★★ My Country, 'Tis of Thee mikepasini.com about

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

Tuesday
15 Jul 2025

UPDATED
Mon 8:18 pm PDT

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 with lucidity what's happening now in the United States. A brief intro follows the head that takes you directly to the story, video or audio recording. Dotted red lines are day breaks.

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June June J U L Y 2 0 2 5

The Associated Press

REBECCA SANTANA
Reporting

With Temporary Protections for Some Afghans Set to Expire, Appeals Court Steps In
An 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.

PBS News Hour

LISA DESJARDINS
Reporting

Republicans Face Deadline to Claw Back Funding for Foreign Aid and Public Media
The 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.

PBS News Hour

WILLIAM BRANGHAM
Reporting

Former FEMA Head Responds to Praise and Criticism of Federal Response to Texas Floods
The 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.

All Things Considered

XIMENA BUSTILLO
Reporting

More Immigration Judges Are Being Fired Amid Trump's Efforts to Speed Up Deportations
Fifteen 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."

All Things Considered

MICHELE KELEMEN
Reporting

The U.S. Sanctions a U.N. Rights Expert, an Outspoken Critic of Israel
The 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.

The Associated Press

MICHAEL HILL
Reporting

New York Clerk Again Refuses to Enforce Texas Judgment Against Doctor Who Provided Abortion Pills
A 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.

The Associated Press

COLLIN BINKLEY
Reporting

How Trump Plans to Dismantle the Education Department After Supreme Court Ruling
Education 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.

NPR Morning Edition

STEVE INSKEEP
Reporting

Nobel Prize-Winning Economist Paul Krugman Discusses Trump's Use of Tariffs
NPR'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.

NPR Morning Edition

SARAH MCCAMMON
Reporting

Lawyer Discusses Judge's Decision to Bar Indiscriminate Immigration Arrests in LA
NPR 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.

NPR Morning Edition

MONIKA EVSTATIEVA
Reporting

As Protection for Afghan Refugees Ends, Many Fear for Their Safety if Forced to Leave
Temporary protected status for Afghan refugees in the U.S. ends Monday. Hundreds could face deportation back to Afghanistan, which is now under Taliban rule.

NPR Morning Edition

SAM GRINGLAS
Reporting

Confederacy Group Sues Georgia State Park Over Exhibit on Slavery, White Supremacy
A 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.

Previously on My Country, 'Tis of Thee...

We've archived 253 items in June, 308 in May, 277 in April, 110 in March and 9 in February. Access them from the blue monthly title bar above.

The Guardian

RORY CARROLL
Reporting

Rosie O'Donnell Dismisses Trump's Threat to Revoke Her U.S. Citizenship
Rosie 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.

NPR Weekend Edition

AYESHA RASCOE
Reporting

The Claim That Cloud Seeding Caused the Texas Floods Is Untrue -- and Actively Harmful
More 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.

NPR Weekend Edition

AYESHA RASCOE
Reporting

Can 'Able-Bodied' Adults on Medicaid Replace Farm Workers Amid Immigration Crackdown?
NPR'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.

NPR Weekend Edition

JASON DEROSE
Reporting

Houses of Worship Are Preparing Migrants for Encounters With Immigration Agents
Houses 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.

PBS News Hour

ALI ROGIN
Reporting

Trump Administration's NIH Funding Cuts Threaten Research on Sickle Cell Disease
So 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.

PBS News Hour

JOHN YANG
Reporting

FEMA Missed Major Flood Risks at Camp Mystic in Texas, New Analysis Reveals
The 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.

The Associated Press

STAFF
Reporting

Trump Says He's Considering 'Taking Away' Rosie O'Donnell's U.S. Citizenship
President 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.

The New York Times

MAXINE JOSELOW
Reporting

FEMA Didn't Answer Thousands of Calls From Flood Survivors, Documents Show
Two 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.

NPR Weekend Edition

SCOTT SIMON
Reporting

What the Federal Ruling That Blocked Trump's Policy on Birthright Citizenship Means
NPR'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.

NPR Weekend Edition

SCOTT SIMON
Reporting

Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Discusses Downsizing in the State Department
NPR's Scott Simon asks veteran career diplomat Nicholas Burns about the Trump administration's plans to downsize the State Department. Scott Simon

NPR Weekend Edition

KIRK SIEGLER
Reporting

A Controversial Amendment Cut From Trump's Tax Bill Is to Be Reintroduced
A 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.

The Guardian

EDWARD HELMORE
Reporting

Trump Authorizes Ice Agents to Protect Themselves Using 'Whatever Means' Necessary
Donald 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."

The Guardian

ROBERT TAIT
Reporting

As Texas Cleans Up, Ex-Officials Say FEMA Has 'Eroded Capacity' for Multiple Disasters
As 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.

The Guardian

MELODY SCHREIBER
Reporting

'Tremendous Uncertainty' for Cancer Research as U.S. Officials Target mRNA Vaccines
As 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.

The Los Angeles Times

BRITTNY MEJIA
RACHEL URANGA
Reporting

Federal Judge Temporarily Halts Alleged Indiscriminate Immigration Stops
U.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.

The Guardian

ANDREW ROTH
Reporting

U.S. State Department Issues First of 1,350 Termination Orders After Court Lifted Ban
The 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."

PBS News Hour

WILLIAM BRANGHAM
Reporting

How the Toy Industry Is Feeling the Effects of Trump's Tariffs
President 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.

The Associated Press

LINLEY SANDERS
Reporting

How U.S. Views of Immigration Have Changed Since Trump Took Office, According to Gallup Polling
Just 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.

The New York Times

LIVIA ALBECK-RIPKA
Reporting

Federal Agents Clash With Protesters During Immigration Raid at California Farm
Federal 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.

Semafor

ELEANOR MUELLER
BURGESS EVERETT
Reporting

Democrats Look to Republicans for Help Undoing Medicaid Cuts in Trump's Megabill
Congressional 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.

NPR Morning Edition

MICHEL MARTIN
Reporting

Former FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell Discusses Natural Disaster Response
NPR'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.

NPR Morning Edition

MICHEL MARTIN
Reporting

Michael McFaul, Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Discusses Trump's Change on Putin
NPR 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.

NPR Morning Edition

DAVID WESSEL
Hutchins Center

Trump Attacks Fed Chair Powell for Not Moving Quickly to Cut Interest Rates
NPR 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.

NPR Morning Edition

A MARTÍNEZ
JENNA MCLAUGHLIN
Reporting

DOGE Has Access to Database That Controls Government Payments to Farmers and Ranchers
The 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.

The Guardian

TOM PERKINS
Reporting

Trump Administration Yanks $15m in Research Into PFAS on U.S. Farms: 'Not Just Stupid, It's Evil'
The 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."

The Guardian

STAFF
Reporting

Threats, Delays and Confusion: 10 Key Points to Understand Another Week of Trump Tariff Turmoil
Donald 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.

The New York Times

CLAIRE MOSES
ORLANDO MAYORQUÍN
Reporting

L.A.-Area Bishop Excuses Faithful From Mass Over Fear of Immigration Raids
The 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.

PBS News Hour

LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ
Reporting

Jan. 6 Prosecutor Says Firing of Investigators, Trump's Pardons Send 'Dangerous Message'
The 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.

PBS News Hour

LISA DESJARDINS
Reporting

Federal Workers Union Says It Will Continue to Fight Firings After Supreme Court Ruling
The 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.

The Associated Press

JANIE HAR
Reporting

California Surgical Center Staff Demand to See Warrant as ICE Agents Detain Landscaper
Federal 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."

The Associated Press

JAKE OFFENHARTZ
Reporting

Freed From ICE Detention, Mahmoud Khalil Files $20 Million Claim Against Trump Administration
Weeks 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."

Here & Now

LAURA SULLIVAN
Reporting

FEMA Flood Risk Data Outdated, NPR Investigation Finds
An 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.

Here & Now

SCOTT TONG
Reporting

Copper Prices Have Spiked in the U.S. What Does That Means for Consumers and the Economy?
The 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.

Here & Now

RUSTY JACOBS
Reporting

Federal Funding Cuts Hamper Nonprofit in Fight Against Infectious Diseases
The 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.

The New York Times

DEVLIN BARRETT
Reporting

Justice Dept. Whistle-Blower Warns of Trump Administration's Assault on the Law
Erez 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.

NPR Morning Edition

KIM WEHLE
University of Baltimore

A Look at Presidential Power Amid Reports of DOJ Investigation Into Former Officials
NPR 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.

NPR Morning Edition

DANIEL COSTA
Economic Policy Institute

How New Funding for ICE Might Impact Immigration Enforcement
NPR 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.

NPR Morning Edition

MARIA GODOY
Reporting

U.S. Measles Cases Hit Highest Level in 33 Years, CDC Reports
The 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.

Reuters

NATHAN LAYNE
COURTNEY ROZEN
Reporting

As FEMA Aids Texas Flood Victims, Noem Urges Eliminating U.S. Agency 'As It Exists Today'
U.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.

The Associated Press

CURTIS YEE
BERNARD MCGHEE
Reporting

New Hampshire Judge Pauses Trump's Birthright Citizenship Order
A 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.

The New York Times

ZEYNEP TUFEKCI
Opinion Columnist

As the Texas Floodwaters Rose, One Indispensable Voice Was Silent
When 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.

The Guardian

MICHAEL SAINATO
Reporting

Undocumented Builders Face Unchecked Exploitation Amid Trump Raids
As 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.

NPR Morning Edition

LEILA FADEL
Reporting

A Look at the Use of Masks by Federal Agents During Immigration Arrests
NPR's Leila Fadel examines the use of masks and unmarked cars by federal agents while carrying out immigration arrests.

NPR Morning Edition

DANIEL BURKE
BOB SMIETANA
JACK JENKINS
Reporting

IRS Says Churches Can Now Endorse Political Candidates
In 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.

NPR Morning Edition

MICHEL MARTIN
Reporting

Suit Challenges Government's Efforts to Deport Supporters of Pro-Palestinian Protests
NPR 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.

The Associated Press

MATT BROWN
Reporting

Biden's Former Doctor Refuses to Answer Questions in House Republican Probe
President 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.

Mission Local

FRANKIE SOLINSKY DURYEA
Reporting

ICE Agents Drive SUV Through Protesters at S.F. Immigration Court
Federal 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.

PBS News Hour

LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ
Reporting

GOP Gives ICE Massive Budget Increase to Expand Trump's Deportation Effort
ICE 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.

Here & Now

JULIAN ZELIZER
Princeton University

Congressional Budget Office Faces Criticism Over Deficit Analysis
The 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.

Here & Now

DANIEL PAYNE
Reporting

What Health Care Cuts in Trump's Budget Law Will Mean for Americans
The 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.

The Guardian

DAVID SMITH
Reporting

U.S. Supreme Court Clears Way for Trump Officials to Resume Mass Government Firings
The 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."

NPR Morning Edition

SCOTT HORSLEY
Reporting

Stocks Tumble After Trump Posts Letters to 14 Countries Threatening New Tariffs
Stocks 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.

NPR Morning Edition

ELEANOR BEARDSLEY
Reporting

Winemakers in France's Burgundy Region Rethinking Their Relationship With the U.S.
Winemakers 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.

NPR Morning Edition

CARRIE JOHNSON
Reporting

DOJ Sues Entire Federal District Court in Maryland Over Policy on Immigration Cases
The 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.

NPR Morning Edition

FRANK MORRIS
Reporting

Immigration Crackdown Hurts Small Businesses in Kansas Dependent on Migrant Customers
Mom-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.

Reuters

JARRETT RENSHAW
Reporting

'Trump Effect' Web site Takes Credit for U.S. Investment Made Under Biden
Within 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.

PBS News Hour

LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ
Reporting

Who Will Be Affected by Trump Administration's Medicaid, SNAP Work Requirements
President 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.

Here & Now

MATTHEW DALY
Reporting

The Future of Green Energy Under Trump
Scott 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.

Here & Now

KELLIE CARTER JACKSON
WellesleyCollege

How the Second Trump Administration Is Trying to Revise American History
Since 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.

The Guardian

CARTER SHERMAN
Reporting

Planned Parenthood Sues Trump Administration Over Funding Cuts in Big Bill
Planned 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.

The Guardian

JESSICA GLENZA
Reporting

Pregnant Doctor Denied Covid-19 Vaccine Sues Trump Administration
A 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.

The Guardian

MAANVI SINGH
Reporting

LA Leaders Denounce 'Reality TV Spectacle' Deployment of Federal Officers
Dozens 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.

The New York Times

SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
JULIE CRESWELL
Reporting

Kennedy's Battle Against Food Dyes Hits a Roadblock: M&M's
Less 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.

The Guardian

ZACHARY PRICE
UC College of Law

Constitutional Law Professor Discusses Tech Company Exemption From TikTok Ban
NPR 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.

The Guardian

DEEPA SHIVARAM
MICHEL MARTIN
Reporting

Trump Administration Plans to Send Letters to Countries With New Tariff Rates
President 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.

The Guardian

JACLYN DIAZ
JULIANA KIM
Reporting

DOJ Announces Plans to Prioritize Cases to Revoke Citizenship
The 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.

The Associated Press

JAMES POLLARD
Reporting

Former Librarian of Congress, Fired by Trump, Vows to Improve Public Information in New Mellon Role
The 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."

The Guardian

Reporting

Hegseth Falsely Cited Weapon Shortages in Halting Shipments to Ukraine, Democrats Say
Pete 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.

The Guardian

OLIVER MILMAN
Reporting

Social Security Administration Email Praising Trump's Tax Bill Blasted as a 'Lie'
An 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.

The New York Times

JAZMINE ULLOA AND
Reporting

Under Trump's Crackdown, a New Crop of Immigrant Rights Groups Rises
A 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.

NPR Weekend Edition

RAFAEL NAM
Reporting

The U.S. Dollar Has Its Worst Start to the Year Since 1973
The 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."

NPR Weekend Edition

REGAN MCCARTHY
Reporting

Court Holds Florida Attorney General in Contempt Over Illegal Immigration Law
Florida'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.

NPR Weekend Edition

JOANNA KAKISSIS
Reporting

Zelenskyy Asks Trump for Air Defense Munitions Amid Escalating Russian Airstrikes
Ukraine 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.

NPR Morning Edition

KATHERINE CLARK
Massachusetts

Democratic Rep. Katherine Clark Discusses GOP Megabill Heading for Trump's Signature
NPR'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.

NPR Morning Edition

SCOTT HORSLEY
A MARTÍNEZ
Reporting

More Immigrants Likely to Leave U.S. This Year Than Enter, Forecasters Say
Forecasters 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.

The New York Times

CHARLIE SAVAGE
Reporting

Trump Claims Sweeping Power to Nullify Laws, Letters on TikTok Ban Show
Attorney 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."

PBS News Hour

SARAH LONGWELL,
The Bulwark

Why Republicans Once Staunchly Opposed to Trump's Bill Changed Their Minds
For 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.

PBS News Hour

NICK SCHIFRIN
Reporting

As Pentagon Pauses Some Weapons for Ukraine, Experts Weigh in on U.S. Priorities
Earlier 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.

PBS News Hour

KARINA CUEVAS
Afterschool Alliance

Trump Administration Withholds Billions in School Grants for Critical Programs
Millions 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.

The Guardian

MAANVI SINGH
Reporting

Kilmar Ábrego García Was Tortured in Salvadorian Prison, Court Filing Alleges
Kilmar 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.

Semafor

TOM CHIVERS
Reporting

U.S. Agencies' Science Journal Subscriptions Canceled
The 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.

NPR Morning Edition

LEILA FADEL
Reporting

Democratic Rep. Chris Deluzio Discusses His Opposition to GOP Megabill in the House
NPR'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.

NPR Morning Edition

MARTIN KASTE
Reporting

Legal Fight Over 'Ghost Guns' Heating Up Again
In 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.

NPR Morning Edition

MICHEL MARTIN
Reporting

How the GOP Tax Cut and Spending Bill Would Affect One Alabama Food Bank
NPR'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.

NPR Morning Edition

TOVIA SMITH
Reporting

Federal Judge Strikes Down Trump Order Suspending Asylum Access at U.S.-Mexico Border
The 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.

NPR Morning Edition

JAY PRICE
Reporting

Pete Hegseth Restoring Names of Army Bases First Named After Confederate Generals
Defense 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.

PBS News Hour

WILLIAM BRANGHAM
Reporting

Ghana Struggles to Fight Disease and Poverty Without Vital U.S. Aid
A 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.

The Associated Press

SETH BORENSTEIN
Reporting

Web Sites Hosting Major U.S. Climate Reports Taken Down
Web 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.

PBS News Hour

AMNA NAWAZ
Reporting

What Paramount's Multi-Million Dollar Settlement With Trump Means for Press Freedom
Paramount 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.

Gallup

JEFFREY M. JONES
Reporting

American Pride Slips to New Low
A 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.

NPR Morning Edition

LEILA FADEL
Reporting

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills Discusses How the GOP Megabill Will Impact Maine
NPR'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.

NPR Morning Edition

MEG ANDERSON
Reporting

Trump Administration Targets ATF, With Plans to Cut Jobs and Ease Gun Restrictions
The 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."

NPR Morning Edition

LEILA FADEL
Reporting

How the GOP Spending Bill Passed by the Senate Would Impact Medicaid
How 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.

The Associated Press

STAFF
Reporting

Trump Administration Withholds Over $6 Billion for After-School, Summer Programs and More
Day 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.

The Associated Press

DAVID BAUDER
Reporting

Paramount Will Pay $16 Million in Settlement With Trump Over '60 Minutes' Interview
Paramount 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."

The Associated Press

AMANDA SEITZ
Reporting

Mayors, Doctor Groups Sue Over Trump's Efforts to Restrict Obamacare Enrollment
New 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.

The New York Times

CHRIS CAMERON
Reporting

Trump Escalates Attacks on Mamdani
President 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."

The New York Times

ANNIE KARNI
Reporting

Murkowski Casts Decisive Vote for G.O.P. Policy Bill, Making an 'Agonizing' Choice
Senator 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."

The New York Times

CHRISTINA JEWETT
ZACH MONTAGUE
Reporting

Judge Halts Mass Firings and Organizational Changes at H.H.S.
Judge 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.

NPR Morning Edition

DOMENICO MONTANARO
Reporting

New Poll Finds About Three-Quarters of Americans Say Democracy Under Threat
About 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.

NPR Morning Edition

ADRIANNA MCINTYRE
Harvard University

How the GOP Spending Bill Now Before the Senate Would Impact Medicaid
NPR'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.

NPR Morning Edition

WILLIAM HASELTINE
Medical Scientist

William Haseltine Discusses Cuts to Federal Funding for Scientific Research
What 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.

NPR Morning Edition

FATMA TANIS
LEILA FADEL
Reporting

USAID Officially Shuts Down and Merges Remaining Operations With State Department
When 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.

The Associated Press

ALANNA DURKIN RICHER
Reporting

More Than 300 Charged in $14.6 Billion Health Care Fraud Schemes Takedown, Justice Department Says
State 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.

The Guardian

STAFF
Reporting

Trump Administration Sues Los Angeles Over Immigration Policies
Donald 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.