U.S. Shutdown Begins, and Trump Tells Military to Use U.S. Cities as ‘Training Grounds’

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Headlines

Host: Tracy Mumford (The New York Times)
Episode: U.S. Shutdown Begins, and Trump Tells Military to Use U.S. Cities as ‘Training Grounds’
Date: October 1, 2025

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Overview

This episode centers on two major breaking stories in the United States: the onset of a federal government shutdown and an unprecedented, highly politicized military speech led by President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Additional segments cover pharmaceutical pricing reforms, political appointments, a major First Amendment ruling, new artificial intelligence regulations, and the release of a famed Italian cookbook’s English translation.

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Main Topics & Key Insights

1. U.S. Government Shutdown

(Segment starts: 00:44)

• Deadlock at Midnight:
  The U.S. government officially shut down at 12:01am after the Senate failed to pass a spending bill due to a partisan stalemate.

  • Democrat Priorities: Extend health care subsidies set to expire, potentially impacting 4 million people's coverage and raising costs for 20 million more.
  • Republican Critique: Republicans accuse Democrats of holding the budget hostage for political priorities.
    • "Democrats, as we know, are pushing us towards a government shutdown. Four million people are about to lose coverage and our Republican colleagues want to do nothing about it." — Pete Hegseth [00:58]

• Immediate Impacts:

  • Hundreds of thousands of federal employees furloughed.
    • 89% of EPA, 87% of Education, 62% of State Department furloughed.
  • Essential services (USPS, Social Security) continue.
  • Air travel largely unaffected, for now.
  • National parks remain open, subject to change as shutdown persists.
  • Many federal law enforcement, military personnel, and air traffic controllers will work without pay.

• Political Tension and Strategy:

  • President Trump supports the shutdown as a means to cut Democratic-supported programs and lay off staff:
    • “[Trump said] a lot of good can come from shutdowns, saying it gave the White House an opportunity to lay off federal workers who are Democrats, and cut programs Democrats support.” — Tracy Mumford [02:11]
  • Senate expected to reconvene for another vote later in the day.

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2. Trump’s Military Address at Quantico

(Segment starts: 03:34)

• Highly Unusual Gathering:
  Top generals and admirals summoned on short notice, sparking speculation about mass firings or dramatic policy directives.

  • Instead: Campaign-style speeches loaded with culture war themes.

• Defense Secretary Hegseth’s Speech:

  • Criticism of military “wokeness,” ending DEI offices, and re-emphasizing a “war fighting mentality.”
    • “No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses, no more climate change worship… we are done with that shit.” — Pete Hegseth [04:22]
  • Claims (without evidence) that prior standards became too lax due to “racial and gender quotas.”

• Trump’s Speech:

  • “Rambling and sometimes incoherent” per Tracy Mumford.
  • Focused on crime in U.S. cities, suggesting military intervention domestically for training:
    • “They’re very unsafe places and we’re going to straighten them out one by one and this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room. That’s a war too.” — Trump [05:09]
    • Trump told Hegseth the military should use U.S. cities as “training grounds.” [05:22]
  • The speeches were met with silence; Pentagon leadership had warned attendees not to react, upholding military apolitical norms.
  • Notable critique: A retired Major General condemned the use of military time to hear “bragging about pull-ups” and “partisan gripes.”

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3. Trump Administration Updates

(Segment starts: 06:14)

• Prescription Drug Pricing Deal:

  • Pfizer CEO and Trump announce agreement to lower Medicaid prices for many drugs, with new U.S. drugs priced similarly to the EU.
    • “The big winner of this deal clearly will be the American public.” — Pete Hegseth [06:14]
  • Hopes to address U.S.-EU price disparities for brand-name medications.
  • Similar agreements with other drug makers rumored, not confirmed.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics Nomination Withdrawn:

  • Trump administration pulls nomination of E.J. Antoni after bipartisan criticism over his political bias and lack of statistical expertise.
  • No public explanation from the White House.

• First Amendment Ruling (Student Deportations):

  • Federal judge finds administration’s deportation threats against foreign students protesting for Palestinians violated the First Amendment.
  • Judge’s statement: Administration’s actions appeared intended “to strike fear into student protesters” and the detentions for mask-wearing were meant “to terrorize Americans into quiescence.” [approx. 08:30]
  • Judge does not immediately block further deportations, pending further hearings.

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4. New AI Regulation in California

(Segment starts: 09:05)

• Landmark Legislation Signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom:
  • Requires major tech companies to:
    • Disclose AI safety protocols and greatest risks.
    • Strengthen whistleblower protections.
  • Controversial “kill switch” provision was dropped after lobbying.
• National AI Regulation Trend:
  • 38 states enacted AI rules this year.
  • Tech companies push back, fearing burdensome regulatory patchwork.
  • Large tech firms planning political spending (PACs) to support pro-AI candidates.

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5. Culinary Culture: “The Talisman of Happiness” English Release

(Segment starts: 10:12)

• Classic Italian Cookbook Gets Full English Edition:
  • Historic Italian cookbook, long a staple in Italian homes, is finally translated completely after years of effort.
  • Editor’s motivation: “It took years of irrational behavior and I guess what you might call pure mania.”
  • Author’s great-nephew: “It wasn’t so much a legacy that she wanted, but the love that was expressed by cooking for your family.”

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “Democrats, as we know, are pushing us towards a government shutdown. Four million people are about to lose coverage and our Republican colleagues want to do nothing about it.”
  — Pete Hegseth, [00:58]

• “[Shutdowns give] the White House an opportunity to lay off federal workers who are Democrats, and cut programs Democrats support.”
  — Tracy Mumford (paraphrasing Trump), [02:11]

• “No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses, no more climate change worship… we are done with that shit.”
  — Pete Hegseth, [04:22]

• “What they’ve done to San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles. They’re very unsafe places and we’re going to straighten them out one by one and this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room. That’s a war too.”
  — Donald Trump, [05:09]

• Judge’s opinion on student deportations: “Strike fear into student protesters… tactic to terrorize Americans into quiescence.”
  — Tracy Mumford, summarizing federal judge, [approx. 08:30]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:44 — Shutdown begins: context and early impacts
• 03:34 — Trump and Hegseth at Quantico: Address to generals
• 06:14 — Drug pricing deal, Labor Bureau nomination withdrawal, student deportations ruling
• 09:05 — California’s new AI law and national tech regulatory trends
• 10:12 — Landmark Italian cookbook’s full English release

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Conclusion

This episode delivers urgent updates and sharp analysis on a historic U.S. government shutdown, President Trump’s controversial focus on deploying the military in American cities, bold regulatory changes on AI, pharmaceutical pricing reforms, and a high-profile First Amendment legal battle. It also closes on a lighter note with an iconic Italian cookbook’s English translation—a reminder of enduring culture amid political turbulence.

For deeper coverage, visit NYTimes.com.

Transcript

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[Tracy Mumford]

Experian from the New York Times, it's the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today's Wednesday, October 1st. Here's what we're covering.

[Republican Lawmaker]

Well, Mr. President, looks like we're going to have a shutdown.

[Tracy Mumford]

At 12:01am the US government shut down after the Senate deadlocked over spending.

[Pete Hegseth]

Democrats, as we know, are pushing us towards a government shutdown. Four million people are about to lose coverage and our Republican colleagues want to do nothing about it.

[Tracy Mumford]

Lawmakers spent the last hours before the deadline in back to back votes.

[Republican Lawmaker]

We only have 53 Republicans.

[Tracy Mumford]

Each party put forward their own measure to keep funding flowing.

[Republican Lawmaker]

We need seven Democrats to join with.

[Tracy Mumford]

Us, and each party blocked the others. Democrats say they're holding out for a deal that will extend health care subsidies that are about to expire. Without that, 4 million people are projected to lose coverage starting next year and insurance costs will go up for another 20 million. Republicans have accused the Democrats of holding government funding hostage. With no resolution in sight, the US has now entered its first federal shutdown since 2019. Back then, parts of the government closed for just over a month in a dispute between Democrats and President Trump over his demands to fund a border wall.

[Republican Lawmaker]

So when you shut it down, you have to do layoffs. So we'd be laying off a lot of people that are going to be very affected. And the Democrats, they're going to be Democrats.

[Tracy Mumford]

Yesterday, Trump told reporters a lot of good can come from shutdowns, saying it gave the White House an opportunity to lay off federal workers who are Democrats, and cut programs Democrats support. The White House budget director has already told agencies to execute their plans for an orderly shutdown. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been furloughed. That includes 89% of the Environmental Protection Agency, 87% of the Education Department, 62% of the state Department. Still, there are many key services that will continue pretty much uninterrupted if they're considered mandatory or are funded through another mechanism. The post office, for example, will keep delivering mail. Social Security benefits will keep going out. For now, flights are not expected to be affected, even though some FAA employees are furloughed. And there's still access to national parks, though all of that could change the longer the shutdown goes on. Some federal law enforcement officers, active duty troops and air traffic controllers have been deemed essential, so many will work without pay until funding is restored. For a more complete list of what will be affected and how, go to nytimes.com the Senate is expected to return to the Capitol today to vote again.

[Pete Hegseth]

In many ways, this speech is about fixing decades of decay. Foolish and reckless political leaders set the wrong compass heading and we lost our way. We became the woke department, but not anymore.

[Tracy Mumford]

Hundreds of the country's top generals and admirals were brought to Quantico, Virginia yesterday for an address from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump. The highly unusual meeting, which was only called last week, had set off rumors in the military. Officers had wondered if it was going to be about mass firings, a declaration of war on Venezuela, or a loyalty pledge to the president. It ended up being a campaign style event where both Hegseth and Trump criticized the state of the military and ticked through culture war talking points.

[Pete Hegseth]

No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses, no more climate change worship. As I've said before and will say again, we are done with that shit.

[Tracy Mumford]

Hegseth lectured the group on fitness, grooming and a quote, war fighting mentality, and without presenting any evidence, he said past leadership had lowered military standards to meet arbitrary racial and gender quotas. Hegseth said fixing that was a top priority, claiming the US Military had lost the ability to win wars. President Trump, meanwhile, gave a rambling and sometimes incoherent speech that returned to one of his frequent themes crime in US Cities.

[Republican Lawmaker]

What they've done to San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles. They're very unsafe places and we're going to straighten them out one by one and this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room. That's a war too.

[Tracy Mumford]

It's a war from within, trump said he told Hegseth the military should use US Cities as training grounds. In all, it was a highly politicized speech to a group of apolitical military commanders. Trump's comments were met with expressionless faces. Senior leadership at the Pentagon had warned the officers in attendance not to react or cheer in keeping with military norms. Some former military officers criticized the event. One retired army major general called out the cost of gathering the military leaders to hear Hegseth quote, brag about how many pull ups he can do and have Donald Trump sleepwalk through a list of partisan gripes. Now three more updates on the Trump administration.

[Pete Hegseth]

The big winner of this deal clearly will be the American pace. There is no doubt about it. They are the ones that will see significant impact in their ability to buy medicines.

[Tracy Mumford]

The CEO of the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer joined President Trump at the White House yesterday to announce it had agreed to lower the prices it charges state Medicaid programs for many of the medications it sells. The company also said it will price new drugs released in the US at levels comparable to what it charges countries in the eu. The announcement marked a step forward toward Trump's goal of equalizing prescription drug prices between the US and other wealthy nations where brand name drugs are on average three times cheaper. Senior administration officials said they'd reached similar agreements with other drug manufacturers but did not name them. Also, the White House withdrew its nomination for the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, E.J. antoni. President Trump fired the previous economist who held the spot after claiming the data was rigged when the agency's reports showed weaker hiring numbers. Trump then tapped Antoni, a conservative economist at the Heritage foundation, as her replacement. But economists and other experts from across the political spectrum raised concerns about Antoni's lack of experience and his history of distorting statistics to support political arguments. Last night, the White House confirmed it was withdrawing Antoni's nomination but offered no reason for the sudden change. And a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration violated the First Amendment by using the threat of deportation to systematically silence foreign students in the US who protested in support of Palestinians. The lawyers who brought the suit argued that the government detaining Mahmoud Khalil, Ramesa Azturk and others had ushered in panic on American college campuses with a chilling effect on academia. In a scathing 161 page opinion, the judge called out the administration's attempts to, quote, strike fear into student protesters and criticized ICE agents who detained some of the students for wearing masks, which he said was a tactic to terrorize Americans into quiescence. Despite the finding, the judge did not immediately block the government from attempting further deportations. He said he would weigh in more after another hearing at a later date. In response to the ruling, a State Department spokesman repeated claims that it had initiated deportations against people who were committing anti American acts or inciting violence and said, we will continue to revoke the visas of those who put the safety of our citizens at risk.

[Republican Lawmaker]

Foreign.

[Tracy Mumford]

California this week, governor Gavin Newsom signed into law, some of the most comprehensive rules in the country for companies who are developing artificial intelligence. The new law requires large tech firms to report what safety protocols they use in building their products and to publicly disclose the greatest risks posed by their technologies. The bill also strengthens whistleblower protections for employees who warn about potential dangers of AI. A previous version of the legislation had required companies to build in a kill switch that would stop the technology, but that was stripped out after a fierce lobbying campaign from the tech industry. Around the country, AI regulations are gaining momentum. This year alone, 38 states passed or enacted their own rules. Major Companies like Meta OpenAI and Google have tried to block that, saying the patchwork of state regulations puts too much of a burden on them. Last month, several Silicon Valley giants pledged up to $200 million to two new super PACs designed to help elect politicians friendly to AI and force out those they consider not supportive enough of the technology. And finally, for a century, Italian cooks have had a go to secret weapon in the kitchen. It's a cookbook packed with more than 2,000 recipes titled the Talisman of Happiness. Basically, if you think about how many American kitchens have a copy of Joy of Cooking in there, same thing. People still remember their grandma's copies that got used so much they're held together with rubber bands. But until now, the masterwork had never been available in English other than a watered down, abridged version from 1950. The cookbook editor who finally made it happen told the Times it took years of irrational behavior and I guess what you might call pure mania. It involved tracking down the great nephew of the original author, Adeboni. He gave his blessing, saying he grew up eating those dishes and remembered seeing his great aunt hunched over a typewriter working on the recipes. He said, quote, it wasn't so much a legacy that she wanted, but the love that was expressed by cooking for your family. Those are the headlines today on the Daily More on the government shutdown, including an interview with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. 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.