Pres. Trump Moves to Dissolve Department of Education
"Balance of Power" focuses on the intersection of politics and global business. On today's show, Donna Shalala, Fmr. Rep. of Florida & Fmr. President of the University of Miami, discusses President Trump's move to dissolve the Department of Education. US Secretary Of Energy, Chris Wright, discusses President Trump hosting oil and energy executives at the White House and states he is 'all in' on a rare earth deal. Rep. Suzan DelBene (D) Washington on voter frustrations over Pres. Trump's policies, and Sarah Chamberlain, Republican Main Street Partnership President & CEO, discusses how Republican members of Congress are feeling about President Trump so far, and the importance of town halls. (Source: Bloomberg)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
27 minutes ago
- Axios
Congress' fight over security erupts after Minnesota shootings
A long-simmering fight over congressional security roared back to the surface this weekend following a pair of shootings against Minnesota state legislators at their homes that left two dead and two others hospitalized. Why it matters: The shootings have deeply unnerved members of Congress, who feel that any one of them could be the subject of an unanticipated attack — particularly at home in their districts and while in transit. Personal security details are largely a privilege for top congressional leaders and — in some cases — other high-profile members facing specific, credible threats. Rank-and-file members are renewing a push for greater security, arguing for their own details, greater safety measures at their homes and at airports and more stringent measures to hide their sensitive details. Driving the news: Minnesota state House Democratic Leader Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed at their home early on Saturday. The suspect, identified by law enforcement officials as 57-year-old Vance Boelter, also allegedly shot Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife at their home, leaving both hospitalized. Boelter was allegedly dressed as a police officer and driving a vehicle similar to those used by local law enforcement. He also had what investigators described as a "manifesto" that listed other Democratic lawmakers, as well as prominent abortion rights advocates, officials allege. State of play: The shooting sent shockwaves through Capitol Hill, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) saying he asked for increased security for Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.). House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said he similarly asked security officials to "ensure the safety of our Minnesota delegation and Members of Congress across the country." The Capitol Police said in a statement Saturday it was "aware of the violence targeting state lawmakers in Minnesota" and had "been working with our federal, state and local partners," but declined to offer further details. What they're saying: "I call on the Capitol Police to assist in providing real solutions for increased security for members," said Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee. Thompson, who had a security detail in 2022 as chair of the Jan. 6 committee, said he expects "full cooperation and resources from Republican leadership." "We're just as exposed as [Hortman] was. We have no more security than she does. You know, Capitol Police is not equipped ... for 435 members, to keep them safe," Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) told Axios in an interview. "It's not their fault," he added. "Things have changed. And as Congress becomes less functional in general, we can't even function to keep ourselves safe." What we're hearing: House Republicans held a call on Saturday afternoon, in which lawmakers exhorted their leadership to provide more security resources to individual members. Specific proposals included increasing security measures at members' homes and at airports, as well as boosting security for meetings, according to three House Republicans who were on the call. One of the GOP lawmakers, asked if leadership was receptive to those pleas, told Axios they "don't think so" and that "nothing's changed." A spokesperson for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) did not respond to a request for comment. What's next: Jeffries will host a virtual briefing next Tuesday afternoon on members' security, according to invites viewed by Axios. A senior House Democrat told Axios that their colleagues are "scared" and want their addresses hidden — as well as regular security updates — and "won't be silenced." Another House Democrat said there is "heavy demand" in the party for rank-and-file members to have their own security details. The intrigue: Moskowitz told Axios he may force a House vote on holding what is called a " secret session" so members can have sensitive security discussions "if I have to." Such sessions, in which lawmakers can debate on the House floor away from public view, are typically used to discuss confidential information, as was the case the last time the House went into a secret session in 2008. Moskowitz can force a vote on his proposal unilaterally through what is called a privileged motion. "Maybe it also won't come to that," he told Axios. "Maybe we'll hear something from the speaker in the next week."
Axios
28 minutes ago
- Axios
Inside Trump's backtrack on immigration
For months, Trump administration officials have been adamant about targeting all the millions of immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally, regardless of their work or taxpaying status. But now Trump is making a huge exception: those working at hotels, farms, meatpacking plants and restaurants. Why it matters: He's bowing to pressure from businesses that have been warning of economic devastation — and is opening the door for potentially millions of workers who are here illegally to stay after all. Zoom in: The pressure — particularly from the agriculture and hospitality industries — had been building for months. But it ramped up in recent weeks, after top Trump aide Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem met with top ICE officials in late May and demanded that immigration agents dramatically boost their arrest goal to 3,000 people a day. That mandate helped drive many of the increasingly aggressive raids by masked, heavily armed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents across the nation. It also helped inspire protests about ICE's tactics — most notably in Los Angeles, where Trump called in the National Guard and Marines over the objection of state and local officials. How it happened: Trump's pivot appears to have emerged Wednesday, sources with knowledge of the situation tell Axios. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins called Trump to say farm groups were increasingly concerned that the stepped-up immigration raids would lead many reliable workers to be arrested — or stop showing up for work, out of fear. Their conversation, the sources said, led Trump to post a message on Truth Social Thursday saying that immigrants in the agriculture and hospitality industries are "very good, long time workers." He hinted at exceptions for such workers who are here illegally, saying: "Changes are coming." Later Thursday, Tatum King, a senior ICE official, sent an email to agency officials nationwide, telling them to "please hold on all worksite enforcement investigations/operations on agriculture (including aquaculture and meatpacking plants), restaurants, and operating hotels." The email added that "other case types/investigations such as human trafficking, money laundering, drug smuggling into these industries are ok, however we are not pursuing non-criminal collaterals." The intrigue: White House insiders insist this isn't a case of Trump flip-flopping — and that he still supports the hard line on immigration enforcement that Miller and Noem have pushed. But it's clear that the economic calamity that could result from mass deportations of unauthorized workers who do labor-intensive jobs most Americans won't, will lead to some changes in Trump's immigration plan. Undocumented workers and those with expired work visas can be difficult to track across sectors of the economy But some studies have given a glimpse of their presence: The American Immigration Council estimates that unauthorized immigrants make up about 4.6% of the nation's employed labor force — that would amount to more than 7 million people. A recent Department of Agriculture study estimated that about 42% of America's farmworkers were undocumented from 2020 to 2022. Trump previously floated the idea of creating exceptions for workers in crucial industries. In mid-April, he suggested a pathway to citizenship for "great" unauthorized immigrants who play key roles in the economy — a way to live in the U.S. legally if they'd self-deport and have an employer support their return.
Time Magazine
34 minutes ago
- Time Magazine
Trump Delivers Almighty Threat to Iran as Its Conflict With Israel Erupts
Iranian missiles rained down on Israel overnight, into the early hours of Sunday morning, as the conflict between the Middle Eastern countries took another grave turn. At the same time, Israel continued its military operation against Iran, completing an ' extensive series of strikes on targets in Tehran related to the Iranian regime's nuclear weapons project.' The high-stakes targets included the Iranian Ministry of Defense Headquarters and the main base of the 'SPND nuclear project,' locations which Israeli authorities said advanced Iran's efforts to obtain nuclear weaponry and served as a place where the country 'hid its nuclear archive.' In the midst of the explosive scenes in the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to issue a stark warning to Iran, with whom the U.S. has, until the recent flare-up of this conflict, been engaged in talks with regarding a potential nuclear deal. Much like the U.S. did after Israel's initial attack on Iran's nuclear hub, Trump used the public platform to state that the U.S. had 'nothing to do with' the overnight attack on Iran. He once more warned Iran not to target the U.S. as part of its retaliation. 'If we are attacked in any way, shape, or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before. However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict,' he said. Trump had aired his grievances with the lack of completion regarding the Iran-U.S. nuclear talks earlier in the week, in response to Israel's initial launch of its military operation against Iran. 'I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal. I told them, in the strongest of words, to 'just do it,' but no matter how hard they tried, no matter how close they got, they just couldn't get it done,' Trump said. 'Certain Iranian hardliners spoke bravely, but they didn't know what was about to happen. They are all DEAD now, and it will only get worse.' Officials from Iran and the U.S. were set to meet in Oman's capital of Muscat on Sunday for the next round of nuclear talks. Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi announced on Saturday afternoon that, in light of the Israel-Iran active conflict, those talks would no longer be going ahead. This came after state television reported that Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei called nuclear talks with the U.S. 'meaningless.' Despite Trump's eagerness to secure a nuclear deal swiftly, it remains to be seen if and how those talks will get back on track, especially as there seems to be no end in sight for this most recent flare-up in the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the strikes from his military, part of Operation Rising Lion, 'will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.' Israeli residential areas were hit hard overnight into Sunday morning. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a public statement as sirens called out across the country, saying that 'millions of Israelis are currently running for shelter.' As deadly missiles showered over civilians' heads, both countries have reported respective casualties. After the overnight combat, the Israeli death toll has now risen to at least 13, including three minors, according to officials in the country. Meanwhile, per the Iranian authorities, at least 75 people have been killed in Iran. Dozens more have been injured. Ahead of the latest exchange of missiles, Netanyahu hinted at what was to come in a video address. 'We have paved a path to Tehran. In the very near future, you will see Israeli planes, the Israeli Air Force, our pilots, over the skies of Tehran,' he said, going on to warn that Israel "will strike every site and every target of the Ayatollah's regime." Hours before, on Saturday morning, Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened dire consequences if Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei didn't retreat. 'If Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front, Tehran will burn,' Katz said, after a meeting with Israeli military leaders. As Israel unleashed its next series of strikes against Iran overnight, Katz said: 'Tehran is burning.' On Sunday afternoon, local time, Katz delivered another update, reaffirming that Israel's course of military action is far from over. 'I instructed the IDF to issue evacuation notices to residents in Tehran living near weapons production complexes,' he said. 'The Iranian dictator is turning Tehran into Beirut and the residents of Tehran into hostages for the survival of his regime.' Katz doubled down, adding: 'The IDF continues to peel the skin of the Iranian snake with great force, from nuclear weapons to Tehran and everywhere else.' Meanwhile, according to state media in Iran, the country's President Masoud Pezeshkian warned of a "more severe" response if Israel continues its operation. "The continuation of Zionist [Israeli] aggression will be met with a more severe and powerful response from the Iranian armed forces," Pezeshkian is quoted as saying on Saturday, reportedly during a phone call with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Amid the prolonged trade of deadly missiles between Israel and Iran, and with no immediate end in sight, there's rising concern that the conflict could spiral even further, directly involving other countries—an outcome that Trump and his fellow world leaders are likely desperate to avoid.
