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Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
As Trump pursues his trade agenda, other countries' views shift on ties with China: From the Politics Desk
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team's latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today's edition, Scott Bland breaks down new poll numbers that show the world's views shifting on China and the economy. Plus, Sahil Kapur examines how Republican members of Congress are hate-voting for certain pieces of legislation. Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here. — Adam Wollner As Trump pursues his trade agenda, other countries' views shift on ties with China Analysis by Scott Bland President Donald Trump's first year back in the White House has coincided with some sharp changes in allied countries' assessments of the importance of Chinese economic ties. That's according to new data from surveys conducted in 25 countries by the Pew Research Center. Pew notes that the changing attitudes also reflect a rebound from low points in the immediate aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, which began in China. But the data also demonstrates how Trump's presidency and his trade agenda have sharply shifted public opinion in other nations — shifts that could have far-reaching effects for years. In particular, Pew asked whether it was more important for each country surveyed to have close economic ties with the U.S. or China. Generally, the share of respondents choosing China has grown in recent years, while the United States' share has shrunk. But two nations in particular stand out. There's Australia, which this week is hosting military exercises meant to signal strength against China. This year, Australian respondents said 53%-42% that having closer economic ties with China is more important. Four years ago, that was reversed — 52%-39% toward the U.S. And then there's Mexico, one of the biggest U.S. trading partners. Mexican survey respondents have long recognized the importance of the trade relationship with the U.S., but amid the back-and-forth on tariffs this year, they split on whether ties with the U.S. or China were more important. These opinions have shifted over time, and there's no telling where they'll go in the future. But as the U.S. tries to shift its trade policy and tries to counter China geopolitically, these surveys offer some early evidence of backlash in one realm that could affect the other. Republicans keep voting for bills they say they don't like By Sahil Kapur There's a new trend in Congress that has emerged in President Donald Trump's second term: Republican lawmakers across the ideological spectrum keep voting for bills they have publicly criticized. In some cases, GOP members of Congress have explicitly threatened to vote 'no' on bills they say are deeply flawed before eventually folding and voting 'yes.' In others, they warn bills they have voted for will require fixing down the road. A few notable examples: Medicaid: Two weeks after voting to pass a sweeping domestic policy bill that cuts Medicaid by about $1 trillion, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., introduced a bill to repeal some of those cuts. 'Now is the time to prevent any future cuts to Medicaid from going into effect,' Hawley said in a statement. Hawley said he feared the party's megabill would cause long-term harm if the Medicaid cuts are fully implemented, but still voted for it because it will deliver more hospital money for Missouri in the first four years. 'You can't get everything you want in one piece of legislation. I like a lot of what we did. I don't like some of it,' he told reporters after unveiling his own measure on Tuesday. National debt: Nowhere has this dynamic been more pronounced than with the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus, whose members have repeatedly threatened to oppose bills before acquiescing under pressure from Trump. With Trump's megabill, they complained about red ink: It's expected to add $3.3 trillion to the national debt over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. 'What the Senate did is unconscionable,' Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said in a Rules Committee meeting, vowing that 'I'll vote against it here and I'll vote against it on the floor.' He ultimately voted for that bill, unamended, after conservatives were told Congress would consider future bills to lower the debt. Rescissions: And in the run-up to the votes on a package to cancel $9 billion in previously approved funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting, several Republicans expressed serious concerns with its substance, its deference to the executive branch and the damage it could do to bipartisan dealmaking on government funding in the future. 'I suspect we're going to find out there are some things that we're going to regret. Some second- and third-order effects. And I suspect that when we do, we'll have to come back and fix it,' said Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, before voting in favor of the bill. Bottom line: It isn't unusual for lawmakers to back legislation they call imperfect. But this year, that contrast has become more stark. It comes as Trump has solidified his grasp over the GOP base, resulting in lawmakers growing increasingly leery of crossing him and risking their political futures. Read more from Sahil → ✉️ Mailbag: Could Democrats undo the 'big, beautiful bill'? Thanks to everyone who emailed us! This week's reader question is on the future of the megabill President Donald Trump signed into law. 'If the Democrats gain control of both chambers of Congress how much of the Republicans bill can they change?' In theory, Democrats could change much, if not all, of what's in the new tax cut and spending law if they were in power in Washington, using the same party-line 'budget reconciliation' process Republicans just utilized. But they won't be in that position for a while — and they may not want to completely do away with the sweeping package. Let's start with the first point. Given Republicans' tiny majority in the chamber and the usual headwinds the party in power faces during a midterm, Democrats have a good shot at winning the control of the House next year. But the Senate is a different story. As we've written, Democrats face an uphill climb to the majority in 2026, and the 2028 map doesn't look much more favorable, with the number of states splitting their presidential and Senate tickets dwindling. Then of course, even if Democrats manage to take control of both chambers of Congress, they won't have an opportunity at the White House until 2028. As for the second point, there are a lot of aspects of the 'big, beautiful bill' Democrats would like to reverse, most notably the cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs. But there are others, such as 'no tax on tips,' that have garnered support from Democrats. And while Democrats support increasing the current tax rates on the top earners, they wouldn't want the 2017 tax cuts that the law extends to completely expire. That would mean tax hikes on middle- and lower-income Americans, too. 🗞️ Today's other top stories ✉️ Epstein fallout: Trump took legal action less than 24 hours after The Wall Street Journal published an article saying Trump sent a letter to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 that included a drawing of a naked woman. The Justice Department also filed a motion to unseal grand jury transcripts related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's criminal case in Manhattan federal court. 📻 Stations in limbo: After Congress approved a package to cut funding for PBS and NPR, media advocates fear that local public broadcasters will be forced to downsize or shutter, which could have an outsize impact on rural areas. Read more → 🩺 Health care hikes: People who get health insurance through the Affordable Care Act could soon see their monthly premiums sharply increase as subsidies expire and insurers propose a major premium hike for 2026. Read more → 🪙 Crypto crunch: Trump signed the GENIUS Act, the first piece of federal legislation regulating stablecoins, a form of cryptocurrency, into law after it passed through Congress with bipartisan support. Read more → 🤠 Texas two-step: Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin was set to travel to Houston today to meet with Texas Democrats to discuss how to fight back against Republican efforts to redraw the state's congressional maps. Read more → 🌴 Palmetto State dispatch: In conversations with more than a dozen Democrats across the South Carolina, a key presidential primary state, two themes emerged: They want someone ready to 'fight,' but they also want someone who can appeal across party lines. Read more → 🎥 End of an era: 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' will broadcast its final show in May, CBS said, adding that it's not continuing the franchise. Read more → Follow live politics updates → That's all From the Politics Desk for now. Today's newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner and Dylan Ebs. If you have feedback — likes or dislikes — email us at politicsnewsletter@ And if you're a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here. This article was originally published on
NBC News
7 days ago
- Business
- NBC News
As Trump pursues his trade agenda, other countries' views shift on ties with China: From the Politics Desk
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team's latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today's edition, Scott Bland breaks down new poll numbers that show the world's views shifting on China and the economy. Plus, Sahil Kapur examines how Republican members of Congress are hate-voting for certain pieces of legislation. — Adam Wollner As Trump pursues his trade agenda, other countries' views shift on ties with China Analysis by Scott Bland President Donald Trump's first year back in the White House has coincided with some sharp changes in allied countries' assessments of the importance of Chinese economic ties. That's according to new data from surveys conducted in 25 countries by the Pew Research Center. Pew notes that the changing attitudes also reflect a rebound from low points in the immediate aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, which began in China. But the data also demonstrates how Trump's presidency and his trade agenda have sharply shifted public opinion in other nations — shifts that could have far-reaching effects for years. In particular, Pew asked whether it was more important for each country surveyed to have close economic ties with the U.S. or China. Generally, the share of respondents choosing China has grown in recent years, while the United States' share has shrunk. But two nations in particular stand out. There's Australia, which this week is hosting military exercises meant to signal strength against China. This year, Australian respondents said 53%-42% that having closer economic ties with China is more important. Four years ago, that was reversed — 52%-39% toward the U.S. And then there's Mexico, one of the biggest U.S. trading partners. Mexican survey respondents have long recognized the importance of the trade relationship with the U.S., but amid the back-and-forth on tariffs this year, they split on whether ties with the U.S. or China were more important. These opinions have shifted over time, and there's no telling where they'll go in the future. But as the U.S. tries to shift its trade policy and tries to counter China geopolitically, these surveys offer some early evidence of backlash in one realm that could affect the other. Republicans keep voting for bills they say they don't like By Sahil Kapur There's a new trend in Congress that has emerged in President Donald Trump's second term: Republican lawmakers across the ideological spectrum keep voting for bills they have publicly criticized. In some cases, GOP members of Congress have explicitly threatened to vote 'no' on bills they say are deeply flawed before eventually folding and voting 'yes.' In others, they warn bills they have voted for will require fixing down the road. A few notable examples: Medicaid: Two weeks after voting to pass a sweeping domestic policy bill that cuts Medicaid by about $1 trillion, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., introduced a bill to repeal some of those cuts. 'Now is the time to prevent any future cuts to Medicaid from going into effect,' Hawley said in a statement. Hawley said he feared the party's megabill would cause long-term harm if the Medicaid cuts are fully implemented, but still voted for it because it will deliver more hospital money for Missouri in the first four years. 'You can't get everything you want in one piece of legislation. I like a lot of what we did. I don't like some of it,' he told reporters after unveiling his own measure on Tuesday. National debt: Nowhere has this dynamic been more pronounced than with the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus, whose members have repeatedly threatened to oppose bills before acquiescing under pressure from Trump. With Trump's megabill, they complained about red ink: It's expected to add $3.3 trillion to the national debt over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. 'What the Senate did is unconscionable,' Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said in a Rules Committee meeting, vowing that 'I'll vote against it here and I'll vote against it on the floor.' He ultimately voted for that bill, unamended, after conservatives were told Congress would consider future bills to lower the debt. Rescissions: And in the run-up to the votes on a package to cancel $9 billion in previously approved funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting, several Republicans expressed serious concerns with its substance, its deference to the executive branch and the damage it could do to bipartisan dealmaking on government funding in the future. 'I suspect we're going to find out there are some things that we're going to regret. Some second- and third-order effects. And I suspect that when we do, we'll have to come back and fix it,' said Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, before voting in favor of the bill. Bottom line: It isn't unusual for lawmakers to back legislation they call imperfect. But this year, that contrast has become more stark. It comes as Trump has solidified his grasp over the GOP base, resulting in lawmakers growing increasingly leery of crossing him and risking their political futures. Thanks to everyone who emailed us! This week's reader question is on the future of the megabill President Donald Trump signed into law. 'If the Democrats gain control of both chambers of Congress how much of the Republicans bill can they change?' In theory, Democrats could change much, if not all, of what's in the new tax cut and spending law if they were in power in Washington, using the same party-line 'budget reconciliation' process Republicans just utilized. But they won't be in that position for a while — and they may not want to completely do away with the sweeping package. Let's start with the first point. Given Republicans' tiny majority in the chamber and the usual headwinds the party in power faces during a midterm, Democrats have a good shot at winning the control of the House next year. But the Senate is a different story. As we've written, Democrats face an uphill climb to the majority in 2026, and the 2028 map doesn't look much more favorable, with the number of states splitting their presidential and Senate tickets dwindling. Then of course, even if Democrats manage to take control of both chambers of Congress, they won't have an opportunity at the White House until 2028. As for the second point, there are a lot of aspects of the 'big, beautiful bill' Democrats would like to reverse, most notably the cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs. But there are others, such as ' no tax on tips,' that have garnered support from Democrats. And while Democrats support increasing the current tax rates on the top earners, they wouldn't want the 2017 tax cuts that the law extends to completely expire. That would mean tax hikes on middle- and lower-income Americans, too. 🗞️ Today's other top stories ✉️ Epstein fallout: Trump took legal action less than 24 hours after The Wall Street Journal published an article saying Trump sent a letter to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 that included a drawing of a naked woman. The Justice Department also filed a motion to unseal grand jury transcripts related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's criminal case in Manhattan federal court. 📻 Stations in limbo: After Congress approved a package to cut funding for PBS and NPR, media advocates fear that local public broadcasters will be forced to downsize or shutter, which could have an outsize impact on rural areas. Read more → 🩺 Health care hikes: People who get health insurance through the Affordable Care Act could soon see their monthly premiums sharply increase as subsidies expire and insurers propose a major premium hike for 2026. Read more → 🪙 Crypto crunch: Trump signed the GENIUS Act, the first piece of federal legislation regulating stablecoins, a form of cryptocurrency, into law after it passed through Congress with bipartisan support. Read more → 🤠 Texas two-step: Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin was set to travel to Houston today to meet with Texas Democrats to discuss how to fight back against Republican efforts to redraw the state's congressional maps. Read more → 🌴 Palmetto State dispatch: In conversations with more than a dozen Democrats across the South Carolina, a key presidential primary state, two themes emerged: They want someone ready to 'fight,' but they also want someone who can appeal across party lines. Read more →
NBC News
02-06-2025
- Business
- NBC News
Senate GOP leaders face spending squeeze on Trump's big bill: From the Politics Desk
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team's latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. Happy Monday and welcome to our first edition of June! The Senate is back this week and will begin the process of taking up the 'big, beautiful bill' the House passed. Sahil Kapur breaks down the challenges facing GOP leaders as they try to send the legislation to President Donald Trump's desk by July 4. Plus, Scott Bland digs into the archives for a quote from the 2016 campaign trail from a Republican that provides a guide for Democrats today. — Adam Wollner Senate GOP leaders face spending squeeze on Trump's big bill By Sahil Kapur The House-passed legislation for President Donald Trump's domestic agenda is moving to the Senate, where Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is facing a squeeze from opposing party factions about how to modify it. Spending and the debt: Some Republicans say they want steeper spending cuts to offset the debt increase as a result of the tax breaks and funding bumps for immigration enforcement and the military. That includes Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., both of whom have said they cannot support the bill in its current form as it adds an estimated $2.3 trillion to the debt. 'It's wrong. It's immoral. It has to stop,' Johnson said Sunday on Fox News. 'My loyalty is to the American people, to my kids and grandkids. We cannot continue to mortgage their future.' Medicaid: On the other hand, Thune must navigate worries and political considerations from senators about the existing spending cuts in the legislation — particularly on Medicaid, SNAP and clean energy funding. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, voted for the Senate's initial budget blueprint to begin work on the bill, but later objected to a revised version, citing concerns that it could impact her constituents who rely on Medicaid coverage. Collins is up for re-election in 2026, along with Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Joni Ernst, R-Iowa. All are likely to face attacks from Democrats about the stricter burdens for Americans to stay on the health care program. And at least one solid Trump ally from a red state is warning against rolling back Medicaid. 'I've got some concerns,' Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told reporters recently. 'I continue to maintain my position; we should not be cutting Medicaid benefits.' Hawley notably told NBC News last month he's fine with 'coverage losses' resulting from the work requirements and anti-fraud measures. So he may ultimately get in line with the bill, as Trump and Republican leaders are portraying the Medicaid provisions as program integrity measures, instead of cuts to rescind coverage. Regardless, Hawley's vocal support for preserving Medicaid benefits creates a potential land mine for Republicans to maneuver around, making it harder to cut deeper than the House bill if they want more savings to appease spending hawks. Clean energy: As part of the spending caution, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, says there is a faction of GOP senators who opposes the 'termination' of the clean energy tax credits passed by Democrats in 2022, which Republican leaders have put on the chopping block to finance their bill. Getting technical: And there's a procedural hurdle Thune must navigate: The so-called 'Byrd bath.' Senate rules limit bills under the 'reconciliation' process — which Republicans are using here to bypass Democrats in the Senate — to budgetary measures that are primarily about dollars and cents, not policy changes. Democrats are preparing to challenge a host of provisions in the package. In the end, the three-vote margin for defection may give Thune the breathing room he needs to pass the bill. But any changes the Senate makes need to go back to the House for another vote in the paper-thin majority. And Thune is on deadline, as the Treasury Department has said Congress needs to pass a debt ceiling increase — which is part of the broader package — no later than July in order to prevent a catastrophic default. Up until now, the GOP's deadlines have all been fuzzy. But this one is real. A key lesson Democrats can learn from 2016 candidate Marco Rubio Analysis by Scott Bland Democrats are in regroup mode after losing the 2024 election, acutely aware of the party's low standing with the American public and thinking through everything from their policy platform to where and how they talk to voters — like the $20 million pitch reported by The New York Times for a research project titled 'Speaking with American Men: A Strategic Plan.' More power to them, if someone wants to fund it. And Democrats desperately want to do something to move forward right now. They might want to consider some long-ago advice from one Marco Rubio about what really matters for a political party's viability — and why it could take an excruciatingly long time to get there. When Rubio — currently President Donald Trump's secretary of state — was running for president in August 2015, he gave a prescient response to questions about then-candidate Donald Trump's rhetoric about immigration. Asked by CNBC whether the way Trump and others were talking about immigrants would hurt the Republican Party in the 2016 general election, Rubio said, 'This is not the Republican Party. These are individual candidates who are responsible for their own rhetoric and what they say,' adding, 'The face of the Republican Party is going to be our nominee.' Rubio hit a similar theme days later, speaking to Bloomberg News in New Hampshire: 'Ultimately the Republican Party will reach out to all voters based on who our nominee is. And I don't believe Donald Trump will be our nominee.' Don't be distracted by the admittedly big thing that Rubio got wrong. The broader point is that American political parties are shaped and defined by their candidates. The biggest and best thing that the Democratic Party can do to change voter perceptions of itself is to nominate a national candidate that voters see more favorably. The party can't just erase former President Joe Biden's struggles and former Vice President Kamala Harris' loss to Trump — especially among the slice of Democrats fed up with their own party right now, a big contributor to those record-low poll numbers. That's just stuck to the Democratic brand right now. Of course, Democrats aren't going to nominate another presidential candidate for three years or so. Perhaps that's why some are itching to get that contest started sooner rather than later. Even formally nominating the party's next slate of congressional or Senate contenders is a year or so away. It's no wonder that research and investment efforts are getting a lot of attention — on the long road to fixing a party brand, that's what's available right now.
NBC News
22-05-2025
- Business
- NBC News
House-passed tax and spending bill faces changes in the Senate
After a all-night sessions in the Rules Committee and on the House floor, House Republicans advanced President Trump's sweeping tax and spending agenda. NBC News Senior National Political Reporter Sahil Kapur explains what will be waiting for it in the 22, 2025
NBC News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Speaker Mike Johnson's bluff-calling strategy reaches its limit: From the Politics Desk
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team's latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today's edition, Sahil Kapur explains how a failed committee vote revealed the limitations of Speaker Mike Johnson's tactics for dealing with the hard-right rebels in his conference. Plus, we have a sneak peek of Kristen Welker's 'Meet the Press' interview with former Vice President Mike Pence. And Gary Grumbach answer's this week's reader question on President Donald Trump's efforts to defund public media. — Adam Wollner Speaker Johnson's bluff-calling strategy reaches its limit By Sahil Kapur House Speaker Mike Johnson's run of (relative) smooth sailing came to an abrupt end Friday when he faced his first tangible setback on a massive party-line bill for President Donald Trump's agenda — a failed vote in the House Budget Committee. Until now, Johnson had been successful at steering the plan through the narrowly divided House. There was the original budget framework that the House adopted in February, followed by the Senate-approved blueprint that the lower chamber passed in April, despite strong reservations from the hard-liners in Johnson's conference. That allowed the House to actually begin drafting the specifics of the legislation. And this week, Johnson and his leadership team managed to get 11 House committees to approve their portions of the broader package. The legislation was then sent to the Budget Committee, on the assumption that some revisions would be still needed to send it to the full chamber next week ahead of Johnson's Memorial Day Weekend deadline. Throughout the process, Johnson often called bluff on the persistent gripes of a group of far-right spending hawks, forcing them to take votes and assuming they would not be willing to stand in the way of Trump's agenda. It's a strategy that proved successful time and again. But on Friday, four conservatives on the Budget Committee had enough, following through on their pledge to block the measure from reaching the House floor. They slammed the bill for using budget gimmicks to trigger its benefits right away and postpone its painful cuts for years. And they noted that the multitrillion-dollar package would blow up the national debt. Now comes the moment of truth. And the limits of the slim House Republican majority, where the party has just three votes to spare, are about to test Johnson's prowess like never before. The hard-liners are demanding that the spending cuts to Medicaid, clean energy funding and other programs take effect sooner. That means imposing political pain on vulnerable GOP lawmakers ahead of the next presidential election — perhaps even before the 2026 midterms — and putting swing districts at risk. But if Johnson fails to meet their demands, are the hard-liners willing to sink the bill entirely? Or was their vote Friday more of a symbolic protest to gain negotiating leverage? Surely, they'll be hearing from Trump if they persist. (Before Friday's committee vote, Trump called out GOP 'GRANDSTANDERS' on Truth Social.) The speaker is also feeling the squeeze from another corner of the conference. At least four New York Republicans are threatening to bring down the entire bill on the House floor unless party leaders expand the state and local tax (SALT) deduction that the current legislation sets at $30,000. That demand has caused consternation among other Republicans, who largely represent districts where SALT isn't heavily used. And even if Johnson steers the package through the chamber, Senate Republicans have already put the House on notice that the legislation won't pass the upper chamber without major changes. Up next: The House Budget Committee is set to reconvene Sunday at 10 p.m. ET to vote again on the bill. Pence says it's a 'bad idea' for Trump to accept a Qatari jet for use as Air Force One By Bridget Bowman Former Vice President Mike Pence said Friday that President Donald Trump should not accept a luxury jet from Qatar to use as the next Air Force One, telling NBC News' 'Meet the Press' moderator Kristen Welker that the move would raise security and constitutional concerns. 'First we've got to remember who Qatar is. We've got a military base there. I have members of our immediate family that have deployed to the region,' said Pence. 'But Qatar has a long history of playing both sides,' Pence said in the exclusive interview at his home in Indiana. 'They support Hamas. They supported Al Qaeda. Qatar has actually financed pro-Hamas protests on American campuses across the United States.' Pence added that accepting the plane as the next Air Force One 'is inconsistent with our security, with our intelligence needs. And my hope is the president reconsiders it.' Pence added that there are 'very real constitutional issues,' noting the part of the Constitution that bars public officials from accepting gifts from a foreign government. 'I think it's just a bad idea, and my hope is the president will think better of it,' Pence said. ✉️ Thanks to everyone who emailed us! This week's question comes from Polly Moore: 'How can Trump defund programs established by Congress, such as public TV and National Public Radio?' To answer that, we turned to legal affairs reporter Gary Grumbach. Here's his response: President Donald Trump has been attempting to defund programs established by Congress, but he's hitting roadblocks almost every time. Because here's the thing — there are legal ways to defund programs established by Congress. It happens every year when the budget process gets underway, with input from both sides of the aisle in both chambers of Congress. But Congress, by law, has to be involved in that process. It's when they're not, and when a program is stripped down beyond its congressionally mandated levels, that we start seeing legal action being taken. And that legal action has been fast and furious. Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting have all sued over the Trump administration's attempts to defund or dismantle their organizations that were created and funded by congressional appropriations. But it hasn't been an easy road. As it stands today, an appeals court has temporarily blocked a lower court's order that would have restarted funding and brought back employees of Voice of America and Radio Free Europe, while appeals are underway.
