear of immigration enforcement actions" if they attend Mass on Sundays or holidays are "dispensed from this obligation." The bishop's message was issued as a formal decree. The lifting of the obligation for Catholics is a rare step usually reserved for extenuating circumstances such as the pandemic and comes after many churches in the Los Angeles region have experienced significant drops in attendance at Mass and other events.
Jan. 6 Prosecutor Says Firing of Investigators, Trump's Pardons Send 'Dangerous Message'PBS News Hour
LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ
ReportingThe Justice Department has fired several officials involved in the Jan. 6 criminal prosecution and others have been demoted to low-level positions. They are the latest moves that some say are part of a retribution campaign against anyone who worked on the investigation. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López spoke with Greg Rosen, one of the prosecutors who led that case.
Federal Workers Union Says It Will Continue to Fight Firings After Supreme Court RulingPBS News Hour
LISA DESJARDINS
ReportingThe Supreme Court gave the Trump administration the green light to reorganize agencies and begin the process of mass firings of federal workers. The reductions in force had been on hold for months, but tens of thousands of employees at nearly 20 agencies could soon be out of work. Lisa Desjardins discussed where things stand with Everett Kelley of the American Federation of Government Employees.
California Surgical Center Staff Demand to See Warrant as ICE Agents Detain LandscaperThe Associated Press
JANIE HAR
ReportingFederal immigration agents seeking to detain a Honduran landscaper chased him into a Southern California surgical center and quickly found themselves in a tense standoff as clinic staff demanded to see identification and a warrant. In a video clip of the Tuesday altercation that has spread on social media, Ontario Advanced Surgery Center staff in blue scrubs are heard telling an armed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent wearing a mask and bulletproof vest to let go of the man, who is crying and gasping for breath. "Get your hands off of him. You don't even have a warrant," says one staff member, shielding the man from an immigration agent. "Let him go. You need to get out."
Freed From ICE Detention, Mahmoud Khalil Files $20 Million Claim Against Trump AdministrationThe Associated Press
JAKE OFFENHARTZ
ReportingWeeks after regaining his freedom, Mahmoud Khalil is seeking restitution. On Thursday, his lawyers filed a claim for $20 million in damages against the Trump administration, alleging Khalil was falsely imprisoned, maliciously prosecuted and smeared as an antisemite as the government sought to deport him over his prominent role in campus protests. "I cannot describe the pain of that night," Khalil said finally, gazing down as the baby, Deen, cooed in his arms. "This is something I will never forgive."
FEMA Flood Risk Data Outdated, NPR Investigation FindsHere & Now
LAURA SULLIVAN
ReportingAn NPR investigation finds that flood risk data from FEMA is out of date and that private companies show millions of people at risk from high waters.
Copper Prices Have Spiked in the U.S. What Does That Means for Consumers and the Economy?Here & Now
SCOTT TONG
ReportingThe U.S. price premium surged past the global benchmark to hit record highs this week, in reaction to President Trump's proposal to place a 50 percent tariff on copper imports. The metal is a crucial component in a dizzying array of goods and infrastructure, from cutting-edge military equipment to the pots and pans Americans use to cook their meals. And the U.S. imports about half of the copper it uses annually.
Federal Funding Cuts Hamper Nonprofit in Fight Against Infectious DiseasesHere & Now
RUSTY JACOBS
ReportingThe Trump Administration's financial cuts to global development programs pose a challenge for organizations fighting deadly infectious diseases both in the U.S. and abroad. WUNC's Rusty Jacobs tells us how it's impacting one nonprofit in North Carolina.
Justice Dept. Whistle-Blower Warns of Trump Administration's Assault on the LawThe New York Times
DEVLIN BARRETT
ReportingErez Reuveni, a former Justice Department lawyer accused the Trump administration of "thumbing its nose at the courts," saying his former colleagues were being forced to choose between the president's agenda and their ethical obligations as attorneys. Reuveni, who filed a detailed whistle-blower claim to the Senate last month, shared his growing sense of alarm as he defended the administration's aggressive deportation agenda. He said he was willing to testify to Congress or in court about what he described as an intentional effort by the administration to ignore judges and the due process rights of hundreds of migrants.
A Look at Presidential Power Amid Reports of DOJ Investigation Into Former OfficialsNPR Morning Edition
KIM WEHLE
University of BaltimoreNPR asks legal scholar Kim Wehle about the limits of presidential power in light of multiple media reports of a Justice Department investigation into former intelligence officials.
How New Funding for ICE Might Impact Immigration EnforcementNPR Morning Edition
DANIEL COSTA
Economic Policy InstituteNPR speaks with the Economic Policy Institute's Daniel Costa about the large amount of additional funds allocated to ICE in the tax and spending bill and how it might impact immigration enforcement.
U.S. Measles Cases Hit Highest Level in 33 Years, CDC ReportsNPR Morning Edition
MARIA GODOY
ReportingThe U.S. has reported 1,288 measles cases this year -- the highest number in 33 years, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The last time the U.S. saw more measles cases was in 1992, eight years before the disease was declared eliminated in the country. "What we're seeing now is, as vaccine hesitancy has grown, particularly during and after the COVID pandemic, those outbreaks are becoming more frequent and larger," says Dr. Adam Ratner, a pediatric infectious disease physician in New York City.
As FEMA Aids Texas Flood Victims, Noem Urges Eliminating U.S. Agency 'As It Exists Today'Reuters
NATHAN LAYNE
COURTNEY ROZEN
ReportingU.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called on Wednesday for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be eliminated in its current form, even as the disaster-relief agency deployed specialists and supplies to Texas to help respond to devastating floods. Noem's comments were a restatement of her thinking on FEMA's future but notable given FEMA's current critical role in central Texas, where flash floods on July 4 have killed at least 119 people, with scores more still unaccounted for.
New Hampshire Judge Pauses Trump's Birthright Citizenship OrderThe Associated Press
CURTIS YEE
BERNARD MCGHEE
ReportingA federal judge in New Hampshire said Thursday he will certify a class action lawsuit including all children who will be affected by President Donald Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship and issue a preliminary injunction blocking it. Judge Joseph LaPlante announced his decision after an hour-long hearing and said a written order will follow. The order will include a seven-day stay to allow for appeal, he said.
As the Texas Floodwaters Rose, One Indispensable Voice Was SilentThe New York Times
ZEYNEP TUFEKCI
Opinion ColumnistWhen a reporter demanded to know why the summer camps along the Guadalupe River weren't evacuated before its waters reached their deadly peak on July 4, Rob Kelly, the highest-ranking local official, had a simple answer: "No one knew this kind of flood was coming." What Kelly didn't mention, but which has since become well known, is that the Weather Service employee whose job it was to make sure those warnings got traction -- Paul Yura, the long-serving meteorologist in charge of "warning coordination" -- had recently taken an unplanned early retirement amid cuts pushed by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. He was not replaced.
Undocumented Builders Face Unchecked Exploitation Amid Trump RaidsThe Guardian
MICHAEL SAINATO
ReportingAs the Trump administration ramps up its crackdown on immigration, undocumented workers in the construction industry claim raids and arrests have emboldened some contractors to cut pay and increase hours. With around 2.9 million U.S. construction workers -- some 34 percent of the workforce -- foreign-born, construction sector lobbyists have publicly urged the Trump administration to soften their hardline stance on immigration. "While the need for safe and secure borders is paramount, mass deportation is not the answer," Buddy Hughes, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders, said in a statement. Advocates for workers rights say some operators in the sector are using Trump's crackdown to abuse undocumented workers.
A Look at the Use of Masks by Federal Agents During Immigration ArrestsNPR Morning Edition
LEILA FADEL
ReportingNPR's Leila Fadel examines the use of masks and unmarked cars by federal agents while carrying out immigration arrests.
IRS Says Churches Can Now Endorse Political CandidatesNPR Morning Edition
DANIEL BURKE
BOB SMIETANA
JACK JENKINS
ReportingIn a break with decades of tradition, the Internal Revenue Service says it will allow houses of worship to endorse candidates for political office without losing their tax-exempt status. The surprise announcement came in a court document filed on Monday. Since 1954, a provision in the tax code called the Johnson Amendment says that churches and other nonprofit organizations could lose their tax-exempt status if they participate in or intervene in "any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office." The National Religious Broadcasters and several churches sued the IRS over the rule, arguing that it infringes on their First Amendment rights to the freedom of speech and the free exercise of religion.
Suit Challenges Government's Efforts to Deport Supporters of Pro-Palestinian ProtestsNPR Morning Edition
MICHEL MARTIN
ReportingNPR speaks with Politico reporter Josh Gerstein about a trial challenging the Trump administration's deportations efforts of noncitizen students involved in pro-Palestinian campus demonstrations.
Biden's Former Doctor Refuses to Answer Questions in House Republican ProbeThe Associated Press
MATT BROWN
ReportingPresident Joe Biden's former White House physician on Wednesday refused to answer questions as part of the House Republican investigation into Biden's mental fitness and health in office, according to his attorneys. Dr. Kevin O'Connor, who served as Biden's family physician and later as White House doctor, "asserted the physician-patient privilege, as well as his right under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, in declining to answer questions" from members of the House Oversight Committee, his attorneys said.
ICE Agents Drive SUV Through Protesters at S.F. Immigration CourtMission Local
FRANKIE SOLINSKY DURYEA
ReportingFederal immigration agents clashed with around 20 protestors outside the San Francisco's immigration courthouse on Tuesday morning, trying to stop them from blocking the building's entrance with their bodies and bikes. Agents used pepper spray, shoved people to the ground and, in one instance, brandished a rifle. A black SUV carrying a detained immigrant sped through half a dozen protesters crowded near its front. A woman holding onto its hood was thrown off. ICE has been routinely arresting asylum-seekers following their immigration hearings and anti-ICE protesters had gathered at the courthouse that morning, as they said they've been doing every Tuesday.
GOP Gives ICE Massive Budget Increase to Expand Trump's Deportation EffortPBS News Hour
LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ
ReportingICE is receiving a major infusion of funding to help carry out President Trump's deportation agenda. The big budget bill passed by Republicans includes billions for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, giving it more funding than any other federal law enforcement agency.
Congressional Budget Office Faces Criticism Over Deficit AnalysisHere & Now
JULIAN ZELIZER
Princeton UniversityThe Congressional Budget Office has recently come under fire from both Democrats and Republicans for its budgetary analysis of President Trump's domestic policy law. Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University and columnist at Foreign Policy, joins host Deborah Becker to discuss.
What Health Care Cuts in Trump's Budget Law Will Mean for AmericansHere & Now
DANIEL PAYNE
ReportingThe massive budget reconciliation bill that was signed into law by President Trump last week aims to cut health care spending by more than $1 trillion over the next decade. Daniel Payne, Washington correspondent at STAT, joins us to discuss what these cuts will mean.
U.S. Supreme Court Clears Way for Trump Officials to Resume Mass Government FiringsThe Guardian
DAVID SMITH
ReportingThe U.S.Supreme Court has cleared the way for Donald Trump's administration to resume plans for mass firings of federal workers that critics warn could threaten critical government services. The justices on Tuesday lifted a lower court order that had frozen sweeping federal layoffs known as "reductions in force" while litigation in the case proceeds. Ketanji Brown Jackson was the sole member of the nine-person court to publicly dissent from the decision, which overturns San Francisco-based district Judge Susan Illston’s 22 May ruling.. Jackson wrote that Illston's "temporary, practical, harm-reducing preservation of the status quo was no match for this court's demonstrated enthusiasm for greenlighting this president's legally dubious actions in an emergency posture."
Stocks Tumble After Trump Posts Letters to 14 Countries Threatening New TariffsNPR Morning Edition
SCOTT HORSLEY
ReportingStocks tumbled Monday after President Trump threatened to impose new import taxes on more than a dozen countries. Trump pushed back the effective date of those tariffs, however, until Aug. 1.
Winemakers in France's Burgundy Region Rethinking Their Relationship With the U.S.NPR Morning Edition
ELEANOR BEARDSLEY
ReportingWinemakers in the Burgundy region of France are worried they will lose U.S. customers because of potential higher tariffs that may take hold in August if current trade talks fail. The U.S. is the top export market for Burgundy wines.
DOJ Sues Entire Federal District Court in Maryland Over Policy on Immigration CasesNPR Morning Edition
CARRIE JOHNSON
ReportingThe DOJ has sued the entire federal district court in Maryland over an order that puts a temporary hold on deportations, intensifying a confrontation between the Trump administration and the courts.
Immigration Crackdown Hurts Small Businesses in Kansas Dependent on Migrant CustomersNPR Morning Edition
FRANK MORRIS
ReportingMom-and-pop stores in Kansas City catering to recent immigrants are facing a sharp downturn, with sales falling since Trump took office. Owners say customers are scared and holding onto their cash.
'Trump Effect' Web site Takes Credit for U.S. Investment Made Under BidenReuters
JARRETT RENSHAW
ReportingWithin hours of taking office in January, Donald Trump boasted about attracting $3 trillion in new corporate investments to the United States. Since then, Trump has said the investments have swelled to $14 trillion or roughly half of the nation's annual gross domestic product. The White House calls it "The Trump Effect" and features a rolling list on its Web site of more than 70 projects it says Trump's economic policies spurred. But a Reuters review found just under half of the claimed spending -- totaling more than $1.3 trillion -- originated under former President Joe Biden or represented routine spending repackaged to promote domestic investments.
Who Will Be Affected by Trump Administration's Medicaid, SNAP Work RequirementsPBS News Hour
LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ
ReportingPresident Trump's big tax law includes a major provision the GOP has endorsed for years: work requirements for Medicaid recipients and for food stamp benefits. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 11.8 million Americans could lose medical coverage over the next decade and more than 3 million could lose SNAP benefits. Laura Barrón-López discussed the stakes with Pamela Herd.
The Future of Green Energy Under TrumpHere & Now
MATTHEW DALY
ReportingScott Tong speaks with reporter Matthew Daly about the future for wind, solar, nuclear, geothermal and hydropower under the bill President Trump signed into law last week.
How the Second Trump Administration Is Trying to Revise American HistoryHere & Now
KELLIE CARTER JACKSON
WellesleyCollegeSince taking office in January, President Trump has taken aim at history and education across the United States. In the months since his inauguration, the government has scrubbed and removed information about Black historical figures and other minorities from a number of its Web sites. In March, the president signed an executive order aimed at eliminating what he called "divisive race-centered ideology" from Smithsonian museums as well as other educational and research centers. Kellie Carter Jackson is a professor at Wellesley College in Massachusetts studying the lived experiences of Black people with a focus on slavery, abolitionism and the Civil War.
Planned Parenthood Sues Trump Administration Over Funding Cuts in Big BillThe Guardian
CARTER SHERMAN
ReportingPlanned Parenthood sued the Trump administration on Monday over a provision in Donald Trump's sweeping domestic policy bill that would strip funding from health centers operated by the reproductive healthcare and abortion provider. In a complaint filed in Boston federal court, Planned Parenthood said the provision was unconstitutional and its clear purpose is to prevent its nearly 600 health centers from receiving Medicaid reimbursements.
Pregnant Doctor Denied Covid-19 Vaccine Sues Trump AdministrationThe Guardian
JESSICA GLENZA
ReportingA pregnant physician who was denied a Covid-19 vaccine is suing the Trump administration alongside a group of leading doctors associations, charging that the administration sought to "desensitize the public to anti-vaccine and anti-science rhetoric," according to their attorney. The lawsuit specifically takes aim at health secretary Robert F Kennedy's unilateral decision to recommend against Covid-19 vaccines for pregnant women and healthy children. "This administration is an existential threat to vaccination in America and those in charge are only just getting started," said Richard H Hughes IV, partner at Epstein Becker Green and lead counsel for the plaintiffs in a statement.
LA Leaders Denounce 'Reality TV Spectacle' Deployment of Federal OfficersThe Guardian
MAANVI SINGH
ReportingDozens of federal officers in tactical gear and about 90 California national guard troops descended on a historic immigrant neighborhood in Los Angeles on Monday -- mounting a sweeping show that local leaders denounced as a "reality TV spectacle" and intimidation tactic. The troops were deployed to a mostly empty park in the MacArthur Park neighborhood for about an hour, some on horseback and others in armored military vehicles. Agents were also operating an armored vehicle with a mounted rifle. It wasn't clear any arrests were made. But the operation has drawn widespread criticism from city leaders, who have characterized the militarized immigration raid as an intimidation tactic.
Kennedy's Battle Against Food Dyes Hits a Roadblock: M&M'sThe New York Times
SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
JULIE CRESWELL
ReportingLess than three months after he declared war on synthetic food dyes, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has already secured the cooperation of the makers of some of America's most colorful culinary products. If they fulfill their promises, Jell-O snacks, Kool-Aid beverages and Lucky Charms cereals, among a host of other foods, will be rid of synthetic dyes by the end of 2027. But the candy industry and its most colorful chocolate treat, M&M's, are a big obstacle standing between Kennedy and the ability to claim total victory.
Constitutional Law Professor Discusses Tech Company Exemption From TikTok BanThe Guardian
ZACHARY PRICE
UC College of LawNPR speaks with Zachary Price, law professor at the University of California College of Law San Francisco, about the Trump administration's rationale for exempting tech companies from the TikTok ban, legalizing unlawful conduct.
Trump Administration Plans to Send Letters to Countries With New Tariff RatesThe Guardian
DEEPA SHIVARAM
MICHEL MARTIN
ReportingPresident Trump says his administration will start sending letters out to countries this week notifying them of new tariff rates if they don't have a deal with the U.S. before a new Aug. 1 deadline. The new tariffs were supposed to go into effect this week.
DOJ Announces Plans to Prioritize Cases to Revoke CitizenshipThe Guardian
JACLYN DIAZ
JULIANA KIM
ReportingThe Justice Department is aggressively prioritizing efforts to strip some Americans of their U.S. citizenship. Department leadership is directing its attorneys to prioritize denaturalization in cases involving naturalized citizens who commit certain crimes -- and giving U.S. attorneys wider discretion on when to pursue this tactic, according to a June 11 memo published online. The move is aimed at U.S. citizens who were not born in the country; according to data from 2023, close to 25 million immigrants were naturalized citizens.
Former Librarian of Congress, Fired by Trump, Vows to Improve Public Information in New Mellon RoleThe Associated Press
JAMES POLLARD
ReportingThe former Librarian of Congress abruptly fired by Donald Trump has found a new position with the country's largest philanthropic supporter of the arts. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation told the Associated Press that Carla Hayden will join the humanities grantmaker Monday as a senior fellow whose duties will include advising on efforts to advance public knowledge through libraries and archives. The year-long post places Hayden back at the center of the very debates over American culture that surrounded her dismissal. The White House ousted Hayden, the first woman and the first African American to hold the title, after she was accused of promoting "radical" literary material by a conservative advocacy group seeking to squash Trump opposition within the federal government. "For generations, libraries, archives and cultural institutions have been the guardians of knowledge and the catalysts for human progress," Hayden said in a statement to the AP. "Together, we will work to strengthen the public knowledge ecosystem and ensure that the transformative power of information remains accessible to all."
Hegseth Falsely Cited Weapon Shortages in Halting Shipments to Ukraine, Democrats SayThe Guardian
ReportingPete Hegseth, the U.S. defense secretary, unilaterally halted an agreed shipment of military aid to Ukraine due to baseless concerns that U.S. stockpiles of weapons have run too low, it has been reported. The aid was promised by the U.S. during Joe Biden's administration last year. But the Pentagon halted the shipment, with NBC reporting that a decision to do so was made solely by Hegseth. Hegseth has now halted U.S. military supplies to Ukraine on three occasions, NBC said, with the latest intervention purportedly coming due to concerns that the U.S.'s own weapons stockpile is running too low. The decision surprised members of Congress, as well as Ukraine and the U.S.'s European allies. Democrats said there is no evidence that American weapon stocks are in decline. The Department of Defense did not reply to a request for comment on the aid pause.
Social Security Administration Email Praising Trump's Tax Bill Blasted as a 'Lie'The Guardian
OLIVER MILMAN
ReportingAn email sent by the U.S. Social Security Administration that claims Donald Trump's major new spending bill has eliminated taxes on benefits for most recipients is misleading, critics have said. However, the spending bill does not actually eliminate federal taxes on social security due to the rule constraints of passing a bill this way -- through the reconciliation process, to avoid a Democratic filibuster. Instead, the legislation provides a temporary tax deduction of up to $6,000 for people aged 65 and older and $12,000 for married seniors. These benefits will start to phase out for those with incomes of more than $75,000 and married couples of more than $150,000 a year.
Under Trump's Crackdown, a New Crop of Immigrant Rights Groups RisesThe New York Times
JAZMINE ULLOA AND
ReportingA crop of grass-roots immigrant rights networks has been rising across the country to try to halt President Trump's agenda of mass deportation. They aimto quickly corroborate the presence of immigration officers. They document apprehensions that might otherwise go unnoticed. And they spread the word on social media about people being detained. In interviews, activists said the violent apprehensions of immigrant workers and longtime community members are fueling their growth. Some groups have stepped up as larger nonprofits have come under scrutiny. A Republican House panel last month started an investigation into whether more than 200 nongovernmental organizations, including top immigrant rights groups, enabled illegal activity.
The U.S. Dollar Has Its Worst Start to the Year Since 1973NPR Weekend Edition
RAFAEL NAM
ReportingThe U.S. dollar's long dominance as the world's currency is fraying as global investors warm to a "sell America" trading strategy. It's the reaction to "an invredibbly chaotic year so far," Nam says. "And the truth is, foreign investors do have other choices."
Court Holds Florida Attorney General in Contempt Over Illegal Immigration LawNPR Weekend Edition
REGAN MCCARTHY
ReportingFlorida's attorney general has gone to the U.S. Supreme Court asking permission to enforce the state's new law against illegal immigration. A judge has found him in contempt and some have been arrested under the law even as it's blocked in court.
Zelenskyy Asks Trump for Air Defense Munitions Amid Escalating Russian AirstrikesNPR Weekend Edition
JOANNA KAKISSIS
ReportingUkraine is facing a summer of escalating Russian airstrikes on its cities. The Ukrainian President has called on the U.S. to provide more air defense systems just as the Pentagon holds up previously-allocated supplies for those systems.
Democratic Rep. Katherine Clark Discusses GOP Megabill Heading for Trump's SignatureNPR Morning Edition
KATHERINE CLARK
MassachusettsNPR's Michel Martin asks Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., a member of House Democratic leadership, about Democrats' inability to stop the GOP megabill bound for the president's signature.
More Immigrants Likely to Leave U.S. This Year Than Enter, Forecasters SayNPR Morning Edition
SCOTT HORSLEY
A MARTÍNEZ
ReportingForecasters say for the first time in more than six decades, more immigrants are likely to leave the U.S. than come in this year. That could be a drag on the economy.
Trump Claims Sweeping Power to Nullify Laws, Letters on TikTok Ban ShowThe New York Times
CHARLIE SAVAGE
ReportingAttorney General Pam Bondi told tech companies that they could lawfully violate a statute barring American companies from supporting TikTok based on a sweeping claim that President Trump has the constitutional power to set aside laws, newly disclosed documents show. In letters to companies like Apple and Google, Bondi wrote that Trump had decided that shutting down TikTok would interfere with his "constitutional duties," so the law banning the social media app must give way to his "core presidential national security and foreign affairs powers."
Why Republicans Once Staunchly Opposed to Trump's Bill Changed Their MindsPBS News Hour
SARAH LONGWELL,
The BulwarkFor more on how Republicans, even those who were staunchly opposed to the so-called "One Big, Beautiful Bill," have since come around, William Brangham spoke with Sarah Longwell, a Republican strategist and publisher of The Bulwark.
As Pentagon Pauses Some Weapons for Ukraine, Experts Weigh in on U.S. PrioritiesPBS News Hour
NICK SCHIFRIN
ReportingEarlier this week, the Trump administration announced it had suspended some weapons deliveries to Ukraine. The Defense Department says the U.S. needs the weapons to be ready for its own contingencies. Nick Schifrin discussed the move with Kimberly Kagan of the Institute for the Study of War and Jennifer Kavanagh of Defense Priorities.
Trump Administration Withholds Billions in School Grants for Critical ProgramsPBS News Hour
KARINA CUEVAS
Afterschool AllianceMillions of children and working families will soon feel the impact of a funding freeze that will put a halt to key school programs. With very little explanation, the Education Department abruptly blocked the release of nearly $7 billion set to be distributed on July 1.
Kilmar Ábrego García Was Tortured in Salvadorian Prison, Court Filing AllegesThe Guardian
MAANVI SINGH
ReportingKilmar Ábrego García, the Maryland man who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador and detained in one of that country's most notorious prisons, was physically and psychologically tortured during the three months he spent in Salvadorian custody, according to new court documents filed Wednesday. While being held at the so-called Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot) in El Salvador, Ábrego García and 20 other men "were forced to kneel from approximately 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.," according to the court papers filed by his lawyers in the federal district court in Maryland. Guards struck anyone who fell from exhaustion while kneeling and during that time, "Ábrego García was denied bathroom access and soiled himself," according to the filing. Detainees were held in an overcrowded cell with no windows and bright lights on 24 hours a day. They were confined to metal bunk beds with no mattresses.
U.S. Agencies' Science Journal Subscriptions CanceledSemafor
TOM CHIVERS
ReportingThe U.S. government canceled several federal agencies' subscription to Nature and other scientific journals. A spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services said all contracts with Springer Nature, Nature's publisher, had been "terminated" and that taxpayer money should not be used on "junk science." NASA and the energy and agriculture departments were among the agencies losing access. An expert told Nature he believed the move was politically motivated.
Democratic Rep. Chris Deluzio Discusses His Opposition to GOP Megabill in the HouseNPR Morning Edition
LEILA FADEL
ReportingNPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Penn., about the budget and tax reconciliation process in the House and how Democrats might capitalize on it.
Legal Fight Over 'Ghost Guns' Heating Up AgainNPR Morning Edition
MARTIN KASTE
ReportingIn March, the Supreme Court upheld Biden-era restrictions on build-it-yourself gun kits. But gun rights groups are still hoping the regulation will be swept away.
How the GOP Tax Cut and Spending Bill Would Affect One Alabama Food BankNPR Morning Edition
MICHEL MARTIN
ReportingNPR's Michel Martin speaks with Linda Jones, co-founder of Alabama Childhood Food Solutions, about the potential impact of President Trump's tax and spending bill on her food bank and community.
Federal Judge Strikes Down Trump Order Suspending Asylum Access at U.S.-Mexico BorderNPR Morning Edition
TOVIA SMITH
ReportingThe Trump administration says it plans to appeal a federal court ruling blocking the president's attempt to stop asylum claims at the U.S.-Mexico border, saying Trump had overstepped his authority.
Pete Hegseth Restoring Names of Army Bases First Named After Confederate GeneralsNPR Morning Edition
JAY PRICE
ReportingDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth has stripped the name of a U.S. Navy veteran and gay rights activist from a ship and moved to return the last names of Confederate generals to U.S. Army bases. Hegseth found soldiers with the same last names as the Confederates, claiming to name the bases for them.
Ghana Struggles to Fight Disease and Poverty Without Vital U.S. AidPBS News Hour
WILLIAM BRANGHAM
ReportingA new study in The Lancet suggests that cuts to USAID could result in the death of 14 million people over the next five years. Ghana has long been seen as a beacon of democracy in West Africa, but it still struggles with poverty and serious health problems, especially in rural areas. William Brangham reports on what ending USAID will mean for people who live there.
Web Sites Hosting Major U.S. Climate Reports Taken DownThe Associated Press
SETH BORENSTEIN
ReportingWeb sites that displayed legally-mandated U.S. national climate assessments seem to have disappeared, making it harder for state and local governments and the public to learn what to expect in their backyards from a warming world. Scientists said the peer-reviewed authoritative reports save money and lives. Web sites for the national assessments and the U.S. Global Change Research Program were down Monday and Tuesday with no links, notes or referrals elsewhere. The White House, which was responsible for the assessments, said the information will be housed within NASA to comply with the law, but gave no further details.
What Paramount's Multi-Million Dollar Settlement With Trump Means for Press FreedomPBS News Hour
AMNA NAWAZ
ReportingParamount agreed to pay Donald Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit over a "60 Minutes" interview with Kamala Harris. Trump alleged the interview was edited to improve how Harris sounded, a claim CBS denied. Paramount said the funds will go to President Trump's library, not him personally and did not have to issue an apology as part of the deal. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Brian Stelter.
American Pride Slips to New LowGallup
JEFFREY M. JONES
ReportingA record-low 58 percent of U.S. adults say they are "extremely" (41 percent) or "very" (17 percent) proud to be an American, down nine percentage points from last year and five points below the prior low from 2020. The 41 percent who are "extremely proud" is not statistically different from prior lows of 38 percent in 2022 and 39 percent in 2023, indicating most of the change this year is attributable to a decline in the percentage who are "very proud." Democrats are mostly responsible for the drop in U.S. pride this year, with 36 percent saying they are extremely or very proud, down from 62 percent a year ago. Political independents' pride has also reached a low point, with 53 percent expressing a great deal of pride, down seven points from last year, which had been the previous low for this group. There are clear generational differences in American pride, with each new generation significantly less likely than the previous one to say they are extremely or very proud to be an American.
Democratic Gov. Janet Mills Discusses How the GOP Megabill Will Impact MaineNPR Morning Edition
LEILA FADEL
ReportingNPR's Leila Fadel asks Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills about the GOP megabill, now back before the House, which she says will affect health care, rural hospitals and food assistance.
Trump Administration Targets ATF, With Plans to Cut Jobs and Ease Gun RestrictionsNPR Morning Edition
MEG ANDERSON
ReportingThe Trump administration has set its sights on restructuring the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, including plans to loosen gun regulations and significantly reduce its budget. As the federal agency responsible for regulating the gun industry, the ATF investigates illegal gun trafficking, inspects gun dealers to ensure they're following the law and issues citations and revokes licenses if they're not. "The reality is that the ATF plays a critical role in ensuring that gun dealers can operate in a fully, legally compliant manner," says Kris Brown, president of Brady, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control. "We don't want to take that sort of critical oversight role away from them because there is no one else out there."
How the GOP Spending Bill Passed by the Senate Would Impact MedicaidNPR Morning Edition
LEILA FADEL
ReportingHow would the GOP megabill that the Senate passed on Tuesday affect Medicaid coverage? Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for KFF Health News, breaks down the changes contained in the bill.
Trump Administration Withholds Over $6 Billion for After-School, Summer Programs and MoreThe Associated Press
STAFF
ReportingDay camp providers and schools are warning that a Trump administration funding freeze could wreck summer for low-income American families and wipe out some after-school programming next year. The administration is withholding more than $6 billion in federal grants for after-school and summer programs, English language instruction, adult literacy and more as part of a review to ensure grants align with President Donald Trump's priorities. Without the money, schools say they won't be able to provide free or affordable after-school care for low-income kids while their parents work and they may not be able to hire staff to teach children who are learning English. Even classes or camps underway this summer could be in jeopardy.
Paramount Will Pay $16 Million in Settlement With Trump Over '60 Minutes' InterviewThe Associated Press
DAVID BAUDER
ReportingParamount has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit by President Donald Trump over the editing of CBS's 60 Minutes interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris in October. Trump's lawyer said Trump had suffered "mental anguish" over the editing of the interview by CBS News, while Paramount and CBS rejected his contention that it was edited to enhance how Harris, the Democratic nominee for president in 2024, sounded. They had called Trump's case "completely without merit" and tried to have it dismissed, even while involved in settlement negotiations. "This settlement is a cowardly capitulation by the corporate leaders of Paramount and a fundamental betrayal of 60 Minutes and CBS News," said Rome Hartman, a producer of the Harris interview for the show. "The story that was the subject of this lawsuit was edited by the book and in accordance with CBS News standards."
Mayors, Doctor Groups Sue Over Trump's Efforts to Restrict Obamacare EnrollmentThe Associated Press
AMANDA SEITZ
ReportingNew Trump administration rules that give millions of people a shorter timeframe to sign up for the Affordable Care Act's health care coverage are facing a legal challenge from Democratic mayors around the country. The Department of Health and Human Services rolled out a series of new restrictions for Obamacare late last month, just as Congress was weighing a major bill that will decrease enrollment in the health care program that Republican President Donald Trump has scorned for years. As many as 2 million people -- nearly 10 percent -- are expected to lose coverage from the health department's new rules.
Trump Escalates Attacks on MamdaniThe New York Times
CHRIS CAMERON
ReportingPresident Trump on Tuesday floated an outlandish claim that Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for New York mayor, was an illegal immigrant and threatened to arrest him if he blocked immigration arrests in New York City. Mamdani was born in Uganda and has lived in New York City since 1998, when he was 7 years old. He was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2018. If elected, Mamdani would also be the first Muslim to become mayor of New York City. There is no credible evidence to suggest Mamdani is not or shouldn't be, a U.S. citizen. When a journalist raised the possibility that Mamdani "will not allow" ICE to make immigration arrests, Trump replied, "Well then we'll have to arrest him." "The president of the United States just threatened to have me arrested," Mamdani said in a response on social media, adding that Trump's statements "don't just represent an attack on our democracy but an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: If you speak up, they will come for you." He continued, "We will not accept this intimidation." Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has so far declined to endorse Mamdani, rallied behind him after Trump's attacks. "I don't care if you're the President of the United States," Hochul wrote on social media. "If you threaten to unlawfully go after one of our neighbors, you're picking a fight with 20 million New Yorkers -- starting with me."
Murkowski Casts Decisive Vote for G.O.P. Policy Bill, Making an 'Agonizing' ChoiceThe New York Times
ANNIE KARNI
ReportingSenator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska, on Tuesday cast the deciding vote for President Trump's sprawling bill to slash taxes and social safety net programs, embracing a measure she acknowledged would harm Americans after securing carve outs to protect her constituents from its harshest impacts. "Do I like this bill? No," Murkowski, who appeared to be quietly seething as she was questioned about her vote, told NBC News. "But I tried to take care of Alaska's interests. But I know that in many parts of the country, there are Americans that are not going to be advantaged by this bill."
Judge Halts Mass Firings and Organizational Changes at H.H.S.The New York Times
CHRISTINA JEWETT
ZACH MONTAGUE
ReportingJudge Melissa R. DuBose of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from moving forward with a dramatic reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services, finding that the mass firings and organizational changes were probably unlawful. "The executive branch does not have the authority to order organize or implement wholesale changes to the structure and function of the agencies created by Congress," she wrote.
New Poll Finds About Three-Quarters of Americans Say Democracy Under ThreatNPR Morning Edition
DOMENICO MONTANARO
ReportingAbout three-quarters of Americans -- 89 percent of Democrats, 80 percent of Independents, 57 percent of Republicans -- say democracy is under serious threat, according to a new poll from NPR, PBS News and Marist. A similar number also see politically motivated violence as a major problem.
How the GOP Spending Bill Now Before the Senate Would Impact MedicaidNPR Morning Edition
ADRIANNA MCINTYRE
Harvard UniversityNPR's Michel Martin speaks with Adrianna McIntyre, assistant professor of health policy and politics at Harvard, about how the GOP spending bill before the Senate would impact Medicaid.
William Haseltine Discusses Cuts to Federal Funding for Scientific ResearchNPR Morning Edition
WILLIAM HASELTINE
Medical ScientistWhat are the consequences of slashing federal funding for scientific research? NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with William Haseltine, a scientist acclaimed for his medical research.
USAID Officially Shuts Down and Merges Remaining Operations With State DepartmentNPR Morning Edition
FATMA TANIS
LEILA FADEL
ReportingWhen the Trump administration took over, one of its first major moves was dismantling the United States Agency for International Development. Nearly six months later, it officially shuts down Tuesday.
More Than 300 Charged in $14.6 Billion Health Care Fraud Schemes Takedown, Justice Department SaysThe Associated Press
ALANNA DURKIN RICHER
ReportingState and federal prosecutors have charged more than 320 people and uncovered nearly $15 billion in false claims. Law enforcement seized more than $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency and other assets as prosecutors warned of a growing push by transnational criminal networks to exploit the U.S. health care system. As part of the sweeping crackdown, officials identified perpetrators based in Russia, Eastern Europe, Pakistan and other countries.
Trump Administration Sues Los Angeles Over Immigration PoliciesThe Guardian
STAFF
ReportingDonald Trump's administration has sued the city of Los Angeles claiming city law discriminates against federal law enforcement and is obstructing the enforcement of immigration laws with sanctuary policies that bar local police from sharing information on people without legal status. The lawsuit says Donald Trump "campaigned and won the presidential election on a platform of deporting the millions of illegal immigrants the previous administration permitted, through its open borders policy, to enter the country unlawfully." It is the latest in a string of lawsuits against so-called sanctuary jurisdictions -- including New York, New Jersey and Colorado -- that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. It comes weeks after protests over the administration's highly aggressive and hostile deportation agenda exploded in Los Angeles. The protesters -- along with the city's mayor, Karen Bass and state governor, Gavin Newsom -- have subsequently become key targets for Trump and his allies.