Transcript
Jack Spear (0:01)
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he is now the acting director of the U.S. agency for International Development, though he says he's delegating that authority to someone else. More from NPR Svatmanas Speaking to reporters.
Fatma Tanis (0:18)
In El Salvador, Rubio said the agency was, quote, completely uncooperative and that it had to be aligned with US Foreign policy. Earlier on Monday, Elon Musk announced that his task force, the Department of Government Efficiency, is in the process of shutting down usaid. The agency works to alleviate poverty, disease and humanitarian need in countries around the world. It has bipartisan support in Congress. This morning, USAID employees woke up to an email that told them the headquarters in Washington would be closed for the day and that they should work from home since President Trump's executive order to freeze all foreign assistance. USAID employees described utter chaos at the agency, with hundreds of layoffs and furloughs. Fatma Tanis, NPR News, Washington.
Jack Spear (1:03)
Even as Canadians CHAFE Under President Trump's continued remarks about making Canada the 51st state, there's word this hour proposed tariffs set to go into effect tomorrow have now been postponed for at least 30 days. That's according to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trump's threat of tariffs against Canada prompting the country to respond with tariffs of 25% on U.S. imports, including beverages, cosmetics and paper products. Nearly $2.5 billion worth of goods and services crossed the U.S. border daily with Canada, a top exp destination for 36 U.S. states. Lawyers are warning the Justice Department firing career prosecutors and FBI agents without cause is not legal. NPR's Carrie Johnson reports. They're also worried about possible threats to those employees if their names are made public.
Carrie Johnson (1:50)
Lawyers Mark Zaid, Norm Eisen and Nancy Gertner say the civil servants at the DOJ and FBI must be afforded due process before they're terminated. Acting and interim leaders at the Justice Department have already dismissed prosecutors who investigated Donald Trump, senior FBI officials and lawyers who worked on Capitol Riot cases. The Trump administration is compiling a list of potentially thousands of FBI agents who worked on January 6th. Prosecutions lawyers warn a wholesale purge will leave the country vulnerable in a time of serious threats to national security. Making the names of FBI agents public could prompt threats from defendants, including the 1,500 people Trump recently pardoned. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.
Jack Spear (2:34)
Salvage crews say they've recovered a sizable piece of the commercial jet that crashed into the Potomac river last week following a mid air collision with a military helicopter. The crash claimed the lives of a total of 67 people. Authorities say it may still be several days, though, till all the crash debris there is recovered. Stocks lost ground on Wall street today. The Dow fell 122 points. The NASDAQ was down 235 points. This is NPR. Two weeks into the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, aid is flowing back into the war torn region again, supplies offering some relief to an area devastated by 15 months of fighting. But Palestinian aid workers say it's also been an uphill battle getting help to everyone who needs it. There also remains the possibility fighting will resume if the ceasefire breaks down, further complicating getting aid to those who need it most to destroyed roads and unexploded ordnance. The Food and Drug Administration is approving the first study to evaluate transplanting kidneys from genetically modified pigs to people who need organs. Here's NPR's Rob Stein.