Apple News Today: Detailed Summary of "It costs 3 cents to make a penny. Trump says it’s time to stop."

Release Date: February 11, 2025
Host: Shemitah Basu
Host Persona: Shemitah Basu guides listeners through compelling news stories, highlighting how top journalists cover them.

1. President Trump's Assault on Media Companies

Overview: In the opening segment, Shemitah Basu delves into President Donald Trump's aggressive legal actions against major media corporations. This strategy appears to be part of a broader effort to intimidate the press and challenge its role as a check on presidential power.

Key Developments:

• Disney and Meta Settlements:

  • December: Disney, parent company of ABC News, settles a defamation lawsuit with Trump, agreeing to pay $15 million towards Trump's future presidential foundation.
  • Late January: Meta settles a lawsuit for $22 million and an additional $3 million in legal fees over Trump's suspension from the platform following the January 6 Capitol attack.

• Current Lawsuit Against CBS News:

  • Trump has initiated a lawsuit against Paramount Global (owner of CBS News), significantly increasing his damage claim from $10 billion to $20 billion.
  • Claim: Trump alleges that CBS's "60 Minutes" aired a deceptively edited interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris to boost her election prospects. He points out discrepancies in Harris's responses between different broadcasts.
    • [01:23 Shemitah Basu]: "Trump claims that CBS's 60 Minutes aired a deceptively edited interview with then Vice President Kamala Harris to boost her election chances."
    • [02:00 David Folkenflik]: "Trump's legal team argued that CBS had engaged in, quote, unlawful acts of election and voter interference through malicious, deceptive and substantial news distortion."

• Legal and Expert Reactions:

  • David Folkenflik, NPR Media Correspondent: Describes the lawsuit as "frivolous" and an "abuse of the courts."
    • [02:43 David Folkenflik]: "This is frivolous and ... essentially an abuse of the courts."
  • CBS's Defense: Claims the editing was a standard journalistic practice to fit programming constraints.
  • Potential Impact on CBS and Paramount Merger:
    • The ongoing lawsuit complicates the $8 billion Paramount Global and Skydance Media merger, requiring approval from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee.
    • Journalists at CBS express concern over Paramount possibly capitulating to Trump's pressures, potentially undermining editorial freedom.
    • [03:54 David Folkenflik]: "Trump is exerting pressure to intimidate the press... to make sure they don't act as a check on his power."

• Additional Lawsuits Against Media Personnel and Organizations:

  • Trump has sued Bob Woodward and his publisher over Woodward's book.
  • Legal action against the Pulitzer Prize board for recognizing a Trump-related story.
  • A lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and former pollster J. Ann Selzer regarding a poll favoring Harris.

These actions collectively represent a multifaceted legal campaign aimed at challenging media narratives and diminishing critical journalism.

2. Immigration Enforcement at Places of Worship

Overview: The episode highlights the significant impact of Trump's policy changes on religious institutions, particularly concerning immigration enforcement. Churches, traditionally sanctuaries, are now facing direct actions from ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

Key Developments:

• Personal Story:

  • Kania Kalindres: On a recent Sunday, her husband was unexpectedly detained by ICE at their church while at church with their three children.
    • [04:42 Shemitah Basu]: "Kania told WSBTV in Atlanta that her husband had never been in trouble with the law..."

• Policy Changes:

  • Trump revoked the ban on immigration arrests in sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals, and churches.
  • This reversal has caused widespread concern among religious communities, disrupting centuries-old sanctuary traditions.

• Reactions from Religious Leaders:

  • Andrea Castillo, LA Times Federal Immigration Reporter:
    • [07:04 Andrea Castillo]: "The folks that they have invited into sanctuary have been people who had no criminal history..."
    • [07:27 Andrea Castillo]: "He said, we have an executive order from God, not from politicians."
  • Many faith leaders are preparing for potential ICE raids by educating congregants about their rights and some are actively accompanying migrants during check-ins.
    • [07:59 Andrea Castillo]: "What many religious leaders told me was that they suspect they might see a return to the sort of underground railroad type of tactic..."

• Legal Actions:

  • Several places of worship have filed lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security, arguing that ICE arrests on religious grounds violate religious liberty.
  • Some pastors have expressed willingness to physically protect congregants from ICE agents.
    • [07:41 Shemitah Basu]: "A pastor told Castillo that he would physically get between his congregants and ICE agents if it came to that."

These developments signify a tense clash between immigration enforcement policies and the longstanding role of religious institutions as sanctuaries.

3. President Trump's Push to Eliminate the Penny

Overview: Shifting focus to economic policy, the episode explores President Trump's proposal to abolish the penny. This discussion revolves around the financial inefficiency of producing pennies and the broader implications of discontinuing a long-standing currency denomination.

Key Points:

• Cost vs. Value:

  • It currently costs 3.69 cents to produce a single penny, making it economically unviable.
  • In 2024, over 3 billion pennies were minted, resulting in a loss exceeding 85%, given that the face value is only one cent.
    • [09:39 Shemitah Basu]: "It costs 3.69 cents to make a penny... we lost more than 85%, making what many people think of as useless coins."

• Historical Attempts to Abolish the Penny:

  • 1857: Congress discontinued the half-cent coin.
  • 1989: A bill to eliminate pennies in cash transactions and round to the nearest nickel failed, hindered by special interest groups and political considerations.
    • [10:42 Jim Colby]: "Illinois was not too anxious about getting rid of the penny. So our bill never got much of a hearing at all."

• Current Opposition:

  • Americans for Common Sense:
    • Argues that eliminating the penny won't save money and would necessitate increased production of nickels, which are already costly to produce.
    • [10:53 Shemitah Basu]: "If Congress does decide to get on board with Trump's suggestion... we lose far more money making nickels than we do making pennies."

• Potential Implications:

  • Eliminating the penny would likely lead to increased nickel production costs, possibly negating any savings from discontinuing the penny.
  • The historical resilience of the penny in American culture is a significant barrier to its removal.

The discussion underscores the complexity of removing a minor yet symbolically significant element of the U.S. currency system.

4. Other Major News Highlights

A. DOJ Drops Corruption Charges Against NYC Mayor Eric Adams

• Details:
  • The Department of Justice has ordered prosecutors in Manhattan to drop federal corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams of New York City.
  • [13:09 Shemitah Basu]: "The charges would be dropped without prejudice, meaning they could be refiled at a later date."
• Context:
  • Charges included soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations and accepting bribes from Turkish officials.
  • The DOJ cited that the case was hindering Adams' cooperation with Trump's immigration initiatives.
  • Adams has been aligning closely with Trump, visiting Mar-a-Lago and attending the inauguration.

B. Legal Challenges Against the Trump Administration

• Major Rulings:
  • A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration failed to comply with an order to unfreeze federal spending, mandating the release of billions of dollars.
    • This marks the first instance of a judge declaring the White House in direct disobedience of a court order.
  • Other blocked initiatives include attempts to end birthright citizenship, restrict Elon Musk's access to Treasury records, and a mass resignation plan for federal workers.

C. Gaza Ceasefire Deal Threatened by Hamas

• Current Status:
  • Hamas has delayed the next scheduled hostage release, citing Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.
    • Specifically, accusations include preventing displaced Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza and blocking relief supplies.
  • [12:51 Jim Colby]: "I would say cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out..."
• Israeli Response:
  • Israel's Defense Minister has condemned Hamas's actions as a breach of the deal and has instructed the military to prepare for any eventuality.

These additional stories highlight ongoing political, legal, and international tensions affecting U.S. and global landscapes.

5. Conclusion and Additional Content

Shemitah Basu wraps up the episode by directing listeners to further content available on the Apple News app, including a narrated article about advancements in replicating blood, showcasing the intersection of scientific innovation and practical utility.

Notable Quotes Recap:

• David Folkenflik on Trump's lawsuit against CBS:
  “[02:43] This is frivolous and ... essentially an abuse of the courts.”

• Andrea Castillo on religious leaders' stance:
  “[07:27] He said, we have an executive order from God, not from politicians.”

• Jim Colby on eliminating the penny:
  “[10:42] Illinois was not too anxious about getting rid of the penny. So our bill never got much of a hearing at all.”

This comprehensive summary captures the multifaceted discussions from the Apple News Today episode, providing insights into President Trump's legal maneuvers against the media, the intersection of immigration enforcement and religious institutions, economic debates on currency, and other significant national and international developments.