← The Headlines
The Headlines
Fed Governor Tells Trump ‘I Will Not Resign,’ and Israeli Strikes Kill 5 Journalists
00:09:26
Plus, a Hitchcock star re-emerges.
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From the New York Times, it's the Headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today's Tuesday, August 26th. Here's what we're covering. In an extraordinary and legally dubious move, President Trump announced that he's firing Lisa Cook, one of the Fed's governors, effective immediately. Trump justified the firing by saying that Cook had engaged in, quote, deceitful and potentially criminal conduct, pointing to allegations that she'd falsified records to get a better mortgage rate for herself. By law, the president can fire Fed governors if he can show cause, typically defined as professional neglect or wrongdoing. But Cook hasn't been charged with or convicted of any crime. And while she said she's willing to answer, quote, any legitimate questions about her financial history, she released a statement saying she will not step down. Over the last few months, Cook has consistently voted not to lower interest rates, even when the President has demanded that. Economic experts warn that Trump firing her could undermine the independence of the central bank and shake trust in an institution at the heart of the US Economy. The showdown between Cook and Trump is now likely to head to the courts, setting the stage for a landmark legal battle that could define the limits of the president's power. Cook's firing also fits into an emerging pattern of retribution from the administration.
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In President Trump's America, we're not going to have mortgage fraud. It doesn't matter who you are, whether you're a Republican or a Democrat.
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In the days leading up to the firing, the accusations of fraud against her were amplified on TV and social media by Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, who has also aggressively targeted other people Trump sees as political enemies.
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And whether it's the Schiff case or the Letitia James case or this case or all the other cases that we refer this, Cook one is not going away. And she can laugh all she wants, but the law will catch up with her.
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Pulte has leveled similar mortgage fraud accusations against Senator Adam Schiff and New York's Attorney General, Letitia James. In southern Gaza Yesterday, shortly after 10am The Israeli military launched a strike hitting the facade of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, one of the territory's few remaining hospitals. Footage from the scene shows people rushing to the site, journalists and rescue workers who scrambled into the wreckage. Then, just minutes later, a second Israeli strike hit the same part of the hospital. Smoke and dust were everywhere, and one hospital official told the Times, quote, all we could hear were screams. In all, the strikes killed at least 20 people, including first responders, patients, medical staff, and five journalists. When militaries strike the same target twice in quick succession, it's known as a double tap. Rights groups have condemned that kind of attack, since people who rush to the scene to help often become victims themselves. The Israeli military didn't respond to questions about whether it had intentionally used that tactic, and it hasn't said who or what the strikes were targeting. But in a rare statement of regret, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attack a tragic mishap. The military said it will investigate the strikes, though in a joint letter, Reuters and the Associated Press, who employed journalists killed in the attack, wrote that when the Israeli military has carried out past investigations into its own conduct, they, quote, rarely result in clarity and action. The war in Gaza has been one of the deadliest conflicts for journalists anywhere in the world. Since the beginning of the war, almost 200 have been killed, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. The group has accused Israel of a deliberate effort to kill and silence reporters. Now, two updates on other stories we've been following. Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the immigrant the US Wronged, thankfully deported to El Salvador this spring, then brought back, is once again in US Custody. He was detained after he showed up at an ICE office yesterday in Baltimore for what was supposed to be an immigration check in. Clearly, that was false, his lawyer said. Shame. Shame. A crowd of supporters outside the office began booing and chanting Shame. After he was taken into custody. The Trump administration previously claimed Abrego Garcia was a violent gang member. Since he was brought back to the U.S. he's been charged with human smuggling, and the government has now indicated it wants to redeport him, this time to Uganda. For the moment, a judge has barred that. She made that extremely clear in court, given the Justice Department's history of flouting judicial orders in the case, telling the government that it is, quote, absolutely forbidden at this juncture to remove Mr. Abrego Garcia from the continental United States. And with more than 2200 troops now on the ground in D.C. president Trump is paving the way for deployments across the country. Yesterday, he signed an executive order formalizing the creation of specially trained National Guard units in all 50 states that could be mobilized quickly for, quote, ensuring the public safety and order. It would be a major expansion of the National Guard's role in law enforcement. In recent days, Trump has openly talked about sending Guard troops to the streets of Chicago and other cities, led by Democrats In North Korea, the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, facing pressure from international sanctions and in need of cash, has turned to an Unexpected industry tourism. The Times got access to footage from a few recent visitors to the authoritarian country, including a Russian woman on vacation, a Swedish runner there for the Pyongyang marathon, and a Chinese student. What they captured shows how North Korea is trying to recreate all the staples of capitalism, enticing people to eat, drink and shop, even while the average North Korean earns as little as $1000 a year. Footage from a gleaming shopping mall shows a clear copy of Starbucks just without the logo. And there's a home goods store there with a layout identical to Ikea. The government also opened a brand new beach resort this summer with staff standing by to serve guests every need. Dubbed North Korea's Waikiki, the whole complex is decked out. There are sleek new hotel rooms, Jet skis to ride, an American beer to drink. There's even a colorful new water park. Kim was there to celebrate its opening, watching people zip down the slides while he sat just out of the splash zone. For North Korea, part of the hope is that this push will bring in foreign money. One of the visitors said he paid for things in US Dollars. But analysts say it also presents a dilemma for Kim. Opening the country to tourists will inevitably bring in news and other outside influences, which could undermine Kim's totalitarian grip on information, a key part of maintaining his power. And finally, back in the 1950s, Kim Novak was one of the biggest movie stars out there. She was the top box office draw three years running. She's probably most famous for starring in Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece, Vertigo. I just want to be with you as much as I can, Judy. But Novak then stepped away from Hollywood almost entirely for the last 60 years. Now this weekend, at 92 years old, she's coming back to the spotlight. She'll be at the Venice Film Festival to receive a lifetime achievement award. A new documentary about her life will also premiere at the festival. And Sydney Sweeney is going to play her in a new movie. The Times talked Novak recently from her home in Oregon. Explaining her decision to step away from film, she said, quote, I'm a very independent person who needs to express myself in my way, in my time. I'm willing to compromise, but I'm not willing to be someone I'm not. The director of the Venice Film Festival compared her to Marilyn Monroe, where Monroe died tragically at the height of her fame. Novak, quote, stepped away just in time, retreating into private life. Novak told the Times that at her age, she normally wouldn't consider going to Venice to except for the award. Quote, it's like a door is sort of opening by itself without me even touching it, and I just have to go and see what's behind it. Those are the headlines today on the Daily why so many Americans are obsessed with loading up on protein. You can listen to that in the New York Times app or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Tracy Mumford. We'll be back tomorrow.