Kristi Noem Wants Migrants to Compete for Citizenship on New Reality Show  —  LET THE GAMES BEGIN  —  A Homeland Security official told the Daily Beast that the show is in the early stages of vetting, though approval has not been given—or denied.  —  Kristi Noem reportedly wants …

Comey under investigation for ‘threat’ to Trump on social media, officials say  —  The Trump administration accused the former FBI director of insinuating a call to violence in his Instagram post, which he denied.  —  Trump administration officials said Thursday that they would investigate …

The Biden question hanging over the 2028 field  —  Some Democrats argue their leaders aren't owning up to the truth about Biden — and risk keeping the issue alive indefinitely.  —  Joe Biden may have cost Democrats the White House in 2024.  Their inability to admit it, some Democrats fear, could hobble them in 2028.

The ‘Modest’ Ruling That Could Kneecap Our Legal System  —  It is often difficult to persuade anyone other than lawyers to care about the more technical, procedural minutiae of Supreme Court decisions.  But Thursday's oral argument in three Supreme Court cases challenging President Trump's efforts …

Exclusive: US aid cuts leave food for millions mouldering in storage  —  Food rations that could supply 3.5 million people for a month are mouldering in warehouses around the world because of U.S. aid cuts and risk becoming unusable, according to five people familiar with the situation.

FEMA Head Admits in Internal Meetings He Doesn't Yet Have a Plan for Hurricane Season  —  Two weeks from hurricane season, agency staff are worried FEMA isn't prepared  —  WASHINGTON—The newly appointed head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency acknowledged in private meetings …

This Air-Traffic Controller Just Averted a Midair Collision.  Now He's Speaking Out.  —  Jonathan Stewart says controllers didn't walk off the job after recent FAA equipment outages; 'I don't want to be responsible for killing 400 people'  —  MALVERN, Pa.—Jonathan Stewart …

The Hyper-Aggressive, Comically Loyal Government Flacks Who Talk Like Trump  —  Spokespeople are defending the administration in a language pioneered by the president.  —  In March, Axios reported that Donald Trump's Oval Office had begun to resemble an Oscar night gift suite …

Russia and Ukraine to hold first direct peace talks in over 3 years  —  Ukraine rallied its Western allies on Friday after Kyiv and Moscow failed to agree to a ceasefire at their first direct talks in three years, with Russia presenting conditions that a Ukrainian source said went beyond its previous demands.

Donors Promised ‘VIP Experience’ to Military Events With Trump  —  Top donors to a committee supporting events celebrating America's 250th birthday will receive special access to a military parade and other festivities  —  Donors are being offered a “dedicated VIP experience” …

The Opinion That Ate the Paper  —  Under Kathleen Kingsbury, the Times' “Opinion” section has doubled in size.  What kind of publication is she building?  —  In the summer of 2020, as James Bennet, the head of the New York Times' “Opinion” section, was being forced to resign, his deputy …

Trump's attorney general sold millions in Trump Media stock on ‘Liberation Day’  — One of Trump's cabinet secretaries made an especially well-timed trade of Trump Media stock.  — Attorney General Pam Bondi sold off her millions of dollars in shares on April 2.

Cut-price Magna Carta ‘copy’ now believed genuine  —  A manuscript once considered an unofficial copy of Magna Carta is now believed to be a genuine version and “one of the world's most valuable documents”, according to UK academics.  —  Harvard Law School paid $27.50 (then about £7) …

Some Republicans Push to Put School Desegregation Officially in the Past  —  Louisiana officials want to overturn the remaining federal desegregation orders in their state.  They may find allies in the Trump administration.  —  Republican leaders in Louisiana are pushing to end the last remnants …

Big U.S. cities grew in 2024, reversing covid-era population declines  —  Census Bureau data found most major cities increased in population, reversing a downward trend sparked by pandemic deaths and people fleeing for smaller towns.  —  Populations in major American cities have bounced …

The Trade War Isn't Over  —  Look at the numbers, not the vibes  —  Monday morning I woke up to an urgent text from Robin, who is still visiting friends in Europe: “You have to look at the news NOW.”  Sure enough, Donald Trump had suddenly slashed his tariff on China from 145 percent to 30 percent.

CNN to air George Clooney's ‘Good Night, and Good Luck’ Broadway play live on June 7  —  CNN will exclusively televise actor George Clooney's record-breaking Broadway show “Good Night, and Good Luck,” on Saturday, June 7, the network announced Thursday.  —  The limited-run play's penultimate performance …

‘No Way to Run a Two-Car Parade Let Alone the House’  —  Coastal Republicans express anger at red-state leaders who won't help them with SALT deductions.  —  The boiling internal GOP debate that's holding up President Donald Trump's self-declared “big, beautiful” bill isn't over the deductibility …

Man who attacked author Salman Rushdie is sentenced to 25 years in prison  —  Hadi Matar, the man who severely injured novelist Salman Rushdie in a 2022 stabbing attack, was sentenced Friday to 25 years in prison — the maximum for attempted murder, according to The Associated Press.

Afrikaner resettled by Jewish-affiliated group denies antisemitism claims  —  Charl Kleinhaus, one of about 60 Afrikaners resettled as refugees under an executive order, said his social media posts were being taken out of context.  —  Just two days after arriving in the United States …

9 Federally Funded Scientific Breakthroughs That Changed Everything  —  The U.S. is slashing funding for scientific research, after decades of deep investment.  Here's some of what those taxpayer dollars created.  —  Science seldom works in straight lines.

Ramble On: Sadness and the Sinking Ship (video)  —  Here is today's morning ramble:  —  Every piece at PREVAIL is free to read and always will be.  No paywalls, ever.  Your generous support keeps it that way.  Thank you!  —  And here is the transcript, edited for clarity:  —  Good morning.

2nd-Place Runner in High School Race Rips Maine GOP Lawmaker for Attacking Trans Winner  —  A high school runner in Maine who finished second to a transgender competitor at a recent track meet said this week that a Republican state lawmaker's “hateful” crusade targeting trans athletes …

Trump Asked EPA Employees to Snitch on Colleagues Working on DEI Initiatives.  They Declined.  —  EPA staff didn't use a tip line set up by the Trump administration to identify and assist in slashing programs focused on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.

Trump Administration Fires Hundreds of Voice of America Employees  —  The layoffs amounted to over a third of the media organization's staff, and came as the Trump administration put up for sale the federal building in Washington that houses the network.  —  The Trump administration …