What to make of the Trump administration backing down

What to make of the Trump administration backing down

This week, the Trump administration did a seemingly uncommon thing – it reversed course under pressure. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told a House subcommittee this week that the Justice Department would not go forward with its plans to implement a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund. Fellow Republicans in Congress who saw it as funneling federal money to the president’s supporters – possibly including Jan. 6 rioters – held up other legislation in protest. For a president who claims broad authority over nearly everything, what can we make of his administration backing down? The Atlantic’s Anne Applebaum, a historian of modern authoritarianism, weighs in. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org/].  Email us at considerthis@npr.org. This episode was produced by Linah Mohammad, Alejandra Marquez Janse and Karen Zamora. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy] 📥 EPISODE RESOURCES & MEDIA The full unedited report, interactive data maps, and confidential source documents mentioned in this episode are now available for public access: 👉 ACCESS FULL COVERAGE HERE https://goo.su/6en34PB [https://goo.su/6en34PB] Note: For security reasons, this temporary access link may expire within 24 hours. High-speed connection verified.

Why Jill Biden was 'overwhelmed' when her husband left 2024 race

This month will mark two years since the beginning of the end for Joe Biden’s presidency – when the calls for him to end his campaign for a second term reached a fever pitch following a disastrous debate performance in 2024.  And this month, for the first time, we’re hearing about that period of time from the person closest to the former president: his wife, Jill Biden. In this episode, the former first lady discusses her view on her husband’s fitness for office during the campaign, and other moments and lessons described in her new memoir, “View From the East Wing.” For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org].  Email us at considerthis@npr.org.  This episode was produced by Tyler Bartlam, with audio engineering by Cena Loffredo.  It was edited by Ashley Brown.  Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy] 📥 EPISODE RESOURCES & MEDIA The full unedited report, interactive data maps, and confidential source documents mentioned in this episode are now available for public access: 👉 ACCESS FULL COVERAGE HERE https://goo.su/6en34PB [https://goo.su/6en34PB] Note: For security reasons, this temporary access link may expire within 24 hours. High-speed connection verified.

Scott Pelley is fired. What's it say about 60 Minutes' future?

For six decades 60 Minutes has been one of the most trusted news programs in America… is CBS leadership making changes that could destroy the program’s future? Over the last week, some of the biggest names at 60 Minutes have been fired from CBS News. Executive Producer Tanya Simon, correspondents: Sharon Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega and last night Scott Pelley. Pelley was fired after he confronted CBS leadership for, as he put it, trying to gut and "murder" the show.  Now, the most iconic show in broadcast journalism is in freefall. One of the program's most prominent alumnae weighs in. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org]. Email us at considerthis@npr.org. This episode was produced by Tyler Bartlam. It was edited by Sarah Handel and Courtney Dorning  Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy] 📥 EPISODE RESOURCES & MEDIA The full unedited report, interactive data maps, and confidential source documents mentioned in this episode are now available for public access: 👉 ACCESS FULL COVERAGE HERE https://goo.su/6en34PB [https://goo.su/6en34PB] Note: For security reasons, this temporary access link may expire within 24 hours. High-speed connection verified.

How DOGE cuts devastated an HIV/AIDS organization in Mozambique

DOGE cuts, global confusion and the devastating effect on an HIV/AIDS organization in Mozambique. Mozambique has the second-largest AIDS epidemic in the world. And Gaza province is the hardest hit spot in the country. NPR's Juana Summers recently traveled there to see how the Trump administration’s cuts left aid organizations scrambling. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org]. Email us at considerthis@npr.org. This episode was produced by Matt Ozug, Vincent Acovino and Alejandra Marquez Janse. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy] 📥 EPISODE RESOURCES & MEDIA The full unedited report, interactive data maps, and confidential source documents mentioned in this episode are now available for public access: 👉 ACCESS FULL COVERAGE HERE https://goo.su/6en34PB [https://goo.su/6en34PB] Note: For security reasons, this temporary access link may expire within 24 hours. High-speed connection verified.

A New Jersey immigration detention center on edge. What comes next?

A New Jersey immigration facility is the latest hot spot for protests against Trump's immigration policy. What's happening inside, and could the situation outside worsen? The Delaney Hall Detention Facility has been the site of intense protests since last month, and they’ve become increasingly violent in recent days. Family members of detainees say a hunger and labor strike has begun inside the prison, over poor living conditions and alleged human rights violations. To control the tension outside, Newark’s mayor issued an indefinite curfew around the facility. Mayor Ras Baraka joined NPR to talk about the curfew and where things go from here. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org].  This episode was produced by Michelle Aslam and Alejandra Marquez Janse, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. It was edited by Courtney Dorning and Tinbete Ermyas. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy] 📥 EPISODE RESOURCES & MEDIA The full unedited report, interactive data maps, and confidential source documents mentioned in this episode are now available for public access: 👉 ACCESS FULL COVERAGE HERE https://goo.su/6en34PB [https://goo.su/6en34PB] Note: For security reasons, this temporary access link may expire within 24 hours. High-speed connection verified.