How Trump’s Texas power grab could change voting nationwide

Summary

Apple News Today: How Trump’s Texas Power Grab Could Change Voting Nationwide

Release Date: August 5, 2025

Hosted by Shemitah Basu

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Introduction

In today’s episode of Apple News Today, host Shemitah Basu delves into a series of compelling stories shaping the political and social landscape of the United States and beyond. The primary focus centers on a significant political maneuver in Texas that could have nationwide implications for future elections. Additionally, the show explores topics ranging from aggressive immigration enforcement tactics to international trade tensions and even unconventional criminal enterprises. This summary captures all key discussions, insights, and conclusions presented in the episode.

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1. Texas Redistricting and Political Showdown

The episode opens with an in-depth analysis of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s latest efforts to redraw the state’s congressional map—a move heavily influenced by former President Donald Trump’s directives. Abbott aims to reshape the map in a manner that favors Republican candidates, potentially increasing their seats in the upcoming midterm elections.

• Legislative Stalemate: On the scheduled vote for redistricting, Texas faced an unprecedented challenge when over 50 Democratic lawmakers fled the state to Illinois and New York, preventing the quorum needed for the vote. Gene Wu, Chair of the Texas State House Democratic Caucus, addressed CNN regarding the mass departure:

  "We tried to negotiate Republicans, we tried to talk to them, we tried to tell them that the public is very angry at what they're doing, and they simply wouldn't listen. This was the only way we could protect our constituents and protect the state." (01:10)

• Governor Abbott’s Response: In response to the obstruction, Abbott has issued civil arrest warrants for the absent Democrats, asserting his authority to remove them from their seats. Speaking to Fox:

  "Gerrymandering can be done, or drawing lines can be done on the basis of political makeup, as in Republican versus Democrat. And there's nothing illegal about that." (02:00)

This action is set against the backdrop of a 2019 Supreme Court ruling that limits federal oversight of partisan gerrymandering, effectively allowing states like Texas to proceed with such redistricting efforts without federal interference.

• National Implications: The standoff in Texas has empowered Democratic governors in other states to consider similar tactics. New York Governor Kathy Hochul, alongside Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and California Governor Gavin Newsom, have indicated potential retaliatory redistricting measures. Hochul emphatically stated:

  "This is no longer the Wild West. We're not going to tolerate our democracy being stolen in a modern day stagecoach hoist by a bunch of law breaking cowboys." (03:01)

Experts like David Daley from FairVote highlight the escalating nature of gerrymandering:

"This is a national problem. It can't be fixed piecemeal, state by state... It's really difficult for politicians to end gerrymandering. They benefit from it. They like it." (04:05)

The Texas episode underscores a growing trend where states may increasingly manipulate electoral maps to secure political advantages, raising concerns about the integrity and fairness of future elections across the nation.

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2. Aggressive Tactics by ICE Agents

Shifting focus, the episode addresses the intensified efforts by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under President Trump’s administration to deport undocumented immigrants. ProPublica has documented nearly 50 instances where ICE agents have resorted to forcibly breaking car windows to make arrests— a tactic previously rare, with only eight documented cases in the past decade.

• Violent Arrests: In Oregon, an ICE agent's aggressive approach is captured as a father is detained while driving his toddler to preschool:

  "Hell, hold on, I'm getting out." (05:16)

• Impact on Families: Elsie Noemi Berrios’ daughter’s emotional plea during her mother’s arrest illustrates the human cost:

  "You guys cannot take her just because you guys want." (07:29)

Basu reports that despite ICE’s claims of legality, these methods have resulted in injuries, including glass in a detainee’s knee and concussions among others. An ICE expert explains:

"We had one person's lawyer told us that he had glass in his knee when he did an X-ray. Later we have images of bloodied faces... we have heard of broken arms and concussions." (06:45)

While ICE defends the use of such tactics, asserting that it’s permissible when individuals do not comply, the escalation in aggressive arrest methods raises significant concerns about the treatment of immigrants and the potential for abuse of power.

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3. US Tariffs and Lesotho’s Economic Struggle

Another critical story covered is the Trump administration’s imposition of new tariffs affecting over 60 countries, with a specific focus on Lesotho, a small African nation reliant heavily on textile exports to the US.

• Economic Devastation: Alexandra Wexler, Africa corporate reporter for the Wall Street Journal, explains the dire consequences of these tariffs:

  "The threat of these 50% tariffs has dried up orders, thousands of people have been laid off, and that's had a really dire effect on them and the economy as a whole." (09:11)

Originally, Lesotho benefited from the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which provided duty-free access to the US market. However, with the act set to expire and unsupportive legislative prospects, the new 15% tariff exacerbates the economic plight:

"Lesotho was sending a lot of stuff to the US and not getting a lot of US Goods in. And that trade imbalance ended up sort of... punishing them in an unexpected way by imposing these tariffs." (10:06)

Lesotho’s government has declared a state of disaster, enabling it to implement measures to support struggling businesses and stimulate economic recovery. The pressing question remains whether US textile customers will resume their purchases to allow Lesotho to rehire the displaced workforce.

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4. Additional Stories

While the central theme revolves around Texas’s political maneuvers, the episode also touches upon several other noteworthy topics:

• Israel’s Attorney General Firing: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has unanimously voted to fire his attorney general, who is currently prosecuting him on corruption charges. This unprecedented move has been met with resistance from Israel’s High Court, which has temporarily frozen the decision:

  "Netanyahu has faced accusations in the past that he has used legal tactics to delay the case." (11:18)

• Canada Wildfire Smoke Affecting US Air Quality: Approximately 200 wildfires in Canada have generated a significant smoky haze, leading to air quality alerts across the Northeast and Upper Great Lakes in the United States. Cities like Detroit and Chicago are among the ten worst for air quality globally due to this environmental crisis.

• Unconventional Criminal Enterprises in Bali: A unique criminal network involving long-tailed macaques in Bali has been causing havoc by stealing valuables from tourists and demanding food as ransom. Researchers describe these monkeys as exhibiting “unprecedented economic decision-making processes,” having learned to target high-value items like wallets and smartphones to maximize their gains.

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Conclusion

Shemitah Basu’s episode of Apple News Today provides a comprehensive overview of pivotal events influencing both national and international arenas. From Texas’s controversial redistricting efforts potentially reshaping future elections to the aggressive tactics employed by ICE agents and the economic struggles faced by Lesotho due to US tariffs, each story underscores the interconnectedness of political decisions and their far-reaching impacts. Additional reports on Israel’s judiciary tensions, environmental challenges from wildfires, and the peculiarities of monkey-led thefts in Bali further enrich the discourse, offering listeners a nuanced understanding of the current global landscape.

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For a deeper dive into these stories and more, listeners are encouraged to access the full episodes and articles available on the Apple News app.

Transcript

[Host 1]

Good morning.

[Shemitah Basu]

It's Tuesday, August 5th. I'm Shemitah Basu. This is Apple News today.

[Host 1]

On today's show, ICE agents turn to.

[Shemitah Basu]

Smashing through car windows to make arrests.

[Host 1]

The tiny nation that makes your jeans.

[Shemitah Basu]

Declares a state of disaster over US.

[Host 1]

Tariffs and a pickpocket ring led by.

[Shemitah Basu]

Some very clever monkeys.

[Host 1]

But first, to a major political showdown.

[Shemitah Basu]

Playing out in Texas that could shape the midterms and even the way future elections are fought.

[Host 1]

In recent days, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been trying to deliver on President.

[Shemitah Basu]

Trump's demands to redraw Texas's congressional map.

[Host 1]

In a way that would help Republicans.

[Shemitah Basu]

Pick up seats in time for the midterms.

[Host 1]

On Monday, there was a scheduled vote on the issue, and it needed a.

[Shemitah Basu]

Minimum number of state lawmakers present. But more than 50 Democrats fled to Illinois and New York, grinding business to a halt. Gene Wu, the chair of the Texas State House Democratic Caucus, explained why on.

[Gene Wu]

CNN we really didn't have a choice. We tried to negotiate Republicans, we tried to talk to them, we tried to tell them that the public is very angry at what they're doing, and they simply wouldn't listen. This was the only way we could protect our constituents and protect the state.

[Host 1]

Wu and his colleagues are already facing.

[Shemitah Basu]

$500 daily fines for leaving the state. Now Governor Abbott has taken the extraordinary step of ordering civil arrest warrants for the absent Democrats and has claimed he has the legal authority to strip them of their seats. Congressional maps are typically redrawn every 10.

[Host 1]

Years, and the last redistricting took place.

[Shemitah Basu]

In Texas just four years ago by a republic committee. Abbott defended his plans to Fox on.

[Host 1]

Monday and was pretty blunt about the.

[Shemitah Basu]

Political gains to be had.

[Governor Greg Abbott]

Gerrymandering can be done, or drawing lines can be done on the basis of political makeup, as in Republican versus Democrat. And there's nothing illegal about that.

[Host 1]

He's technically right about that. Thanks to a 2019 Supreme Court ruling, federal courts do not have the authority.

[Shemitah Basu]

To determine if a partisan gerrymander goes.

[Host 1]

Too far, meaning Texas can do just.

[Shemitah Basu]

That so long as they secure the vot.

[Host 1]

On one level, this political drama is.

[Shemitah Basu]

About tactics, and denying quorum is a Texas tradition dating back to the 1800s.

[Host 1]

Democrats have acted similarly during previous redistricting.

[Shemitah Basu]

Attempts, and they've always ultimately returned to.

[Host 1]

Vote, often because they simply lack the.

[Shemitah Basu]

Votes to overcome Republican majorities.

[Host 1]

Governor Abbott could keep calling Sessions until.

[Shemitah Basu]

He gets his way, and it would be hard for Democrats to avoid the state indefinitely. But this standoff has emboldened Democratic governors in other states to make threats of their own, and that could have major repercussions. Here's New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

[Governor Kathy Hochul]

I have news flash for Republicans in Texas. This is no longer the Wild West. We're not going to tolerate our democracy being stolen in a modern day stagecoach hoist by a bunch of law breaking cowboys. Americans don't want a system that's stacked against them.

[Host 1]

She, along with Illinois Governor J.B. pritzker, California Governor Gavin Newsom and others, have.

[Shemitah Basu]

Vowed to explore redrawing their own maps in retaliation.

[Host 1]

They do face hurdles.

[Shemitah Basu]

Hochul would need to amend the state.

[Host 1]

Constitution and Newsom would have to disband.

[Shemitah Basu]

The state's independent commission currently responsible for redistricting.

[Host 1]

But state political leaders are now discussing.

[Shemitah Basu]

Manipulating laws in a way that could.

[Host 1]

Leave all future elections open to this kind of redrawing and fundamentally distort the.

[Shemitah Basu]

Electoral map of the United States.

[Host 1]

And there's really nothing much on a.

[Shemitah Basu]

Federal or judicial level to stop that from happening. David Daley from The nonpartisan group FairVote, which campaigns for voter reform, said the.

[Host 1]

Supreme Court had made it very difficult.

[Shemitah Basu]

To stop gerrymandering from escalating.

[David Daley]

This is a national problem. It can't be fixed piecemeal, state by state. And when the courts pulled themselves out of this, it really took away the last possibility of a neutral arbiter coming in and trying to enforce a standard. It's really difficult for politicians to end gerrymandering. They benefit from it. They like it.

[Host 1]

Some states, like California, have commissions that are independent of the state legislature to make sure that politicians aren't the ones.

[Shemitah Basu]

Drawing or voting on new lines.

[Host 1]

But in an era of increased gerrymandering.

[Shemitah Basu]

More lawmakers could choose to abandon these kinds of measures and instead bear down for a fight. This next story is about encounters with ICE officials. Please be warned, there is some distressing audio of arrests as immigration agents sweep the country making arrests in President Trump's crackdown. ICE claims its agents are using a minimum amount of force. But some videos of these arrests tell a different story.

[Mackenzie Funk]

Hell, hold on, I'm getting out.

[Host 1]

That's the sound of ICE agents smashing.

[Shemitah Basu]

In the car window of a father in Oregon who was driving his toddler to preschool when ICE detained him. Since Trump took office in January, ProPublica has documented close to 50 instances of.

[Host 1]

Ice agents using this tactic of breaking.

[Shemitah Basu]

Vehicle windows during arrests, though the government doesn't release data on this, so the exact number is hard to pin down.

[Host 1]

But use of force?

[Shemitah Basu]

Experts and former ICE insiders say this is unusual. ProPublica counted just eight documented examples of such incidents over the last decade.

[ICE Expert]

It just wasn't common practice because it was seen as so aggressive. It was a transgression of a line that we didn't all collectively know wasn't there. But seeing these videos, you see that something has changed.

[Host 1]

That's reporter mackenzie Funk.

[Shemitah Basu]

He says this trend is motivated by Trump's aggressive goal to deport 1 million people in his first year.

[ICE Expert]

And in order to do that, I believe there's just so much pressure that they are breaking windows more often than they were before.

[Host 1]

Now, it's not against the law for.

[Shemitah Basu]

ICE to smash someone's car window during an arrest.

[Host 1]

Unlike your house, where an officer would.

[Shemitah Basu]

Need a warrant to enter, your car.

[Host 1]

Is in a kind of public space gray area.

[Shemitah Basu]

So there's more leeway.

[Host 1]

But these tactics are hurting people. At least 10 people have reported injuries.

[Shemitah Basu]

In broken window arrests this year.

[ICE Expert]

We had one person's lawyer told us that he had glass in his knee when he did an X ray. Later we have images of bloodied faces. We have heard of broken arms and concussions.

[Host 1]

In several videos collected by ProPublica, children.

[Shemitah Basu]

Are crying out for their parents.

[Host 1]

Like during this arrest made in Maryland.

[Shemitah Basu]

Back in March, where you can hear the 15 year old daughter of Elsie Noemi Berrios pleading with ICE agents as they prepare to smash the car window and detain Berrios.

[Elsie Noemi Berrios' Daughter]

You guys cannot take her just because you guys want.

[ICE Expert]

Honestly, this is the one that was gutting to me every time I watched it. You can hear the mother in Spanish calmly to her daughter saying, don't worry, baby, don't worry. Everything's going to be okay.

[Shemitah Basu]

ICE says Berrios was an affiliate of the gang MS.13.

[Host 1]

But the Department of Homeland Security has.

[Shemitah Basu]

Not provided evidence and ProPublica's review of judicial records found no evidence of a criminal record. She is still in custody today.

[Host 1]

In response to ProPublica's reporting, DHS defended this tactic and it said officers may break vehicle windows if the people they're.

[Shemitah Basu]

Trying to detain don't follow commands.

[Host 1]

Other agencies with officers involved in the.

[Shemitah Basu]

Incidents documented by ProPublica, including the FBI, DEA and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, did not respond or declined to comment.

[Host 1]

Now to tariffs starting on Thursday this week, many of the country's closest trading.

[Shemitah Basu]

Partners will face new tariffs from the Trump administration.

[Host 1]

More than 60 countries are set to.

[Shemitah Basu]

Be affected by a new rate, starting.

[Host 1]

At 10%, which will present industries with.

[Shemitah Basu]

Tough choices as they navigate these higher costs.

[Host 1]

Today we're going to look at how.

[Shemitah Basu]

One small country has already been impacted.

[Host 1]

Lesotho, a small African nation home to.

[Shemitah Basu]

Around 2.3 million people, it's facing a 15% tariff this week.

[Host 1]

But back in April, Trump threatened a 50% tariff at that time the highest.

[Shemitah Basu]

Rate for any country in the world.

[Alexandra Wexler]

That's had a really, really profound impact on the people of Lesotho, especially the textile workers who don't make a lot of money.

[Host 1]

Alexandra Wexler is an Africa corporate reporter.

[Shemitah Basu]

For the Wall Street Journal.

[Alexandra Wexler]

The problem is that a lot of the damage has already been done. The threat of these 50% tariffs has dried up orders, thousands of people have been laid off, and that's had a really dire effect on them and the economy as a whole.

[Host 1]

Lesotho's textile industry heavily relies on exports.

[Shemitah Basu]

To the US which for 25 years.

[Host 1]

Have been duty free through the African.

[Shemitah Basu]

Growth and Opportunity act enacted by Congress.

[Host 1]

The garment industry accounts for nearly 90%.

[Shemitah Basu]

Of industrial jobs in Lesotho, and the.

[Host 1]

US accounts for almost 20% of all its overseas sales, including to clothing brands.

[Shemitah Basu]

Like Reebok and Levi's and big retailers like Walmart.

[Alexandra Wexler]

Lesotho was sending a lot of stuff to the US and not getting a lot of US Goods in. And that trade imbalance ended up sort of, as the trade minister told me, punishing them in an unexpected way by imposing these tariffs.

[Shemitah Basu]

Wexler reports that Trump appears to be sidestepping the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

[Host 1]

The law expires this year and experts.

[Shemitah Basu]

Don'T expect the Republican controlled Congress to renew it.

[Host 1]

And top officials in Lesotho are concerned.

[Shemitah Basu]

The economy there will continue to crumble.

[Host 1]

Even at the lower 15% rate.

[Alexandra Wexler]

The trade minister, when I spoke to him, had said that he was pushing for 10% or even less because he said that Lesotho would have a very tough time with anything over 10%. It would be near impossible to compete. So I think even with 15%, they're still going to be an impact.

[Host 1]

Lisutu's government declared a state of disaster.

[Shemitah Basu]

In July, which grants the government powers to reroute money to programs that help the economy, including waiving fees to register companies and creating a fund to support new businesses. One of the big questions now, Wexler says, is whether textile customers will return.

[Host 1]

And if they come back strong enough.

[Shemitah Basu]

To allow Lesotho to rehire the thousands of people who've been left in the limbo as tariff threats loom.

[Host 1]

Before we let you go, a few.

[Shemitah Basu]

Other stories we're following.

[Host 1]

In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

[Shemitah Basu]

Unanimously voted to fire his attorney general who is currently prosecuting Netanyahu for corruption charges.

[Host 1]

It's being seen as one of the.

[Shemitah Basu]

Most significant steps Netanyahu has taken in defying the judicial system in the country.

[Host 1]

And Axios reports that it's the first.

[Shemitah Basu]

Time an Israeli government has ever voted to oust an attorney general.

[Host 1]

The government denied that the firing is connected to the charges, but Netanyahu has.

[Shemitah Basu]

Faced accusations in the past that he has used legal tactics to delay the case.

[Host 1]

In the meantime, Israel's high court issued.

[Shemitah Basu]

An injunction that temporarily freezing the decision and barring the government from choosing a successor.

[Host 1]

To the US where parts of the country will be filled with a.

[Shemitah Basu]

Smoky haze this week, Canada wildfire smoke will settle in the East Coast.

[Host 1]

Air quality alerts are in effect for.

[Shemitah Basu]

A dozen or so states across the Northeast and Upper Great Lakes.

[Host 1]

Detroit and Chicago were Among the top.

[Shemitah Basu]

10 worst cities for air quality in the world on Monday, according to one air quality tracker.

[Host 1]

It's coming from almost 200 fires that.

[Shemitah Basu]

Are burning out of control in what is likely to be Canada's second worst wildfire season on record.

[Host 1]

And finally, to a criminal enterprise wreaking havoc in Bali, snatching phones and other.

[Shemitah Basu]

Belongings in exchange for rewards.

[Host 1]

This network of criminals are in fact monkeys.

[Shemitah Basu]

Long tailed macaques to be precise.

[Host 1]

And the Wall Street Journal has this.

[Shemitah Basu]

Pretty amusing story about how they run rampant at a tourist destination temple.

[Host 1]

There, they steal various belongings tourists and will only give them back when bribed with food. Researchers say that some monkeys have even.

[Shemitah Basu]

Worked out what items humans value most, targeting wallets and smartphones, knowing how to barter.

[Host 1]

Accordingly, a group of scientists who spent years filming and studying macaques described it this way.

[Shemitah Basu]

They said these monkeys have, quote, unprecedented economic decision making processes.

[Host 1]

You can find all these monkeys stories.

[Shemitah Basu]

And more in the Apple News app.

[Host 1]

And if you're already listening in the news app right now, we've got a.

[Shemitah Basu]

Narrated article coming up next.

[Host 1]

Breakfast might have the reputation for being.

[Shemitah Basu]

The most important meal of the day.

[Host 1]

But the New Yorker makes the case.

[Shemitah Basu]

For why lunch deserves more respect than it gets.

[Host 1]

If you're listening in the podcast app.

[Shemitah Basu]

Follow Apple News plus Narrated to find that story and I'll be back with the news tomorrow.