[Thursday, May 29] US News Headlines from r/politics

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1. Executive Administration and Leadership

1.1 DOGE Leadership Transition and Musk’s Departure

Elon Musk is departing from his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Multiple sources confirm his exit, with some characterizing him as “disillusioned” and “distanced from Trump” [1]. Despite his personal departure, Musk has indicated that DOGE will continue its operations [2]. His exit reportedly follows criticism of what he referred to as the president’s “big beautiful bill” [3]. President Trump has assumed direct command of the department [4], with reports that top officials are also leaving [5].

[1] A Disillusioned Musk, Distanced From Trump, Says He’s Exiting Washington, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/28/us/politics/elon-musk-trump-doge.html?unlocked_article_code=1.K08.CZl8.bpNpkIITpTVA&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
[2] Elon Musk bids farewell to White House but says Doge will continue, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz9y4exj822o
[3] Elon Musk is leaving the Trump administration after criticizing president’s ‘big beautiful bill’, https://link.apnews.com/click/40060533.120936/aHR0cHM6Ly9hcG5ld3MuY29tL2FydGljbGUvZWxvbi1tdXNrLWRvbmFsZC10cnVtcC1iaWctYmVhdXRpZnVsLWJpbGwtYWEyYmM3MGIwZWJkYjIxOWI1ZGQzZTlmOGZhZTAzYWY_dXNlcl9lbWFpbD0yYzQzYTQ0YThmMGZiYWVkMWM0MTM5NTc4ZTc2NGVkYjljOGYwZWM5MWY3YTUzNDU0ODQ0Zjk5YmNjNTY4OTRkJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09QVBOZXdzX0FsZXJ0cyZ1dG1fc291cmNlPVNhaWx0aHJ1X0FQ/67aa4fe8d31ff84cb1100052B90e2e294
[4] Donald Trump takes command of Doge after Elon’s exit, https://www.thetimes.com/us/american-politics/article/doge-trump-elon-exit-cutting-waste-d28836fnb?region=global
[5] Top DOGE officials leaving as Musk departs, https://www.thehill.com/homenews/administration/5324467-doge-officials-exit-trump-adminstration/?tbref=hp

1.2 Presidential Actions and Personnel Decisions

The administration continues making significant personnel changes. President Trump has fired historians who were responsible for writing nonpartisan accounts of U.S. foreign policy [1]. Federal job applicants will now be tested on their knowledge of Trump’s executive orders [2]. The Trump Justice Department has inserted itself into North Carolina’s election administration, raising questions about federal involvement in state-run elections [3]. ProPublica reports that more than a dozen U.S. officials allegedly sold stocks before Trump’s tariff announcements sent markets plunging [4].

[1] Trump fires historians who wrote nonpartisan accounts of US foreign policy, https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5322702-trump-administration-terminates-historical-diplomatic-committee/
[2] Federal Job Seekers Will Be Quizzed on Trump’s Executive Orders, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-29/federal-job-seekers-will-be-quizzed-on-trump-s-executive-orders?srnd=homepage-americas
[3] The Trump Justice Department Barges Into North Carolina Elections, https://prospect.org/politics/2025-05-29-trump-justice-department-north-carolina-election-voting-rights/
[4] More Than a Dozen U.S. Officials Sold Stocks Before Trump’s Tariffs Sent the Market Plunging, https://www.propublica.org/article/us-officials-stock-sales-trump-tariffs

2. Legal and Judicial Developments

2.1 Court Rulings on Tariffs and Executive Authority

Federal courts have ruled that President Trump’s recently imposed tariffs are illegal [1], with one court explicitly stating that the president exceeded his authority [2]. The ruling specifically targeted tariffs implemented on April 2, referred to as “Liberation Day” tariffs [3]. However, an appeals court has temporarily reinstated Trump’s tariffs after the previous court rulings [4]. The administration is considering a Supreme Court appeal [5], though analysts suggest the Court may not intervene to preserve the tariffs [6].

[1] Trump Tariffs Ruled Illegal by Federal Judicial Panel, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/28/business/trump-tariffs-blocked-federal-court.html?unlocked_article_code=1.K08.qXSu.web0OT9BBiKV&smid=nytcore-android-share
[2] US court blocks most Trump tariffs, says president exceeded his authority, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-court-blocks-trumps-liberation-day-tariffs-2025-05-28/
[3] Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ Tariffs Are Illegal, U.S. Trade Court Rules, https://www.barrons.com/articles/trumps-liberation-day-tariffs-are-illegal-u-s-trade-court-rules-a4943460?st=6ay3LF
[4] Trump tariffs can stay in place for now, appeals court rules, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93ywvl7yy5o
[5] Trump could ask Supreme Court to halt tariff block as soon as Friday, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/29/trump-court-international-trade-tariffs-miller.html
[6] The Supreme Court May Not Step in and Save Trump’s Tariffs, https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/05/29/trump-tariffs-court-defeat-00374194

2.2 Presidential Pardons and Criminal Justice Actions

President Trump has commuted the federal life sentence of Larry Hoover, described as a Chicago gang leader and co-founder of the Gangster Disciples [1]. Trump also indicated he would consider possible pardons for individuals convicted of plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer [2], who has expressed disappointment about this possibility [3]. The president has also pardoned reality TV stars Julie and Todd Chrisley, who were convicted in 2022 of fraud and tax evasion [4].

[1] Trump commutes federal life sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover, https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-commutes-federal-life-sentence-gangster-disciples-founder/story?id=122287759
[2] Trump says he will look into possible pardons for the men convicted of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna209512
[3] Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says she is ‘disappointed’ that Trump is considering a pardon for men who plotted to kidnap her, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/gretchen-whitmer-says-disappointed-trump-considering-pardon-men-plotte-rcna209721
[4] Trump pardons Julie and Todd Chrisley, reality TV stars convicted in 2022 of fraud and tax evasion, https://apnews.com/article/julie-chrisley-todd-trump-pardons-federal-prison-9c508547bf5f6d57ae20f38c6821cecd

3. Economic and Trade Policy

3.1 Federal Reserve and Monetary Policy

The Federal Reserve has issued a rare statement asserting its independence amid pressure from President Trump [1]. Fed Chair Jerome Powell reportedly informed Trump that interest rate decisions would be based on “non-political” analysis [2] during a White House meeting where Trump directly pressured Powell to lower interest rates [3].

[1] Federal Reserve issues rare statement asserting independence amid Trump pressure, https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/may/29/federal-reserve-chair-powell-trump
[2] Fed Chair Powell told Trump in Thursday meeting that rate decisions would be based on ’non-political’ analysis, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/29/fed-chair-powell-told-trump-in-thursday-meeting-that-rate-decisions-would-be-based-on-non-political-analysis.html
[3] Trump Pressed Fed’s Powell to Lower Rates in White House Meeting, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-29/fed-says-powell-and-trump-met-at-white-house-to-discuss-economy?srnd=homepage-americas

3.2 Economic Indicators and Industry Impact

The U.S. economy contracted by 0.2% in the first quarter, attributed to the impact of “Trump trade wars” [1]. Weekly unemployment claims have increased by 14,000 [2]. A cost comparison reveals that U.S. ships championed by President Trump cost five times as much as their Asian counterparts [3]. International trade tensions are having localized impacts, with Bloomberg reporting that US border towns are “being ravaged by Canada’s furious boycott” [4].

[1] Hit by Trump trade wars, U.S. economy falls 0.2% in first quarter, an upgrade from initial estimate, https://apnews.com/article/economy-trump-tariff-contraction-2c17721ae91e3249850b7a48ab35edc1
[2] U.S. weekly initial unemployment claims rise by 14,000, https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2025/05/29/jobless-claims-up-DOL/5411748525879/
[3] U.S. Ships Championed by Trump Cost 5 Times as Much as Asian Ones, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/27/business/economy/trump-shipbuilding-china.html?05292025
[4] US Border Towns Are Being Ravaged by Canada’s Furious Boycott, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-05-05/canada-s-us-boycott-is-ravaging-american-border-towns?rdt_cid=5079926813573068389&utm_campaign=BLOM_ENG_WEEKLYX_Y0629_RE_SO_WTRF_BROADXXXXX_INTST_00XXXXCPC_2PRE_XXXX_NEWEDBIZFINXF_XXXXX_Y0629_MXXEN_REDDOA_BOR1_BW_EN_JP_RLINKAD&utm_medium=cpc_social&embedded-checkout=true

4. Immigration and Border Security

4.1 Chinese Student Visa Restrictions

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the U.S. will “aggressively” revoke visas of Chinese students [1][2], part of a broader crackdown on Chinese visas and applicants. Harvard University states that the “fallout from Trump ban on international students is already taking a toll” [3]. The State Department will reportedly investigate “visas of everyone at Harvard” [4], while Chinese students have expressed anxiety and anger after Rubio’s announcement [5].

[1] US will ‘aggressively’ revoke visas of Chinese students, Rubio says, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/29/us-revoke-chinese-student-visas
[2] Trump administration will ‘aggressively revoke’ Chinese student visas in major escalation with Beijing, https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/28/politics/student-visa-china-revoke-rubio
[3] Harvard says fallout from Trump ban on international students already taking a toll, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/05/29/metro/harvard-trump-ban-international-students/?s_campaign=audience:reddit
[4] Visas of everyone at Harvard to be investigated by State Department, https://www.newsweek.com/harvard-visas-state-department-investigation-trump-2078300
[5] Chinese students anxious and angry after Rubio vows to revoke visas, https://apnews.com/article/chinese-exclusion-act-student-visas-us-80fb4551d4d1139b29f6cbc4d172603a

4.2 Immigration Enforcement and Deportation Cases

The Trump administration has implemented aggressive immigration enforcement targets, establishing a quota to arrest 3,000 people per day [1]. Several high-profile deportation cases are challenging the administration. A critically ill four-year-old Mexican girl’s family is fighting deportation, with medical experts warning she could die within days if removed from the U.S. [2]. Reports indicate that a 2-year-old American citizen was deported [3], and the administration has agreed to fly a migrant back to the U.S. after a judge ruled the deportation “ignored” due process [4].

[1] Trump administration sets quota to arrest 3,000 people a day in anti-immigration agenda, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/29/trump-ice-arrest-quota
[2] Trump has ordered a critically ill four-year-old Mexican girl to leave the country. She could die within days, experts say, https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-mexico-deportation-critically-ill-child-b2758809.html
[3] Trump Admin Deports 2-Year-Old Girl Who is American Citizen, https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-admin-deports-2-year-old-girl-who-is-american-citizen/
[4] Trump administration says it will fly migrant back to U.S. after judge rules his deportation “ignored” due process, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-administration-will-fly-migrant-back-ignored-due-process/

5. Foreign Policy and International Relations

5.1 US-China and Russia Relations

China apparently believed it had reached a truce with the United States, only to be blindsided by two major policy actions from the Trump administration [1]. US-Russia relations remain complicated, with Putin making ending NATO enlargement a key demand in peace talks [2]. Despite President Trump’s closer engagement with the Russian leader, the New York Times indicates these relations have yielded “few results” [3]. The administration is ending a program designed to track and seize luxury assets belonging to Russian oligarchs [4].

[1] China thought it had a truce with the US. Then Trump dropped two bombshells, https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/29/china/china-us-truce-chips-student-visa-intl-hnk
[2] Putin’s demands for peace include an end to NATO enlargement, sources say, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-ukraine-peace-wants-pledge-halt-nato-enlargement-sources-say-2025-05-28/
[3] Trump’s Embrace of Putin Shows Few Results, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/29/us/politics/trump-putin.html
[4] How to Hide a 350-Foot Megayacht: Russian oligarchs use the offshore system to shield their luxury assets. The Trump administration is ending an effort to find and seize them., https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/27/magazine/trump-offshore-money-russia-oligarchs.html

5.2 Middle East and International Aid

The United Nations has condemned a U.S. aid scheme in Gaza following an incident where Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd [1]. A freed Israeli hostage, Omer Shem Tov, has claimed that Hamas treated him better after Trump won the election and that the terror group had preferred Kamala Harris to win [2]. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s claim that “no one has died due to U.S. aid cuts” has been directly challenged by at least one mother [3].

[1] U.N. condemns U.S. aid scheme in Gaza after Israel opens fire on crowd, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/05/28/israel-gaza-aid-distribution-ghf-gunshots/
[2] Freed Israeli hostage Omer Shem Tov says Hamas treated him better after Trump won — and that terror group wanted Harris to win, https://nypost.com/2025/05/28/world-news/freed-israeli-hostage-omer-shem-tov-says-hamas-treated-him-better-after-trump-won/
[3] Marco Rubio said no one has died due to U.S. aid cuts. This mom disagrees, https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/05/28/g-s1-69186/marco-rubio-usaid-death-sickle-cell-nigeria

6. Healthcare and Science Policy

6.1 RFK Jr.’s Policies and MAHA Report

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “MAHA Report” has come under scrutiny for citing research studies that don’t exist [1]. The White House has acknowledged problems with the report [2] and announced plans to fix what they describe as “formatting errors” [3]. Kennedy has made significant changes to COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, reportedly surprising the CDC [4].

[1] RFK Jr.’s MAHA Report Cites Research Studies That Don’t Exist, https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/rfk-jr-maha-report-fake-research-studies-1235350468/
[2] White House acknowledges problems in RFK Jr.’s MAHA report, https://apnews.com/article/maha-report-errors-rfk-health-studies-f382af8552dbc1729329a13e58f1f3c4
[3] White House to fix ‘formatting errors’ in RFK Jr. ‘MAHA Report’, https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5324711-white-house-maha-kennedy-report-errors/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR6zum_YwIPcjTHADPCnjhfNlfbHl3m5kzQcK5qm8tQTqNx9wyhQitt_c84ERA_aem_yA-8VTjuoHvca7xVn1wU6A
[4] CDC blindsided as RFK Jr. changes covid-19 vaccine recommendations, https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/05/28/vaccines-cdc-rfk-jr-covid/

6.2 Vaccine Development and Scientific Research

The administration has canceled major contracts for influenza vaccine development. The Department of Health and Human Services terminated a Moderna contract worth $766 million focused on vaccines for flu pandemics [1]. NPR specifically reported that the administration has “pulled the plug on the bird flu vaccine” [2]. New scientific policy changes have drawn criticism, with The Guardian reporting on Trump’s new “‘gold standard’ rule,” warning it “will destroy American science as we know it” [3].

[1] Trump administration cancels $766 million Moderna contract to fight pandemic flu, https://apnews.com/article/moderna-influenza-vaccine-terminated-ca14251649cf6a065342196a8b021f92
[2] Trump administration pulls the plug on the bird flu vaccine, https://www.npr.org/2025/05/28/nx-s1-5414642/trump-vaccine-bird-flu-mrna
[3] Trump’s new ‘gold standard’ rule will destroy American science as we know it, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/29/trump-american-science

7. Social Policy and Civil Rights

7.1 LGBTQ+ Rights and Education

LGBTQ+ rights continue to be contested at both federal and state levels. The Department of Justice has launched a “Title IX probe into California over state law allowing trans athletes to play women’s sports” [1]. The Department of Education appears to be revising workplace protections with Bloomberg reporting that the “Education Department Targets Pregnant, LGBTQ Staff Protections” [2]. Pride celebrations in 2025 are facing challenges including “scared advertisers, flag bans and Trump” [3].

[1] DOJ launches Title IX probe into California over state law allowing trans athletes to play women’s sports, https://nypost.com/2025/05/29/us-news/doj-launches-title-ix-probe-into-california-over-state-law-allowing-trans-athletes-to-play-womens-sports/
[2] Education Department Targets Pregnant, LGBTQ Staff Protections, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-28/education-department-targets-pregnant-lgbtq-staff-protections
[3] Scared advertisers, flag bans and Trump: the US is in for a troubled Pride 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/29/pride-month-trump?utm_source=instagramstories&utm_campaign=usguardian

7.2 State-Level Developments

In Illinois, lawmakers have passed legislation banning police from ticketing and fining students for minor infractions in school [1]. Texas is moving to ban THC products [2], while Missouri will share personal data of food aid recipients with federal authorities [3]. Texas faces a growing water crisis exacerbated by policies allowing landowners nearly unlimited water use from beneath their property [4].

[1] Illinois Lawmakers Ban Police From Ticketing and Fining Students for Minor Infractions in School, https://www.propublica.org/article/illinois-bans-police-ticketing-students-school-price-kids-pay
[2] Texas is about to ban THC products, https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/05/texas-republicans-greg-abbott-thc-ban-hemp-cannabis.html
[3] Missouri will hand over personal data of food aid recipients to Feds, https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-will-hand-over-personal-data-of-food-aid-recipients-to-feds/
[4] The one thing Texas won’t do to save its water supply | Texas property owners can use nearly as much water under their land as they want. That’s unlikely to change even as the state approaches a crisis., https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/29/texas-water-crisis-groundwater-rights/