A New Test of Federal Judges’ Power, and Overdose Deaths Plummet

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Headlines Hosted by The New York Times
Episode: A New Test of Federal Judges’ Power, and Overdose Deaths Plummet
Release Date: May 15, 2025

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Supreme Court Case on Birthright Citizenship

The episode opens with a significant legal battle reaching the Supreme Court: President Donald Trump's executive order aiming to end birthright citizenship. Traditionally upheld since the 14th Amendment's passage over a century ago, birthright citizenship grants American citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil, irrespective of parental immigration status. Trump's policy challenges this long-standing interpretation, bringing to the forefront a theory previously considered marginal, propagated by a conservative think tank in California before gaining national attention through Trump's campaign rhetoric.

Bill, a guest speaker, asserts:

“Because the 14th Amendment says if you're born here, you're an American and you can't kick Americans out. And then if you wanted to deport the people already here, each and every one are entitled to due process. You must know all that.” ([01:18])

Tracy Mumford elaborates that while Trump did not initially challenge birthright citizenship during his first term, his recent executive order has catalyzed a series of nationwide injunctions by federal judges, effectively blocking the policy. These injunctions set the stage for a pivotal Supreme Court hearing focused not directly on the citizenship criteria but on the authority of federal judges to impose such broad injunctions.

Abby Van Sickle, Supreme Court correspondent, explains:

“The Trump administration is arguing that these nationwide injunctions are an overreach, that they are too much power for one single federal judge to be able to block the executive branch's policies. On the other side, lawyers for attorneys general Offices and immigrant advocacy groups are expected to argue that this is an appropriate use of such a nationwide pause.” ([02:29])

The outcome of this case is poised to have far-reaching implications, potentially influencing the judiciary's power to check executive actions. With 15 nationwide injunctions issued in February alone, the Supreme Court's decision, anticipated next month, will be closely watched for its impact on future executive orders and judicial interventions.

Congressional Updates: The Big Beautiful Bill and HHS Secretary Cuts

Shifting focus to Congress, House Republicans have been actively pushing a substantial domestic policy package dubbed the "Big Beautiful Bill." This legislation seeks to extend and expand specific tax breaks, financed in part by scaling back programs like Medicaid, food stamps, and clean energy subsidies.

Tracy Mumford reports:

“The Medicaid overhaul in particular has drawn intense criticism from Democratic lawmakers and even some Republicans like Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, since it would force an estimated 8 million Americans off their insurance.” ([03:44])

The proposed cuts have sparked significant backlash, with figures like Senator Hawley voicing concerns over the potential loss of essential healthcare for millions of Americans. The bill's progression now hinges on garnering near-unanimous Republican support to pass the full House by the end of the following week.

In parallel, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has faced intense scrutiny over his drastic restructuring plans for the department. His initiatives include cutting 20,000 jobs — approximately a quarter of the workforce — and dissolving entire agencies. These moves have been met with accusations from Democratic lawmakers of undermining already funded health programs.

Bill responds to queries:

“If you appropriate me the funds, I'm going to spend them. We have in the...” ([05:16])

Tracy Mumford adds details:

“Kennedy defended the cuts, saying they were painful but necessary to address the federal deficit. He also tried to claim he had not fired, quote, any working scientists, even though hundreds of scientists from the National Institutes of Health, the FDA and the CDC have lost their jobs.” ([05:18])

These developments underscore the contentious debates surrounding federal budget allocations and the balance between fiscal responsibility and maintaining critical public health infrastructures.

Public Health: Overdose Deaths Plummet

Amidst these political upheavals, there is a silver lining in public health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new data indicating a significant reduction in drug overdose deaths, plummeting by nearly 30,000 last year. This marks the strongest evidence yet that the nation is making strides against one of its most pressing public health crises.

Tracy Mumford contextualizes:

“Addiction specialists say some of it is due to the illicit drug supply itself, like for example, some fentanyl on the street is getting weaker. But they also point to greater access to drug treatment and the widespread availability of medication to reverse overdoses.” ([05:26])

However, there is a controversial angle as some of the programs contributing to this decline are among those facing cuts under Secretary Kennedy’s plans. This juxtaposition raises questions about the long-term sustainability of progress made in combating overdose deaths amidst potential reductions in support programs.

High-Profile Trial: Sean Combs' Sex Trafficking Trial

The podcast also delves into the high-profile sex trafficking trial of music mogul Sean Combs, also known as Diddy or Puff Daddy. The trial has been marked by intense courtroom drama, particularly with the cross-examination of Cassie Ventura, the prosecution’s key witness.

Julia Jacobs, covering the trial, reports:

“She recounted wrenching descriptions of physical abuse, bruises on her body from that abuse and emotional descriptions about how she felt after the sexual encounters at the heart of the government's case. She used words like disgusting, humiliated. She said she felt empty after them.” ([06:52])

Cassie alleges that Combs engaged in abusive and non-consensual behavior, further claiming he blackmailed her with videos to maintain her silence. Combs has pleaded not guilty, maintaining that the encounters were consensual.

Julia Jacobs continues:

“Sean Combs is sitting between his lawyers. He has eight of them at this point. He often whispers to them, writes notes. He seems quite active in his own defense. And at the end of her testimony yesterday, according to my colleague, Combs turned around from where he was sitting, looked at his family and mouthed the words, 'I'm okay.'” ([07:32])

Defense lawyers are preparing to question Cassie, suggesting her allegations were financially motivated. Notably, Cassie had previously filed a civil suit against Combs in 2023, which settled for a reported $20 million.

Cultural News: Eurovision Coverage

Shifting to lighter news, the episode features coverage of Eurovision, the annual international song competition renowned for its flamboyant performances and diverse musical acts. Times culture reporter Alex Beckham Marshall provides an insightful analysis into what makes a Eurovision entry successful.

Alex Beckham Marshall shares:

“When we did our analysis, we realised that a lot of the winners feature folk music or feature folk instruments. So it really does help if you've got an accordion or two in there somewhere. And several of the acts this year do indeed have one.” ([08:45])

He emphasizes the importance of extraordinary staging over the song's intrinsic quality, illustrating that spectacle often trumps melody in capturing Eurovision’s audience. Highlighting this year's favorites, Alex points to Sweden's comedic troupe Kai, whose act combines humor with engaging elements like a fake sauna and vibrant dancers.

“The madness of the performance, the brilliance of the performance. Like this year's favourites, according to British gambling companies, is Sweden's act, who are a comedy troupe called Kai, who are singing a song about going to the sauna and when they perform it, they perform on stage in a fake sauna with sort of scantily clad dancers around them.” ([09:15])

Alex concludes by expressing hope that at least one Eurovision song becomes memorable, underscoring the event's blend of musicality and theatricality that captivates a global audience.

Conclusion

Tracy Mumford wraps up the episode by teasing upcoming topics, including the implications of President Trump's ongoing trade war with China on fast fashion and online shopping. The episode provides a comprehensive overview of pressing legal, political, public health, and cultural issues, enriched with expert insights and firsthand accounts, making it an indispensable update for listeners eager to stay informed.

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For more detailed discussions and updates, listen to "The Headlines" on the New York Times Audio app, available for download at nytimes.com/audioapp.

Transcript

[Tracy Mumford]

This podcast is supported by Charles Schwab. Decisions made in Washington can affect your portfolio every day, but what policy changes should investors be watching? Washington Wise is an original podcast from Charles Schwab that unpacks the stories making news in Washington right now and how they may affect your finances and portfolio. [e-mail] WashingtonWise from the New York Times, it's the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today's Thursday, May 15th. Here's what we're covering at the Supreme Court today, the justices will take up a case involving one of President Trump's most controversial policies, his executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. Since the 14th Amendment was passed more than a century ago, it's been broadly accepted that everyone born in the US Is a citizen, regardless of their parents immigration status. But Trump has almost single handedly elevated what was considered a fringe theory that the children of undocumented immigrants don't qualify. It's something that had been quietly batted around by a conservative think tank in California for years before Trump brought it up on Fox News during his first campaign.

[Bill]

Because the 14th Amendment says if you're born here, you're an American and you can't kick Americans out. And then if you wanted to deport the people already here, each and every one are entitled to due process. You must know all that. Bill, I think you're wrong about the 14th Amendment. And frankly, the whole thing with anchor babies and the concept of anchor babies, I don't think you're right about that. I can quote it. You want me to quote you the amendment? If you're born here, you're an American. Period. Period. But there are many lawyers, many lawyers are saying that's not the way it is.

[Tracy Mumford]

While Trump didn't challenge birthright citizenship in his first term, on day one of this term he signed his executive order, setting off a tsunami of legal pushback. Federal judges quickly blocked the order nationwide with injunctions, teeing up a legal fight that will now go before the justices. Today's arguments won't tackle Trump's theory about citizenship head on. They'll be centered instead on whether federal judges have the right to block his order.

[Abby Van Sickle]

The question for the court today is does one federal judge have the power to freeze a policy for the entire.

[Tracy Mumford]

My colleague Abby Van Sickle covers the Supreme Court.

[Abby Van Sickle]

The Trump administration is arguing that these nationwide injunctions are an overreach, that they are too much power for one single federal judge to be able to block the executive branch's policies. On the other side, lawyers for attorneys general Offices and immigrant advocacy groups are expected to argue that this is an appropriate use of such a nationwide pause. Because if a federal judge were to only block this for part of the country, that you would have a patchwork of policies, in this case a patchwork of birthright citizenship policies throughout the country.

[Tracy Mumford]

Abby says that the outcome of this case could have profound consequences for any legal efforts to push back on President Trump's stream of executive orders. In February alone, judges issued 15 nationwide injunctions against the administration. The court's decision will likely come next month. Now a few quick updates on Congress.

[Bill]

The American people are counting on us to get this done and get it done quickly, and we are on target to do it.

[Tracy Mumford]

House Republicans pulled an all nighter this week to push forward a major domestic policy package that President Trump has labeled the the big Beautiful bill. The bill would extend and expand certain tax breaks and pay for that in part by making cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and subsidies for clean energy. The Medicaid overhaul in particular has drawn intense criticism from Democratic lawmakers and even some Republicans like Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, since it would force an estimated 8 million Americans off their insurance. These are working people and their children.

[Bill]

Who need health care and it's just.

[Tracy Mumford]

Wrong to go and cut their health care when they're trying to make ends meet, trying to make sure that they're able to provide for their families. So I hope that the House, the legislation will now go to the full House, where GOP leaders are hoping to get it passed by the end of next week, though they'll need the support of almost every Republican to do so. Also On Capitol Hill, Mr. Secretary, how many employees have been let go so far?

[Bill]

Excuse me?

[Tracy Mumford]

How many employees have been let go so far?

[Alex Beckham Marshall]

From your.

[Bill]

About 10,000 took the fork in the road.

[Tracy Mumford]

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Faced fierce questions from House and Senate committees yesterday about his drastic revamp of the department. Kennedy's plans have included cutting 20,000 jobs, which is one quarter of the workforce, and collapsing entire agencies. Democratic lawmakers accused him of undermining health programs Congress had already funded.

[Bill]

If you appropriate me the funds, I'm.

[Tracy Mumford]

Going to spend them. We, we have, we have in the.

[Bill]

Bill you are cutting the NIH by $18 billion.

[Tracy Mumford]

Kennedy defended the cuts, saying they were painful but necessary to address the federal deficit. He also tried to claim he had not fired, quote, any working scientists, even though hundreds of scientists from the National Institutes of Health, the FDA and the CDC have lost their jobs. Meanwhile, Kennedy's testimony came the Same day that the CDC released new data on drug overdose deaths in the U.S. it shows deaths plummeted by nearly 30,000 last year, the strongest sign yet that the country has made progress against one of its biggest public health crises. Addiction specialists say some of it is due to the illicit drug supply itself, like for example, some fentanyl on the street is getting weaker. But they also point to greater access to drug treatment and the widespread availability of medication to reverse overdoses. Some of Kennedy's proposed cuts include programs many believe contributed to the drop in overdoses. Foreign Manhattan. The sex trafficking trial of Sean Combs, the music mogul known as Diddy and Puff Daddy will resume this morning with the cross examination of the prosecution's star witness. The singer Cassandra Ventura, known as Cassie, has spent the last two days describing often violent and graphic details from her years long relationship with Combs.

[Julia Jacobs]

She recounted wrenching descriptions of physical abuse, bruises on her body from that abuse and emotional descriptions about how she felt after the sexual encounters at the heart of the government's case. She used words like disgusting, humiliated. She said she felt empty after them.

[Tracy Mumford]

My colleague Julia Jacobs is covering the trial. She says Cassie's been testifying about the drug fueled episodes that Combs called freak offs. Cassie claims that Combs also blackmailed her with videos of the encounters to keep her quiet. Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and claimed the encounters were consensual.

[Julia Jacobs]

You know, Sean Combs is sitting between his lawyers. He has eight of them at this point. He often whispers to them, writes notes. He seems quite active in his own defense. And at the end of her testimony yesterday, according to my colleague, Combs turned around from where he was sitting, looked at his family and mouthed the words, I'm okay.

[Tracy Mumford]

Combs lawyers are set to start questioning Cassie today. The defense has suggested she's tried to use her accounts of violence to get money from Combs in the past. She filed a civil suit against him in 2023 alleging abuse. They reached a settlement in one day. She revealed on the stand yesterday that the settlement was for $20 million. And finally.

[Alex Beckham Marshall]

Eurovision is the. How do I put it? Eurovision is probably the most ridiculous television spectacle in the world. It's an event held every year where dozens of countries submit a singer to represent them on the world stage.

[Tracy Mumford]

Times culture reporter Alex Beckham Marshall is covering Eurovision this year, the highly campy singing competition that is also the most watched cultural event on the planet. It's got a long and storied history. Back in the 70s, it helped launch the Swedish pop sensation Abba. It's also highlighted some lesser known acts, like the heavy metal dance act from Croatia known as Baby Lasagna. Tonight, there's a semifinal ahead of Eurovision's grand finale this Saturday in Switzerland.

[Alex Beckham Marshall]

I'm heading to Eurovision, so as part of my preparation for that, I've been looking back through the past 25 years winners to work out what it takes to actually win. There are some musical things that do help. When we did our analysis, we realised that a lot of the winners feature folk music or feature folk instruments. So it really does help if you've got an accordion or two in there somewhere. And several of the acts this year do indeed have one. And what I think I've ultimately decided is you need to have amazing staging. I mean, the Beatles could have been on stage singing hey Jude and they wouldn't have stood a chance in Eurovision if it was just them standing in suits playing away. What they would have needed would have been barrel loads of pyrotechnics going off around them, maybe a piano burning on stage, maybe a man in a hamster wheel inexplicably spinning behind them. To a lot of viewers, the song is almost irrelevant. It's the madness of the performance, the brilliance of the performance. Like this year's favourites, according to British gambling companies, is Sweden's act, who are a comedy troupe called Kai, who are singing a song about going to the sauna and when they perform it, they perform on stage in a fake sauna with sort of scantily clad dancers around them. You know what? I hope if you do tune into Eurovision this year, I really hope at least one song gets stuck in your head. And if you believe the betting firms, it will be Sweden's Kai with Baru Barabasta. The song about saunas, you know, that does tick all our boxes for what makes a great Eurovision hit. It's a spectacle. It has an accordion and it's got an amazing, catchy chorus.

[Tracy Mumford]

Those are the headlines today on the Daily what President Trump's ongoing trade war with China means for fast fashion and online shopping. That's next in the New York Times audio app, where you can listen wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Tracy Mumford. We'll be back tomorrow.