DOGE abandons some VA plans and indictment in Sam Nordquist killing: Morning Rundown
Crucial services for veterans are on the chopping block. Authorities release disturbing details in the killing of trans Black man in New York. And Lester Holt's 'Nightly News' successor is named.
Here's what to know today.
DOGE reverses plans to slash some VA contracts, but worries among employees persist
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency abandoned some of its plans to slash contract spending for veterans' health care services this week after a revolt by front-line employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs. What had been a list of 875 contracts scheduled for termination is now down to 585, the VA said this week. It's a rare public retreat for DOGE, which has come under fire for axing critical government services and overstating its savings to taxpayers.
The list of contracts still on the chopping block has not been made public, but VA employees have identified 200 of the remaining scheduled cancellations to NBC News. Some of them appear to be central to patient safety, those employees said.
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Senior financial reporter Gretchen Morgenson and senior investigative producer Laura Strickler report that among the contracts still set to be canceled are those covering:
→ Sterility certification for VA hospital pharmacy operations
→ Facility air quality and safety testing to prevent transmission of infections
→ Sterile processing services to decontaminate equipment and instruments
→ Support for the National Center for PTSD, which is the world's leading research and educational center on post-traumatic stress disorder
One VA official said that when he saw the initial list of contracts set to be terminated, he concluded: 'They're trying to push veterans into community care. And to do that, they're doing everything they can to make the VA mission fail.'
Meanwhile, the VA announced yesterday it will lay off 80,000 workers in an agency reorganization scheduled for August. An additional 2,400 probationary employees were dismissed in February. Also, several VA employees were suspended indefinitely in recent days after they were accused of sharing nonpublic information about DOGE contract terminations, sources said.
Musk met with some Senate Republicans as he sought to reassure them amid voter angst and convince them to codify DOGE's sweeping spending cuts.
House Republicans can't meet their own budget target without making significant cuts to Medicare or Medicaid, the official budget scorekeeper confirmed.
President Donald Trump granted U.S. automakers a one-month reprieve on the new 25% tariffs imposed on Canada and Mexico.
The Agriculture Department has been ordered to r einstate over 5,000 probationary employees.
The Supreme Court backed a federal judge's power to order the Trump administration to pay $2 billion to USAID contractors.
Trump called for the repeal of the CHIPS Act during his speech to Congress, but several Republicans said they have no plans to consider getting rid of the law any time soon.
The chief of staff to House Speaker Mike Johnson was arrested for drunken driving after his car struck a Capitol vehicle following Trump's speech.
Trump's blunt ultimatum over release of hostages
As his administration engages in direct talks with Hamas over the release of U.S. hostages still held in the Gaza Strip, President Donald Trump released a stark warning on his Truth Social account, calling for the immediate release of hostages. ''Shalom Hamas' means Hello and Goodbye — You can choose,' he wrote. 'Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you.' Trump also met yesterday with eight hostages released from Gaza, the White House said.
Trump's warning and the U.S. involvement in direct talks with Hamas comes after a six-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ended last weekend with no extension of peace negotiations in sight. With no talks continuing, Israel reinstated a halt in the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Read the full story here.
More foreign policy coverage:
Some U.S. allies are considering scaling back the intelligence they share as the Trump administration takes a more conciliatory approach to Russia, sources with direct knowledge of the discussions said.
French President Emmanuel Macron said in a prime-time address that Europe must be prepared to go it alone in defending Ukraine.
Ukraine's war effort will be hampered but not crippled by Trump's decision to pause intelligence assistance, former intelligence officials said. Here's why.
Grim details in killing of a transgender man in New York
New York authorities released an indictment accusing seven people in the killing of Sam Nordquist, a Black transgender man from Minnesota who was allegedly kidnapped, tortured and sexually assaulted before his death. Nordquist was held from Jan. 1 to Feb. 2 at Patty's Lodge in the town of Hopewell and was hit, kicked, punched, starved and had bleach poured on him, among other actions, according to the indictment which also alleges the forced participation of young children, ages 7 and 12, in the assault and torture.
Nordquist, who was 24 years old, first went to Ontario County, New York, in September to connect with a woman he met online. That woman, Precious Arzuaga, is one of the seven people charged with first-degree murder and several other charges. While LGBTQ advocates have urged authorities to look into hate crime charges, Ontario County Assistant District Attorney Kelly Wolford said the seven people were charged with first-degree murder and not hate crimes because that is the heaviest penalty available to them under New York law.
Nordquist's death has drawn national attention and sparked local demonstrations. Nordquist's family have previously suggested Nordquist's death was preventable if local authorities had 'done their jobs.' Read the full story here.
Tom Llamas to succeed Lester Holt as 'NBC Nightly News' anchor
Tom Llamas will take over as anchor and managing editor of 'NBC Nightly News' this summer after Lester Holt steps down from the role, the network announced. He'll become the first Latino journalist to host the weeknight edition of 'Nightly News.'
Llamas launched his career at NBC and later served as ABC's chief national affairs correspondent and anchored weekend editions of 'World News Tonight.' He rejoined NBC News in 2021 as a senior national correspondent, soon became the anchor of 'Top Story with Tom Llamas,' an evening newscast that streams on NBC News NOW and is a regular fill-in anchor on 'Nightly News.' Read the full story here.
Read All About It
Six people have been killed in two states this week amid a powerful storm across the Great Plains and South.
A suspect in the deadly Abbey Gate bombing at the Kabul airport during the U.S.'s withdrawal from Afghanistan arrived in the U.S. to face criminal charges in connection with the attack.
Executive orders targeting DEI programs and recognizing only two sexes has exposed a divide among groups that work to address sexual violence and rely on government funding to operate.
Canadian stores have pulled American liquor products from shelves after new U.S. tariffs took effect.
A private U.S. spacecraft will attempt to land on the moon today — the second such landing in less than a week.
That's the question business intern Alexandra Byrne set out to answer when she began noticing pasture-raised eggs selling for about the same price as conventionally produced ones — or sometimes even a bit less. Hens that can run around outside are no more immune to bird flu than those crammed into cages, but prices for their eggs have proved remarkably stable. Experts say pasture-raised chickens could be more vulnerable to bird flu from outside wildlife, but infections may not spread as rapidly through these flocks. At any rate, farmers, who say more sustainable and humane practices yield tastier eggs, are seeing demand rise. As one put it, 'It becomes more appealing to people if they're going to pay a pretty high price for eggs anyway.' — Rich Bellis, senior business editor
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
Skin tags are a bane for up to 60% of adults, experts said. So the NBC Select team spoke to multiple dermatologists about the best skin tag prevention products. Plus, here's everything to know about the new Apple iPad Air M3, which is now available for pre-order.
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