Good morning. Welcome to the latest Up First newsletter. Don’t miss out on future editions, subscribe here and catch up on the Up First podcast for all your morning news needs.
Today’s top stories
President Trump has signed an executive order aimed at cutting federal funding for NPR and PBS. Accusing them of political bias, the order directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop federal funds for these organizations. NPR receives only about 1% of its funding directly from the government, with the majority going to local stations for TV production, which is more costly than radio.
The headquarters for National Public Radio in Washington on April 15, 2013.
Charles Dharapak/AP
hide caption
toggle caption
Charles Dharapak/AP
The headquarters for National Public Radio in Washington on April 15, 2013.
Charles Dharapak/AP
- 🎧 NPR CEO Katherine Maher and her PBS counterpart have denied claims of biased reporting. The executive order could significantly impact some local stations, particularly smaller rural stations that rely on over 50% of their funding from CPB, according to NPR’s Ryland Barton on Up First. NPR depends on its network stations for breaking news coverage and in-depth analysis that national reporters may not have. In remote areas, these stations can be the sole sources of news, providing crucial emergency alerts.
Yesterday, Trump announced his nomination of national security adviser Mike Waltz as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. This marks the first major staff shake-up of his second term. The decision comes after Waltz took responsibility for accidentally adding a journalist to a Signal group chat where top officials were discussing plans to strike Yemen. Trump revealed on social media that Marco Rubio will serve as his interim national security adviser. Rubio will continue his duties as secretary of State as well.
- 🎧 Waltz’s confirmation for the new role rests with the U.S. Senate. Given the situation with the group chat, NPR’s Franco Ordoñez believes the confirmation process could be challenging. It remains uncertain who is being considered to permanently replace Waltz. Ordoñez notes that Waltz had a less prominent role compared to most national security advisers, leaning more toward traditional Republican hawkish views rather than advocating for reduced intervention in foreign conflicts.
A federal judge ruled yesterday that Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan immigrants from South Texas was deemed “unlawful.” U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., a Trump appointee, made this groundbreaking ruling. Rodriguez stated that the president’s invocation of the act went beyond its intended scope and contradicted the act’s plain language and meaning.
- 🎧 The lawsuit involves three Venezuelan men. ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt, their lead counsel, remarked that the “decision protects all individuals detained in the Southern District of Texas.” Rodriguez extensively reviewed historical records and concluded that the ordinary interpretation of “invasion” or “predatory inclusion” during the act’s enactment in 1798 required a military incursion or hostile takeover, as explained by NPR’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán. The judge determined that the criminal activities attributed to Tren de Aragua members in Trump’s proclamation did not align with those terms as understood under the act. Martínez-Beltrán anticipates the Trump administration will appeal the ruling.
