Morning Announcements

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Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025 - Boulder attack, Ukraine strike & China trade updates; Polish elections; Trump taps Palantir & more Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

Today’s Headlines: Twelve people were severely injured in Boulder, Colorado, after Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national, attacked a weekly pro-hostage-release walk with a homemade flamethrower; the FBI charged him with a federal hate crime after discovering he had planned the attack for a year. In Ukraine, officials say they destroyed 40 Russian nuclear-capable bombers in a drone strike, a move some Russian commentators likened to Pearl Harbor. Trade tensions with China are escalating after mutual accusations of violating last month’s handshake agreement, with China vowing retaliation. In Poland, conservative Karol Nawrocki narrowly won the presidency in a record-turnout election. Meanwhile, new reporting reveals the Trump administration is using Peter Thiel’s Palantir to centralize massive amounts of citizen data across federal agencies. Despite this, newly uncovered data shows the U.S. knowingly deported Venezuelans with no criminal records to El Salvador’s CECOT prison under dubious terrorism claims—while quietly admitting more white South African refugees. Lastly, law firms that cooperated with Trump are now losing corporate clients like Oracle and McDonald’s, who question whether these firms can be trusted to defend their interests.

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Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Monday, June 2nd, 2025 - Boulder attack; Drones over Russia; Hamas pushback; China tensions; Trump’s briefings, reposts & NASA nominee Jun 02, 2025

Show notes

Today’s Headlines: A man threw Molotov cocktails at a Jewish community group in Boulder, Colorado, injuring six elderly people in what the FBI and DOJ are investigating as a targeted terror attack. In international news, Ukraine launched a major drone strike deep inside Russia without U.S. approval, just before announcing new ceasefire talks. Meanwhile, ceasefire efforts in Gaza stalled as Hamas rejected a U.S.-backed proposal, and over 30 people were killed at an aid site in Rafah. Tensions with China continue to rise, with Trump accusing them of violating tariff agreements, and responding to reports that China is restricting rare-earth exports. Trump also doubled tariffs on steel, days after approving a foreign acquisition of U.S. Steel. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused China of preparing for war over Taiwan, prompting international pushback. Meanwhile, Trump reportedly gets so few intelligence briefings that Tulsi Gabbard is considering turning them into Fox News-style video packages to hold his attention. He also reposted a conspiracy claiming Biden is a clone. Lastly, Trump withdrew his NASA nominee after learning of the nominee’s past donations to Democrats, further straining his alliance with Elon Musk.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friday, May 30th, 2025 - Tariff whiplash - again; Chinese student visas revoked; Paramount lawsuit; HHS cuts bird flu vax funds; Musk is out May 30, 2025

Show notes

Today’s Headlines: The US Court of International Trade ruled that President Trump exceeded his authority by imposing global tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, canceling most tariffs—only for the appeals court to reinstate them during the ongoing appeal. Meanwhile, ASEAN countries agreed to protect each other’s economies against harmful US trade deals amid mounting tariff tensions. The State Department, led by Marco Rubio, announced plans to revoke visas of Chinese students with ties to the Communist Party and pause new student visa interviews to enhance vetting. In other news, Qatar hesitates to finalize the transfer of Trump’s private jet due to costly maintenance and demands for clear legal disclaimers. Paramount offered $15 million to settle Trump’s lawsuit over a CBS News interview, but Trump wants $25 million plus an apology, leveraging the studio’s pending merger approval. Moderna lost millions in HHS funding for its bird flu vaccine development, and Elon Musk resigned from DOGE after 114 days, having achieved only a fraction of his deficit-cutting goals while stirring controversy on multiple fronts.

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CNBC: Trump tariffs reinstated by appeals court for now
Fox Business: Federal court rejects Trump's 'unbounded authority' to impose worldwide tariffs
Reuters: ASEAN leaders agree tariff deals with US should not harm fellow members
MFA Malaysia: ASEAN-GCC-CHINA 27 MAY 2025 - Press Releases
WSJ: U.S. to Revoke Visas of Chinese Students
WA Post: Trump’s Air Force One deal with Qatar not final despite U.S. claims
WSJ: Paramount Has Offered $15 Million to Settle CBS Lawsuit. Trump Wants More.
WA Post: HHS cancels funding for Moderna to develop vaccines to combat bird flu
NBC News: Elon Musk officially leaves the White House

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thursday, May 29th, 2025 - “TACO Trade”; Sketchy pardons update; Fannie and Freddie go public; ICE pressure; Tate bros charged in the UK May 29, 2025

Show notes

Today’s Headlines: Trump dismissed Wall Street's new "TACO trade" nickname — Trump Always Chickens Out — used by investors profiting off his tariff tweets, calling it “the nastiest question.” Meanwhile, he continued his pardon/commutation spree, finalizing the Chrisley’s as well as to a corrupt Virginia sheriff, ex-Rep. Michael Grimm, a convicted gang leader, and rapper NBA YoungBoy, among others. He also announced plans to take Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public while keeping government loan guarantees, boosting their stocks to 2008 levels. Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem reportedly pressured ICE to triple daily immigrant arrests to 3,000, using job threats as leverage. Lastly, the Tate brothers now face 21 charges in the UK tied to rape, trafficking, and abuse, while also battling similar cases in Romania, where they remain under legal proceedings.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wednesday, May 28th, 2025 - Trump vs. Putin & Netanyahu; King Charles speech; Sketchy pardons; RFK Jr.’s vax rollback; Student visa freeze May 28, 2025

Show notes

Today’s Headlines: Tensions appear to be rising between Trump and Putin, with Trump acknowledging for the first time that Putin may not want peace in Ukraine. Trump warned that Putin is “playing with fire,” prompting a veiled threat from a top Russian official referencing World War III. Meanwhile, Trump reportedly warned Israeli PM Netanyahu not to sabotage U.S.–Iran nuclear talks, fearing unilateral action from Israel. In Canada, King Charles delivered a pointed speech defending democracy and international cooperation, widely interpreted as a jab at Trump. Trump later suggested Canada should become a U.S. state to benefit from his proposed (and likely fictional) “golden dome” missile shield. Trump also issued several controversial pardons, including for reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley and Florida nursing home exec Paul Walczak—whose mother donated $1M to Trump and attended a Mar-a-Lago fundraiser. In other news, HHS Secretary RFK Jr. announced that COVID vaccines will no longer be recommended for pregnant women and healthy children, despite no supporting data and warnings from medical experts. Lastly, the Trump administration suspended all international student visa processing, citing plans to expand social media screening—just days after trying to block international enrollment at Harvard.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tuesday, May 27th, 2025 - Harvard lawsuit; Big bill’s hidden clause; Tel Aviv fire bomb plot; Tariff war back on; Qatar jet; Military parade & more May 27, 2025

Show notes

Today’s Headlines: Over Memorial Day weekend, a judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s move to bar Harvard from admitting international students, after the school sued over sweeping demands for protest-related records involving 7,000 students. Another judge struck down Trump’s executive order targeting the law firm Jenner & Block, citing constitutional violations. A lesser-known provision in Trump’s House-passed “Big Beautiful Bill” drew alarm for limiting courts’ ability to enforce their own rulings unless plaintiffs can afford to post financial bonds. In international news, a U.S.-German citizen was charged with attempting to firebomb a U.S. embassy office in Tel Aviv. He had posted threats online and left behind a backpack of Molotov cocktails. Trump briefly reignited a trade war Friday, threatening steep tariffs on EU goods and smartphones, before walking it back after weekend talks. The Treasury also announced it will stop circulating new pennies by 2026, saving $56 million a year. FEMA denied North Carolina’s request for $2 billion in hurricane cleanup funds. Meanwhile, the Pentagon accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar to serve as a temporary Air Force One, and the Army will throw Trump a $90 million military parade for his 79th birthday.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friday, May 23rd, 2025 - D.C. shooting; Hamas motive; ‘Beautiful’ bill passed; Harvard ban; NOAA forecast; FDA limits vax access; Trump’s crypto dinner May 23, 2025

Show notes

Today’s Headlines: On Wednesday night, a shooting outside the Capitol Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. left two dead following a multifaith event focused on Gaza. The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, reportedly told attendees he acted “for Palestine” before being arrested. The DOJ is weighing terrorism and hate crime charges. Separately, newly revealed Hamas documents confirm the October 7 attacks were aimed at sabotaging Israel-Saudi peace talks. Meanwhile, the House narrowly passed Trump’s sweeping “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” extending 2017 tax cuts, cutting green energy incentives, and tightening welfare requirements. In education, the Trump administration moved to block Harvard from enrolling international students, potentially prompting legal action. The Supreme Court issued two major rulings—blocking Oklahoma’s religious charter school due to a 4–4 tie, and granting Trump more power to fire independent agency members, though not the Fed chair. NOAA forecasts a severe hurricane season, and the FDA will limit COVID vaccine availability this fall to high-risk groups due to new testing rules. Lastly, Trump hosted a White House dinner for his $TRUMP coin holders—most of them foreign, including controversial crypto figure Justin Sun.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thursday, May 22nd, 2025 - VA Rep Connolly dies; Trump-Ramaphosa meeting; DOJ investigates Cuomo and more May 22, 2025

Show notes

Today’s Headlines: Representative Gerry Connolly of Virginia passed away at 75 from esophageal cancer, just weeks after announcing he would not seek re-election and being named the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. Meanwhile, President Trump hosted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, derailing trade discussions by screening a video alleging a white genocide in South Africa—claims Ramaphosa rejected. This comes as the administration continues to deport refugees from numerous countries while welcoming white Afrikaners. Separately, the DOJ has launched a criminal investigation into Andrew Cuomo over his COVID-era decisions as governor, raising suspicions of political motives ahead of his likely NYC mayoral bid against Eric Adams, whose own federal charges were recently dropped. The DOJ also announced it will dismiss police reform consent decrees in Louisville and Minneapolis and rescind earlier findings against the Phoenix Police Department, effectively reversing major civil rights investigations. Finally, a federal judge found the Trump administration in violation of a court order after it deported migrants—most not from South Sudan—to South Sudan, only for the flight to be rerouted to Djibouti, again without legal basis.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wednesday, May 21st, 2025 - Trump’s “big beautiful bill”; Golden Dome plan; Noem flubs habeas corpus; Mortgage rates surge and more May 21, 2025

Show notes

Today’s Headlines: Congress is currently hashing out a sweeping reconciliation bill—dubbed by President Trump as “one big beautiful bill”—that outlines his administration’s tax and spending priorities, though its final form remains uncertain. Key provisions include extending the 2017 tax cuts, which would add an estimated $2.7 trillion to the national deficit by 2034, ramping up ICE funding, and introducing Medicaid work requirements. Trump visited Capitol Hill to rally support amid internal GOP resistance, as Speaker Mike Johnson aims to pass the bill before Memorial Day recess. As part of this package, Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a $25 billion down payment for a proposed $175 billion missile defense system called the “Golden Dome,” modeled on Israel’s Iron Dome and intended to guard against nuclear and hypersonic threats. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sparked backlash after incorrectly defining habeas corpus during Senate testimony, raising alarms as the White House reportedly considers suspending the constitutional protection. On the economic front, mortgage rates have surged past 7%—a 25-year high—following a U.S. credit downgrade by Moody’s. And in tech-meets-politics news, Elon Musk told the Qatar Economic Forum he plans to scale back political donations, though quickly added he might resume them if he sees a reason—fueling speculation his political capital may be waning.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tuesday, May 20th, 2025 - Trump-Putin call; Take It Down Act; FAA outage; Babbit family’s $5M settlement and more May 20, 2025

Show notes

Today’s Headlines: Former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a two-hour call about ending the war in Ukraine, marked by mutual praise but no concrete progress; despite ongoing Russia-Ukraine talks, Putin showed no interest in a ceasefire or returning seized land, both of which Ukraine considers essential. Meanwhile, Trump signed the bipartisan Take It Down Act, the first federal law targeting non-consensual explicit imagery, including AI deepfakes, requiring removal within 48 hours and allowing for prison time. The FAA avoided disruptions thanks to a recent software update, though it is investigating the cause of a near-outage. The DOJ settled with Ashli Babbitt’s family for $5 million over her 2021 Capitol riot shooting, while the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to revoke deportation protections for 350,000 Venezuelans. Finally, the DOJ dropped charges against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka for an ICE protest but filed assault charges against Rep. Monica McIver, which she claims are politically motivated.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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