Here’s your evening news rundown—but first, a quick thank you. If you believe in this kind of journalism, please consider subscribing or becoming a supporter. We are number one in news in the *entire world.* No corporate backers. Only because of you.
Now, let’s get into the news.
A nationwide day of protest against President Donald Trump and his administration has brought together demonstrators from across the U.S., united in opposition to what they see as a constant attack on democracy and civil rights. The protests took many forms—from a march through midtown Manhattan and a rally outside the White House to a demonstration in Massachusetts during a commemoration of the April 19, 1775 “shot heard ’round the world,” marking the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War.
Internal upheaval continued within the Trump administration. Three senior appointees at the Department of Defense were fired on Friday after being placed on leave for allegedly leaking information without authorization. On Saturday, the officials—Dan Caldwell, senior adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; Darin Selnick, Hegseth’s deputy chief of staff; and Colin Carroll, chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg—issued a joint statement claiming the Pentagon had “slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door.” The statement was posted by Caldwell on X.
Pope Francis did not attend the Vatican’s official meeting with Vice President J.D. Vance on Saturday, instead sending Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin in his place. According to a Vatican statement, Parolin used the opportunity to emphasize compassion and discuss global issues such as war, political unrest, and humanitarian crises—particularly those impacting migrants, refugees, and prisoners.
The Trump administration has told the Supreme Court it intends to remove a group of Venezuelan migrants detained in Texas using legal avenues other than the contested Alien Enemies Act, even as litigation over that authority proceeds. In its first response to the Court’s early morning order temporarily halting the removals, the DOJ argued that the justices should ultimately reject efforts to block deportations under the wartime law.
The Trump administration struck an optimistic tone after a high-stakes second round of nuclear talks with Iranian officials in Rome, describing the discussions as productive. “We made very good progress in our direct and indirect discussions,” a senior official told CNN following the four-hour meeting.
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on Tuesday in Mahmoud v. Taylor, a case that could significantly impact parental rights and LGBTQ+ representation in public school curricula. The case centers on whether elementary schools must notify parents and allow them to opt their children out of reading LGBTQ+-inclusive books.
The U.S. Naval Academy canceled a scheduled lecture by author and podcaster Ryan Holiday after he refused to remove references to the academy's recent book bans from his presentation. Holiday, known for his works on stoicism, intended to discuss the pursuit of wisdom and had included a slide referencing the removal of nearly 400 books from the academy's library, including titles like Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and Ibram X. Kendi's How to Be an Antiracist.
At a town hall this week, Rep. James Clyburn warned about the dangers of political complacency, saying he hopes the U.S. does not follow the path of 1930s Germany during the Nazi rise to power. “All we can do is share with you what we’re doing and ask for your prayers that this country will not allow itself to go the way of Germany in the 1930s when people stood by,” he said.
Measles cases in the U.S. have surged past 800, now spanning 24 states. Montana just confirmed its first measles infections since 1999, marking the state’s first outbreak in over 25 years.
See you in the morning.
— Aaron
Share this post