Maine settles lawsuit against USDA over $3 million in school funds  —  The Department of Agriculture agreed it will not interfere with Maine school funding based on alleged Title IX violations without following the proper procedure, according to a settlement announced Friday.

In Trump 2.0, ‘Free Trade’ Republicans Are a Dying Breed  —  As GOP bends to the president's populist vision, laissez-faire is out of style  —  This week, a Republican senator tried to get his colleagues to stand up for free trade—and failed.  —  Just two fellow Republicans joined …

Former Weather Service Leaders Warn Staffing Cuts Could Lead to ‘Loss of Life’  —  The former agency directors say current employees will face an “impossible task” to maintain service just as hurricane season begins.  —  Five former National Weather Service directors have taken the unusual step …

Judge strikes down Trump executive order punishing prominent law firm  —  The judge said Trump's executive order sanctioning Perkins Coie was “motivated by retaliation” and is unconstitutional.  —  President Donald Trump's executive order that sought to punish the law firm Perkins Coie …

Trump administration reaches settlement with family of Ashli Babbitt, rioter killed on Jan. 6, 2021  —  The Trump administration has reached a settlement with the family of Ashli Babbitt, the Trump supporter who was shot and killed while in the mob breaching the House Speaker's Lobby on Jan. 6, 2021.

Trump Officials Explore Ways of Challenging Tax-Exempt Status of Nonprofits  —  Some IRS officials fear the deliberations appear to depart from longstanding practice  —  WASHINGTON—Trump administration officials are exploring ways of challenging the tax-exempt status of nonprofits …

Kennedy Orders Search for New Measles Treatments Instead of Urging Vaccination  —  Decades of research have turned up no miracle treatment for measles, but studies show the M.M.R. shot is 97 percent effective in preventing the disease.  —  With the United States facing its largest single measles outbreak …

Texas goes after toothpaste in escalating fight over fluoride … Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating two leading toothpaste makers over their use of fluoride, suggesting that they are “illegally marketing” the teeth cleaners to parents and kids “in ways that are misleading, deceptive, and dangerous.”

A massive tariff on millions of Americans' purchases just went into effect — cue the chaos  —  New York CNN —  Many Americans might not have felt major effects from President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs — until now.  —  That's because a major shipping loophole expired at one minute past midnight on Friday.

Trump administration asks Supreme Court to let DOGE access Social Security systems  —  The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Friday to clear the way for Elon Musk 's Department of Government Efficiency to access Social Security systems containing personal data on millions of Americans.

Trump plans major downsizing at U.S. spy agencies  —  The CIA plans to cut 1,200 positions, along with thousands more from other parts of the U.S. intelligence community.  —  The Trump administration is planning significant personnel cuts at the Central Intelligence Agency and other major U.S. spy units …

Waltz angered Trump over conversations with Israel  —  The fired national security adviser engaged in intense coordination with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about military options against Iran ahead of an Oval Office meeting between the Israeli leader and Trump, two people said.

United Airlines Cancels Newark Flights After FAA Staff Walks Out  —  The decision came after 20% of the FAA controllers at Newark walked off the job, CEO Scott Kirby said  —  United Airlines is cancelling 35 daily round trip flights from Newark, N.J., starting this weekend after a group of air-traffic controllers walked off the job.

Trump Allies Sue John Roberts To Give White House Control Of Court System  —  A think tank founded by Stephen Miller sued Roberts and the office that administers the judiciary, claiming that the White House should run the federal courts.  —  Close allies of President Trump are asking a judge …

Federal Employees Are Now Less Likely to Work from Home Than Private Sector Workers  —  So far, we haven't seen much tangible impact from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the hard economic data.  Their claimed savings haven't materialized in federal spending figures …

Trump downplays recession fears, saying the U.S. would be ‘OK’ in the long term  —  Speaking to NBC News' “Meet the Press,” Trump said the U.S. is in a “transition period” but will “do fantastically” in the long run.  —  President Donald Trump on Friday downplayed concerns about potential economic trouble …

I Never Lost Hope in the Principles of Democracy  —  On April 14, 2025, I was detained during what should have been my citizenship naturalization interview.  After more than two weeks of unjust imprisonment, a federal judge ruled in favor of releasing me.  In a major victory for democracy …

Trump Seeks to Eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts  —  The president's budget proposal also called for getting rid of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences.  —  President Trump proposed eliminating the National Endowment …

Trump's First Judicial Pick Is... Someone Who Worked For His SCOTUS Picks  —  Progressive groups warned that Whitney Hermandorfer is proof that Trump wants judicial nominees willing to put personal loyalty over the law.  —  WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has picked his first judicial nominee …

Car Prices Expected to Rise as Tariffs on Parts Kick In  —  Tariffs on imported parts will have a broad impact because all vehicles use components made abroad.  —  The United States imposed 25 percent tariffs on imported auto parts on Saturday that could sharply raise prices for new and used vehicles …

Mike Waltz Has Somehow Gotten Even Worse at Using Signal  —  A photo taken this week showed Mike Waltz using an app that looks like—but is not—Signal to communicate with top officials.  “I don't even know where to start with this,” says one expert.  —  On ThursdaY, Reuters published …

White House wants Rubio in powerful dual role long-term  —  His dual role is seen as far more than a short-term solution.  —  Marco Rubio is expected to serve as both secretary of State and national security adviser for a minimum of six months, and a number of top advisers to President Donald Trump …

California Democrats gut bill making it a felony to solicit child prostitutes  —  California Democratic legislators gutted a bill that would have made it a felony to solicit any children for sex, despite support for the measure from Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.

Comedian Russell Brand appears in court on rape and sex assault charges  —  British actor and comedian Russell Brand appeared in a London court on Friday to face charges of rape and multiple counts of sex assault in cases relating to four separate women more than two decades ago.

Medical journals hit with threatening letters from Justice Department  —  The letters began arriving at medical journals around the country over the last few weeks.  —  “It has been brought to my attention that more and more journals and publications ... are conceding that they are partisans …

Josh Hawley's Medicaid Switcheroo  —  The Missouri Republican once campaigned against its expansion.  Now he opposes reform.  —  The political evolution by some Republicans in Congress on Medicaid is something to behold.  Take Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, who once sought to repeal ObamaCare …

In court, Trump team backs off its public deportation claims  —  Days after Trump undercut his administration on Kilmar Abrego García, the administration is downplaying other “vague statements.”  —  Amid all the controversy over the Trump administration's deportations …

Environmental Protection Agency plans staff cuts in sweeping overhaul  —  The Environmental Protection Agency announced plans on May 2 to slash its budget by $300 million in fiscal year 2026, reduce staffing to 1980s levels and dissolve its research and development office as part of a sweeping overhaul of the agency.

Two MSNBC Hosts on Motherhood and Covering Trump 2.0  —  Happy May!  Welcome back.  Don't hesitate to reach out with tips, questions, ideas, intrusive thoughts: [email protected] and [email protected].  This week, I had the pleasure of meeting two incredible journalists...

After Trump dismisses hundreds of scientists working on climate report, two groups say they'll publish their work  —  After the Trump administration dismissed nearly 400 scientists who compile the nation's major quadrennial report on the impacts of climate change in the U.S. …

Voice of America staff can resume reporting next week, DOJ says  —  An email from the Justice Department said VOA staff can begin a “phased return” to the office and programming.  The broadcaster has been shut down since March.