Latest news with #SusanPage
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Education layoffs, royal book, Emmy nominations, rising wedding costs: The week in review
High court OKs education cuts The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on July 14 that the Trump administration could move forward with laying off more than 1,300 Education Department workers. The staffers, whose responsibilities included helping protect students and teachers from discrimination, assisting college financial aid offices and compiling data about the nation's schools, were laid off in March. The Supreme Court's green light came with caveats, though: The justices didn't rule on the merits of the case. They only allowed the agency to carry out the layoffs while a legal challenge proceeds. Queen bonded with presidents A new book aims to show Britain's Queen Elizabeth II wasn't just a woman in a colorful hat. The queen, whose 70-year reign made her the nation's longest-ruling monarch, met 13 sitting U.S. presidents over her lifetime, more than any other American or foreign head of state. 'The Queen and Her Presidents' will be published by HarperCollins on April 14, just days before the 100th anniversary of the queen's birth. It is written by Susan Page, USA TODAY's Washington bureau chief. It will chronicle her transformation from a shy, anxious princess to a powerful and persuasive leader and will provide candid assessments of America's commanders-in-chief. Saying I do to higher costs Wedding season is in full swing and if invites are stacking up, celebrating friends and family can turn into a budgeting problem fast. Between travel, accommodations, gifts and attire, guests spent $610 on average to attend a wedding in 2024, according to a study by The Knot, a wedding resources website. Of course, the amount guests spend depends on whether they need to travel. On average, guests spend $270 for a local wedding, $840 when they drive to an out-of-town wedding, and $1,680 when flights are required to reach the venue. The average wedding gift cost guests $150 in 2024, $10 less than in previous years. 'Severance' leads Emmy nominations The Emmy nominations are here! Apple TV+'s drama "Severance" leads the mentions with an impressive 27 nods, followed by HBO Max's "The Penguin" with 24. Apple's "The Studio" and HBO's "The White Lotus" tied for third place with 23 honors, and HBO's "The Last of Us" earned 16 nominations. "The Studio" also tied the record set in 2024 by "The Bear" for most nominations for a comedy series. Harrison Ford, 83, earned his first Emmy nod for his role as the ornery therapist on Apple TV's "Shrinking" (seven nominations). Rays may be sold for $1.7B Tampa Bay Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg has agreed in principle to sell the MLB team to a group headed by Jacksonville, Florida, developer Patrick Zalupski for roughly $1.7 billion, according to a report by The Athletic. The agreement comes just four months after the Rays backed away from a deal to build a new stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, near the site of their longtime home, Tropicana Field. The deal is expected to be completed as soon as September, an unnamed source told The Athletic, with the club remaining in the Tampa Bay area. ‒ Compiled by Michael B. Smith, copy editor This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Week in review: Education layoffs, Emmy nominations, MLB Rays sale
USA Today
23-06-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump floats regime change after strikes on Iran
On Monday's episode of The Excerpt podcast: USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page takes a broader look at President Donald Trump's decision to order weekend strikes on nuclear targets in Iran. Plus, an Iranian spokesperson calls Trump a 'gambler.' And Trump floats the idea of regime change. The strikes could hit the U.S. economy at a fragile time. USA TODAY National Correspondent Elizabeth Weise tells us about killer bees. The Oklahoma City Thunder are NBA champions.
USA Today
24-04-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Russia strikes Kyiv in the biggest attack on the Ukrainian capital this year
Russia strikes Kyiv in the biggest attack on the Ukrainian capital this year | The Excerpt On Thursday's episode of The Excerpt podcast: Russia slammed Ukraine's capital overnight in the biggest attack on the city this year. USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page discusses some concerning polling news for President Donald Trump on the economy. President Trump signs an executive order boosting AI in K-12 schools. Plus, Trump signs other orders ranging from accreditation to school discipline. USA TODAY Health Reporter Karen Weintraub explains how budget cuts are impacting important Alzheimer's research. Plus, you can listen to our special episode about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s impact on Health and Human Services here. It's NFL Draft Night. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@ Hit play on the player below to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript beneath it. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text. Podcasts: True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here Taylor Wilson: Good morning. I'm Taylor Wilson, and today is Thursday, April 24th, 2025. This is The Excerpt. Today, Russia attacks Kyiv. What's next for peace talks. Plus, Trump gets some rough polling news when it comes to the economy. And how budget cuts include important Alzheimer's research. ♦ In the biggest attack on Ukraine's capital this year, Russia slammed Kyiv overnight with missiles and drones. The attacks left at least eight people dead and dozens more injured. They also destroyed buildings and left fires throughout the city. The news comes at a critical moment for the conflict. President Donald Trump and his administration have threatened to walk away from efforts to broker a ceasefire if no progress is made, and European nations have been looking for their own solutions. Trump yesterday appeared to blame Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a lack of progress after Zelenskyy said he would not recognize Russia's occupation of the Crimea Peninsula as part of a peace deal. ♦ Most Americans now express little or no confidence in how President Donald Trump is handling the economy, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. I caught up with USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief, Susan Page, to take a closer look at some of the polls findings. Susan, always a treat. How are you today? Susan Page: I'm well, Taylor. It's always great to be with you. Taylor Wilson: So let's start with tariffs. This has of course been the big headline-grabbing word in recent weeks. Do Americans mostly approve or disapprove of President Donald Trump's tariffs? Susan Page: They mostly disapprove. Six in 10 Americans in the new Pew Research Center poll say they don't like Trump's tariffs, and that includes 30% of Republicans. So even among his own party there's a lot of skepticism about whether tariffs are the right thing to do. Taylor Wilson: And how about the overall approval sense around Trump's job in office so far? How has this changed as well in recent months? Susan Page: In this new survey, 40% of Americans approve of the job he's doing as President. 59% disapprove. That is worse than his standing in February. His approval rating has gone down seven percentage points since then. And that is, I think, troubling for the White House. 40% is a pretty anemic approval rating. It is, though, in line with where Trump stood with Americans at this point during his first term. Taylor Wilson: And Susan, among his supporters, how do these numbers shake out at this point? Susan Page: Trump's core supporters are still behind him 100%. They have been unshakable, but we're beginning to see a little erosion among those who were more reluctant to support him but then ended up voting for him in November. These are, of course, the voters who enabled him to win the election. And while they were overwhelmingly in his corner the last time around, 88% approved, that's gone down to 75% approved now. That's not a terrible number, but it's lower than it was, and it is kind of a red flag for the White House. Taylor Wilson: Well, we knew the economy was a massive issue on the campaign trail, Susan. And maybe the biggest swing we've seen since Trump took office has to do with overall approval or disapproval of his approach to economic policy. What can you tell us about that? Susan Page: In my mind, this is the most important thing we're seeing in this survey because the economy is one of the big reasons that Trump got elected. Dissatisfaction with Joe Biden's handling of the economy contributed to his fall in standing and concern about whether Kamala Harris would be able to handle the economy. This has always been a strength for Trump, but not now. When this poll was taken, around the time of the election in November, Americans by 19 percentage points, 59% to 40%, said they were confident in Trump's ability to have good judgment about the economy. That has now flipped on its head. Most Americans, 54% say they don't have much confidence in Trump and the economy. Only 45% are confident. That is the loss of one of the biggest political assets he's had since the point he got interested in politics. Taylor Wilson: Well, he does appear to be softening his tone a little bit around tariffs this week, Susan. Let's hear what he said yesterday about tariffs on China, which are now at 145%, with some exceptions. Donald Trump: It'll come down substantially, but it won't be at zero. It used to be zero. We were just destroyed. China was taking us for a ride, and just not going to happen. It's not going to happen. Taylor Wilson: Might a shift in rhetoric help him with any of these fading numbers, Susan? Susan Page: We see unhappiness with the economy, nervousness about it in this poll. We've also seen that in the markets with this roller coaster stock market we've been watching, and I think that President Trump is responding to that. He has started to talk about, yes, he'll negotiate a deal with China to reduce the very stiff tariffs he's imposed there. He also has said now that he doesn't intend to try to fire Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve. That's another thing that kind of unnerved the market. So we see, I think, the President responding to some of the things we're hearing from Americans. Taylor Wilson: Susan, what do Americans like about Trump and his presidency so far? Susan Page: Well, in this poll there was an open-ended question asked, which is, "Describe in a few words the thing you like best about Trump's presidency so far." And the number one answer by 30% was, "Nothing." When you go to actual issues, the top-ranked issue that he got approval on was immigration. 20% cited that. That is not a happy electorate. Taylor Wilson: All right. And I know we have some findings here about views on the parties themselves. I think folks really are wondering what the future looks like for both Democrats and Republicans in this moment, Susan. What did we find here? Susan Page: A lot of bad news for Trump in this poll. But I tell you, this is not rebounding to the benefit of Democrats, at least not so far. In fact, the Republican Party has a more favorable rating now than the Democratic Party does. That's a reverse from what we've seen in recent years. And even among Democrats, only 75% of them say they approve of the Democratic Party. Taylor Wilson: All right. Fascinating findings. Folks can find this full story with a link in today's show notes. Susan Page is USA TODAY's Washington Bureau Chief. Thank you, Susan. Susan Page: Hey, thank you, Taylor. ♦ Taylor Wilson: President Trump signed an executive order yesterday aimed at bringing artificial intelligence into K-12 schools. The directive, reported first by USA TODAY before Trump's signing, instructs the Education and Labor Departments to create opportunities for high school students to take AI courses and certification programs and to work with states to promote AI education. Trump also directed the Education Department to favor the application of AI in discretionary grant programs for teacher training, the National Science Foundation to prioritize research on the use of AI in education, and the Labor Department to expand AI-related apprenticeships. Trump signed other executive orders yesterday, including a measure aiming to overhaul accreditation of colleges and universities, calling on the Justice Department and the Education Department to rule out unlawful discrimination and ideological overreach, according to a White House summary. Another Trump order rolls back guidance on school discipline, issued by the Obama administration. You can read more about his flurry of Wednesday moves with a link in today's show notes. ♦ Recent budget cuts from the Trump administration are impacting important research for Alzheimer's, a disease that affects some 7 million Americans and their loved ones. I spoke with USA TODAY Health reporter, Karen Weintraub, to learn more. Hello, Karen. Karen Weintraub: Hello. Taylor Wilson: Can you just start by telling us about Ken Kosik and his work researching Alzheimer's and this extended family in Colombia? Karen Weintraub: Yeah. So for 30 years, some American researchers have been studying this family in Colombia. They've looked at the genetics of almost 5,000 of this extended family. And the reason this family is interesting is that many of them have a gene that causes early onset Alzheimer's. Where most people might start losing their memory at 70 or 75, these people start at 40 or 45; much, much earlier, 30 years earlier than the average. And if they have this particular gene, they will get Alzheimer's. It is deterministic. It's been interesting because very few people have this gene, luckily, but many members of this extended family have it. So by studying what's different about these people, researchers have learned a lot about Alzheimer's. One of the things, for instance, we know that the signatures of Alzheimer's are two proteins, clumps of beta amyloid and tangles of this protein called tau. And it's this family that has taught us that, basically. And then five or six years ago, they found a 70-year-old woman in this family, extended family, who had the genetic mutation but did not develop Alzheimer's. She was 70, her memory was clear. She ended up dying recently, 75 I believe, of melanoma. So not related to Alzheimer's. It turned out, when they autopsied her brain, she had beta amyloid. She had one of these proteins, but not tau. And so by studying her, they're trying to understand what was protective; what other genes she had that protected her from getting this early onset Alzheimer's. And now, unfortunately, this research has had to be stopped because it's lost its federal funding. Taylor Wilson: Yeah. So, I mean, it's a great explainer there. So what has happened now to these budget cuts from the Trump administration? What else can you tell us about this? Karen Weintraub: In this particular case, the researchers no longer have money to continue studying this family. They have all this data. I'm not exactly sure what the storage implications are. They have all this blood samples stored. I don't know what happens to that. But they're not the only ones even in the Alzheimer's, in the dementia field who are affected by budget cuts. There are many others. One who I traded emails with is a gentleman at Harvard who studies testing, diagnostics, and developing diagnostics for, in this case, ALS, but also Alzheimer's and other dementias. And he's lost his funding as well. And so from a lot of different angles, Alzheimer's research is being affected, from the diagnostics to the really basic science deep understanding of what goes wrong in the human brain to cause Alzheimer's. And the concern is some of this a little bit might be made up with private funding, but for 75, 80 years, the American scientific establishment has been supported with federal money. And Trump is changing that dynamic right now. And so, if given a number of years to adjust, maybe the system could adjust, but it's been very abrupt. It's been essentially overnight that these folks have lost their funding. And so they're really struggling to figure out what to do next and how to continue their life's work. Taylor Wilson: And Karen, do we hear anything from, I guess, the Trump perspective on all this? Karen Weintraub: The focus there is they're saying it's on efficiency and that the federal priorities have changed, and this is not it anymore. Much of the funding that was cut was directed at what they considered diversity funding. So studying specific populations of people, women included. A lot of that funding has been cut. But again, because of the widespread cuts, it has affected even things like Alzheimer's that affect everybody. 7 million Americans currently have Alzheimer's, and many more are predicted to develop it in the future. Taylor Wilson: Karen Weintraub covers health for USA TODAY. Thank you, Karen. Karen Weintraub: Thanks. Taylor Wilson: To hear about some of the impacts Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is having on public health, check out our special episode from yesterday. We have a link in today's show notes. ♦ The first round of the NFL draft is tonight. You can tune in at 7:00 PM Eastern, before the following rounds over the next couple of days. And as always, be sure to follow along with USA TODAY Sports. ♦ If you've ever seen someone dolled up in an extravagant costume at Comic-Con, you've maybe spotted a superfan. But is the experience of being in a fandom even deeper? Michael Elliott: We need to take popular culture seriously, as something that generates meaning and give people purpose. Taylor Wilson: That's sociologist Michael Elliott, who has researched Comic-Con for seven years. He joined my colleague, Dana Taylor, to share what he found. You can find that episode on this feed beginning at 4:00 PM Eastern Time. ♦ And thanks for listening to The Excerpt. You can get the podcast wherever you get your audio. If you're on a smart speaker, as always just ask for the Excerpt. I'm Taylor Wilson, and I'll be back tomorrow with more of The Excerpt from USA TODAY.
USA Today
03-03-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump and Zelenskyy have heated exchange
Trump and Zelenskyy have heated exchange | The Excerpt On Saturday's episode of The Excerpt podcast: USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page explains the 'unprecedented' meeting between the world leaders. President Zelenskyy later declined the opportunity to apologize to President Trump during an appearance on Fox News. The Education Department offers employees $25K to quit or retire by Monday. Hundreds of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employees were fired this week. Some Americans are opting to raise their own chickens amid the rising price of eggs. The investigation into the death of actor Gene Hackman revealed he may have been dead for 10 days before his body was found. USA TODAY Managing Editor for Life and Entertainment Laura Trujillo shares some of what we can expect at the 97th Academy Awards. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@ Hit play on the player below to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript beneath it. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text. Podcasts: True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here Taylor Wilson: Good morning. I'm Taylor Wilson. And today is Saturday, March 1st, 2025. This is the Excerpt. Today Trump's shouting match with Zelenskyy, plus we're learning more in the aftermath of actor Gene Hackman's passing. And Hollywood's big night is this weekend. ♦ President Donald Trump, along with Vice President J.D. Vance, laid into Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday inside the Oval Office. And as USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page told me, the incident was unprecedented. Thank you so much for hopping on the show today, Susan. Susan Page: Man, what a day. Taylor Wilson: What a day indeed. What happened, Susan, during this meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy? Susan Page: We've seen a million of these Oval Office meetings between presidents and visiting foreign leaders, sometimes friends, sometimes foes. We have never seen an exchange in the Oval Office in front of television cameras like we saw. And just to remind, this was an exchange between two leaders of countries that are in alliance, in a wartime alliance. And yet we saw it explode into recriminations and anger. President Donald Trump: You're not in a good position. You don't have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards. President Volodymyr Zenlenskyy: I'm not playing cards. President Donald Trump: Right now you don't [inaudible 00:01:27] playing cards. President Volodymyr Zenlenskyy: [inaudible 00:01:27], Mr President. President Donald Trump: You're playing cards. President Volodymyr Zenlenskyy: I'm [inaudible 00:01:29]. I'm the president [inaudible 00:01:30]- President Donald Trump: You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. President Volodymyr Zenlenskyy: You think you can- President Donald Trump: You're gambling with World War III. President Volodymyr Zenlenskyy: [inaudible 00:01:35] what you're thinking about? President Donald Trump: You're gambling with World War III. And what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country- President Volodymyr Zenlenskyy: [inaudible 00:01:43]- President Donald Trump: ... that's backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have. Taylor Wilson: Susan, what are some of the broader tensions or issues swirling around this meeting as Trump seems to continue to ruffle feathers with his approach to Russia? Susan Page: One of the fundamental reasons for this verbal smackdown was Trump's desire to bring the war in Ukraine to a quick end. He's willing to do that even on terms that Ukraine and our European allies find unacceptable, giving Russia territorial gains from its invasion and not providing what Ukraine thinks of as sufficient security guarantees. So, that's one aspect of it. There was a personal overtone to this as well. Though you'll remember that President Trump's first impeachment during his first term in office was pegged to his exchanges with Zelenskyy, his efforts to pressure Zelenskyy to investigate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. And in the Oval Office, Trump mentioned Hunter Biden and also mentioned the special counsel investigation into himself on allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election. So, there was a lot more at play in this exchange than just a dispute over how to end this war. Taylor Wilson: And afterwards, Susan, did we hear from Zelenskyy himself following this meeting and really what might this mean for his future? Susan Page: After the meeting, Zelenskyy issued a written statement thanking the United States, thanking Trump for the meeting. But also after the meeting, Trump put out a social media statement that said basically Zelenskyy was unwilling to reach a peace if the United States was still involved in Ukraine. This could have the most serious possible repercussions. It could draw the United States closer to Russia. It could force European allies to decide whether to continue supporting this war without US participation. It could also cost Zelenskyy his job. Taylor Wilson: All right, Susan Page, is USA TODAY's Washington Bureau Chief. Susan, I appreciate the insight as always. Thanks so much. Susan Page: Thank you. ♦ Taylor Wilson: Quit by Monday and maybe get $25,000. That was the message of an email yesterday afternoon from the Department of Education's top human resources official. The offer was made to all staffers ahead of what Jacqueline Clay called a very significant impending workforce reduction. Resignations would take effect on March 31st according to the email. But not every employee who elects to take the buyout would be eligible for a $25,000 payment. Clay's memo says the award would be the equivalent of severance pay or $25,000, whichever is less. And there are more caveats. Those eligible must have been employed by the federal government for at least three consecutive years. They also cannot have received a student loan repayment benefit in the last three years. And other types of awards, including relocation, recruitment or retention bonuses would be disqualifying for some. You can read more with a link in today's show notes. ♦ More than 880 probationary employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA were fired this week. Employees of the agency, which monitors violent weather and tracks hurricanes had waited for days, as tens of thousands of their federal colleagues were terminated from other agencies. The NOAA cuts represent about 7% of the agency's staff. NOAA has a range of responsibilities, monitoring and forecasting the nation's most violent storms, daily weather and long-term climate. Its agencies and employees' scientific duties include collecting, storing and sharing data, maintaining a research fleet of satellites, ships and aircraft, as well as managing the nation's ocean and marine species and saltwater fishing. The cost of eggs has some Americans skipping the grocery store and opting to raise their own brood of chickens instead. The price of a dozen large grade A eggs is just under five bucks on average, roughly double what they were last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Egg prices are expected to increase 41% this year, but some experts warn the cost that go into starting and maintaining a coop might not be worth it in the short term. For some though, it's more than just offsetting the price of eggs. California resident Jennifer Johnson is welcoming eight chicks into her home later this month. She told USA TODAY she's looking forward to building a sense of community by sharing eggs with her neighbors. If you're curious about what it might cost for you to raise your own chickens, check out the link in our show notes. ♦ New Mexico authorities have revealed actor Gene Hackman may have died nearly 10 days before his body was found. The actor, his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa, along with a dog, were found dead by neighborhood security officials at their New Mexico home on Wednesday. Authorities are still investigating the cause, which at this point is still considered suspicious. Hackman's pacemaker revealed that his last event was recorded on February 17th. That's according to Santa Fe County Sheriff Adam Mendoza during a press conference yesterday. Mendoza said it was a very good assumption to conclude that was Hackman's last day of life, more than a week before he was found. He also said that tests ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning as a cause of death for the couple. ♦ The 97th Academy Awards are tomorrow night. So for this week's edition of our Editor's Note segment, we thought it would be a good idea to check in with USA TODAY managing editor for Life and Entertainment, Laura Trujillo, about her team's coverage of the big night, and some things she's looking forward to. Hello, Laura. Thanks so much for hopping on Editor's Note this week. Laura Trujillo: Thanks for having me. It's a fun conversation. Taylor Wilson: It is. I'm very excited for the Oscars tomorrow on Sunday. So, let's just talk about the Red Carpet. I know this is such a big part of what people tune in for, what the coverage is about. How is USA TODAY preparing for the Red Carpet and why is it such a big part of our coverage and the pomp and circumstance of the night? Laura Trujillo: Well, first I'll say the fashion. Everyone loves to see the fashion, even if it's not as exciting as maybe the Globes or as daring as the Met Gala, people want to see all of the artists together at the same time. It is the moment. And also, the Red Carpet show is before the Oscars, which are so long and you may not stay awake for three and a half hours to the end of the show. So, I feel like the Red Carpet is the moment to see everybody. We've been preparing for the Oscars the entire year. If you think about the Oscars Honor, things that came out in January of 2024, all the way through the end of last year. So our movie critic, Brian Truitt and Patrick Ryan, has been watching the movies, reviewing the movies, interviewing the actors and directors. So, almost now when we're to this season, it's time to refresh our readers on what movies they saw last year, what they need to watch again, what maybe they didn't see. So, it's really fun. It's also a logistical challenge. We have maybe a dozen people at the show in Los Angeles, and 20 more of us working from all over the country to bring you the videos in real time and all the best moments. Taylor Wilson: So you mentioned the movies themselves, Laura, let's talk about them. I know there has been some controversy for some of the films involved on the award campaign trail leading up to this moment. You mentioned Amelia Perez. We've also had some controversies around Anora and the Brutalist. Can you talk through some of those issues and how did your team cover what seemed like a pretty turbulent lead-up to Oscars night? Laura Trujillo: Every year it seems like the Oscars, the mudslinging gets more... I don't know if you want to say more interesting, but just more every year, and this year that happened a lot with Amelia Perez. There was so much talk at the beginning about how great Karla Sofia Gascon was until some remarks came out that she had said in the past, which people obviously did not agree with. There also were some controversies about Mexican representation in the movie. In Anora, we had some comments about the lead actress talking about how she didn't want to use an intimacy coordinator for the film sex scenes. And if you've seen the movie, there were a lot of them. And we also had a lot of talk about AI in the Brutalist. And so, it really becomes almost a part of the story as much as the movies themselves. Taylor Wilson: All right, let's talk about Demi Moore. I think this will be a big storyline on the night itself. She's had a very long winding road to the Oscars and may win tomorrow for her remarkable work in The Substance. Is there any plan for navigating this kind of a moment at this point in her career? To me, this seems like something of a really inspiring feel good story. Laura Trujillo: It is. And I think for Gen X, like we're really excited to see Demi Moore have this moment. She's got a 40-year long career. People are rooting for her. I think she's someone you just want to win. She's been told in the past in her life, she's a popcorn actress, she's never going to be able to do something like win an award like this. And I think everyone loves someone who's getting their flowers when other people have doubted them. And so, it's a really just fun and exciting time to watch her. I really do hope she wins Sunday. Taylor Wilson: Let's talk about the host. The Oscars' host is often a big part of how the night flows and is really just the central figure in a lot of ways of the night. What should listeners expect then from Conan O'Brien, and do we think he'll skip politics? Laura Trujillo: This is his first time hosting, and I was almost surprised about that since he's been around so long. He has said that he will likely mention politics but will not make it a big part of the show. He has said he loves the Oscars, he feels very reverent toward them. So I think we're going to see more emphasis just on the movies and less about politics. And I think a lot of people will be pleasantly relieved by that just to have a night that's just about the movies. Taylor Wilson: Laura, it seems like every year, especially post-COVID, I feel like this is part of the conversation where we get a new version of the do the Oscars still matter talk. But people clearly still care, they still tune in, they still talk about these movies and the awards themselves. How do you view this show's importance in the zeitgeist in this moment, and how is that reflected really in USA TODAY's coverage? Laura Trujillo: We think they matter. We think they're entertaining. We think they're fun. Everyone now is a critic in many ways. Everyone has an opinion on things. The Oscars no longer are that communal watching experience that it used to be, like everyone had seen the movies and now with all the streaming services, people haven't seen all of them, but it brings everyone together. And it is a time when the experts are deciding. Whether you think they're experts or not, they're the artists. So, I think it's a big deal. You see different points of view. You see people on the stage maybe from another country. And it's fun, it's important. And I think it introduces us to different viewpoints than maybe we had, and that always makes me feel better. Taylor Wilson: Thank you so much, Laura, and happy Oscars. Laura Trujillo: Thank you. Can't wait to watch on Sunday. Taylor Wilson: For more coverage, stay with ♦ Muslims around the world will begin observing Ramadan this weekend, embarking on a month of fasting and religious study. Ramadan is expected to begin around March 1st and last through around March 29th, according to the Islamic Network Group, the exact date always depends on the sighting of the Crescent Moon. The holy period is marked by community gatherings, special prayers, and abstinence from ill behavior. ♦ There's a rise in babies dying in states with restricted abortion access. Suzanne Bell: Infant health is really a bellwether or harbinger of future population health. And if we're seeing these striking shifts in this really essential indicator of infant health, I think that is voting poorly for future population health. Taylor Wilson: Suzanne Bell of Johns Hopkins University co-authored two studies that look at what's happening in these states and why. You can listen to our conversation with my colleague, Dana Taylor, tomorrow, right here on this feed. ♦ And thanks for listening to the Excerpt. You can get the podcast wherever you get your audio, and if you're on a smart speaker, just ask for the Excerpt. I'm Taylor Wilson and I'll be back Monday with more of the Excerpt from USA TODAY.
USA Today
06-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump's early moves to reshape the government, remake the world
Trump's early moves to reshape the government, remake the world | The Excerpt On Thursday's episode of The Excerpt podcast: USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page takes a step back to look at the first few weeks of President Donald Trump's second term. Anti-Trump and anti-Elon Musk protesters rally in cities across the country. USA TODAY Personal Finance Reporter Daniel de Visé discusses why younger retirees depend mostly on Social Security. Trump signs an executive order targeting transgender women in sports. New York Fashion Week is here! Hit play on the player below to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript beneath it. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text. Podcasts: True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here Taylor Wilson: Good morning. I'm Taylor Wilson, and today is Thursday, February 6th, 2025. This is The Excerpt. Today we take a step back and look at the rapid-fire early actions of Trump's presidency. Plus anti-Trump and Musk protests hit the streets, and how younger retirees are depending on social security. ♦ We're not even at the three-week mark of President Donald Trump's presidency, and he is already moved more quickly than any modern president. For a step-back, look at this whirlwind start to Trump 2.0. I caught up with USA TODAY, Washington Bureau chief, Susan Page. Hey there, Susan. Susan Page: Hey Taylor. How you doing? Taylor Wilson: Good, good. Thanks for wrapping on today. So we're two and a half weeks in Susan, and as you write, President Trump has really moved faster than any modern-day president. So let's start with some of these really, I think to some, Susan, shocking comments about territorial expansion. What have we heard on this front? Susan Page: There was a time when President Trump, not yet president, talked about taking over Greenland. And I think a lot of people thought that it was a joke, but it is clearly not a joke. He is serious. The new Secretary of State, Marco Rubio says about taking over Greenland. And then on Tuesday night we heard him talk about giving the US ownership of the Gaza Strip and making it the Riviera of the Middle East. So for the first time, really since the 19th century, we have a president talking seriously about territorial expansion. Taylor Wilson: And we knew coming in that several of Trump's cabinet nominees would be controversial for one reason or another. Susan, how have they landed in front of lawmakers on Capitol Hill? Susan Page: You remember at the beginning Trump said if the Senate didn't move fast enough to confirm his nominations, that the Senate and House should recess so he could make recess appointments. That's turned out to be unnecessary. Even some of his most controversial nominations, Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services are on a fast track to confirmation, Trump has had no problem at all. Taylor Wilson: Susan, you're about Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance as well in this piece as these kinds of enforcers really for the Trump administration. But would you talk through that idea a bit? I mean, what's their impact and influence been over these first couple of weeks? Susan Page: This is an asset that Donald Trump didn't really have in his first term. And his first term, Mike Pence is vice president, not really a trusted member of his inner circle. JD Vance clearly is and has been important, especially in getting these confirmations through the Senate. Elon Musk, the president's best friend apparently, has become the most powerful official in government besides the president himself. The President Trump, in his first term, had some officials around him who tried to restrain his most provocative instincts. Well, Elon Musk is trying to fuel Donald Trump's most provocative instincts and he's had the skills to, for instance, get access to the nation's biggest computer systems in the federal government, the ones with federal employees, the ones that have treasury department payouts, and he's taking a look there and it's not entirely clear what he is trying to do. We know Elon Musk wants a smaller government and less spending and he has certainly used some really unprecedented tools to try to get there. Taylor Wilson: Well, Susan, we also knew even on the campaign trail that if Donald Trump won the election, he'd enter office with a kind of retribution agenda. Have we seen that play out as expected? Susan Page: We knew that retribution was going to be on Trump's mind. It wasn't clear before he was inaugurated how high a priority it would be. Well, it turns out to be a high priority indeed. On his very first day in office on January 20th, he pardoned virtually all of the defendants on the January 6th assault on the Capitol. That has distressed among other people, his nominee to head the FBI who said he wouldn't have agreed to the pardoning of those who were convicted of assaulting police officers. But it's a sign of how sweeping Trump's agenda is on this front. And we have seen purges in the Justice Department and the FBI of those involved in those investigations. Taylor Wilson: And I think Susan, if we were to choose maybe two words to define these first weeks, they would be executive orders. Just how has he used this option as president? It seems like there's a new flurry of these almost every day. Susan Page: And they've done some pretty big things. He's left the World Health Organization, withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement. He declared national emergencies on energy and on the border. He's done some things that may have gone beyond the authority of the presidency. We're not going to find that out for a while though, because that will take the kind of court action that always takes a long time to unfold. Taylor Wilson: And I'm curious, Susan, before I let you go, if I could wrap by asking you a little bit about Trump fatigue. I've had conversations with reporters and editors about this. How do we balance covering all the big news each day? And there's a ton of it, without making it really just the Trump show? Susan Page: We've tried to learn some lessons from covering Donald Trump's first term. And one thing is that you can't chase every shiny object and the other is put your focus on the things that really affect Americans in their daily lives. Taylor Wilson: All right. Susan Page is USA TODAY's Washington Bureau chief. Thank you, Susan. Susan Page: Thank you. ♦ Taylor Wilson: Groups opposed to actions by the Trump administration over its first few weeks, hit the streets and cities across the country yesterday for protests, days after widespread rallies and street marches against President Donald Trump's immigration policies. In Washington, there were multiple protests near the US Capitol. Many also went after Elon Musk who has been executing Trump's cost-cutting initiative to reduce the size of the US government. Protesters: Elon Musk has got to go. Hey, hey, ho, ho. Taylor Wilson: Along with Washington, there were notable protests in New York, Chicago, and Texas where Musk lives. You can read more with a link in today's show notes. ♦ President Donald Trump: The war on women's sports is over. Taylor Wilson: President Trump sought to ban transgender student athletes from playing women's sports and cut off federal funds for schools that don't comply. His executive order yesterday could also block transgender athletes from entering the country for the 2028 Olympics, said for Los Angeles. The order directs the Department of Education, which Trump wants to eliminate to pursue enforcement actions under Title IX, the federal law prohibiting discrimination based on sex and educational institutions. But some legal experts question whether the Trump administration's interpretation of the law would hold in court. The Biden administration expanded protections for transgender students with new Title IX rules, but they were recently overturned by a federal judge. Now Trump wants to use the law to go after schools with trans-inclusive policies. ♦ Younger retirees depend mostly on social security. Is that enough to live on? I spoke with USA TODAY personal finance reporter, Daniel DeVisee for more. Hey there Daniel. Daniel de Visé: Hey, good to talk to you. Taylor Wilson: Always good to talk, Daniel. So what did this research find about younger retirees and social security? Daniel de Visé: I saw a figure buried deep on a survey from a really good organization that says that the younger you are when you retire, the more you're relying on social security and retirement. So people ages 62 and 63, who are some of the youngest retirees, are drawing three quarters of their income from social security. Whereas the oldest people surveyed by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, people aged 74 and 75 said only half of their income is coming from Social Security. Taylor Wilson: Wow. Okay. So a big difference. Why are younger retirees relying so much on this, Daniel? I mean, is this a result of declining pensions, other factors at play? What's going on here? Daniel de Visé: Well, that's right. There was this pension era and the pension era has just gradually receded, so that people who are in their '70s or '80s now, a lot of them have pensions. People who are retiring now at age 60, or 62, or 63 are much less likely to have a pension. And people who have pensions have a big source of dependable monthly income until they die on top of Social Security. And the people who don't have pensions do not. That's the difference. Taylor Wilson: We should say, as you outlined in this piece, there are some complications, right? When comparing retirees of different ages as we're doing here, what are those? Can you talk through that a little bit? Daniel de Visé: Yeah, so some of what we're seeing in those data points I just read you, some of it is that people who retire younger, like 62, 61, just on average are likely to be a little less wealthy, maybe to have a little less income. And also if they're claiming Social Security that early, that's the earliest you can claim it. That too suggests they might be under a little bit of distress. So we might be partly just seeing that people who are retiring around 60 are just a little bit hard up, but a lot of it is this sort of generational trend. And my generation, generation X, who's retiring next, I'm told are going to be even more in trouble, because they're even much less likely to have any kind of pension money, and that means they're going to be maybe even more reliant on Social Security. Taylor Wilson: Yeah, absolutely. In terms of what Social Security actually is, Daniel and what it's really meant for, I mean, is it intended to finance whole retirements? What's it actually kind of intended for? Daniel de Visé: It never was meant to be the be-all and end-all. On average, Social Security is supposed to make up about 40% of your retirement income. Now, if you're a pensioner, a person with a pension, with a good pension, that might be the other 50, 60%. The modern sort of method is you're supposed to be, we are all supposed to be saving in these 401K IRA accounts, building up ideally hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings, and then that becomes the other half of your income in retirement. Now you could have other plans, maybe you have an apartment you're renting out, maybe you're independently wealthy, maybe you inherit money, but Social Security was never meant to be most, let alone all of your retirement income. Taylor Wilson: All right, folks can find more of these research findings with a link in today's show notes. Daniel DeVisee covers personal finance for USA TODAY. Thanks, Daniel. Daniel de Visé: Always a pleasure. ♦ Taylor Wilson: New York Fashion Week kicks off today and nearly 60 runway shows are expected. Designer Brandon Maxwell's show will launch the week before Tom Brown's runway presentation, a mix of American menswear classics. We'll wrap things up next week. The CFDA, which organizes fashion weeks across the globe, partnered for the first time last year with Rockefeller Center to stream presentations of collections for public viewing. This year not all the shows will be broadcast, but you can follow along with USA TODAY's up-to-date coverage. ♦ Climate change is impacting so many aspects of our lives, but one that you may not have thought a lot about is what kind of foods are available for future generations. Sam Kass: Georgia, years ago, lost 90% of their peach crop due to climate-related weather conditions, but hopefully this year the peaches will be back. But year over year, we're going to see declines in yields across many of the foods that we love. Taylor Wilson: That's culinary entrepreneur, Sam Kass, former chef to the Obamas. He spoke with my colleague, Dana Taylor, about the tech he sees as most promising for navigating this threat. You can listen to that episode right here on this feed today, beginning at 4:00 PM Eastern Time. ♦ And thanks for listening to The Excerpt. You can get the podcast wherever you get your pods, and if you're on a smart speaker, just ask for The Excerpt. I'm Taylor Wilson, and I'll be back tomorrow with more of The Excerpt from USA TODAY.
