Congress Budget Vote, Trump Speaks At DOJ, Federal Workers Reinstated

Summary

Up First from NPR – March 14, 2025

NPR's Up First delivers the three most important stories of the day with in-depth reporting and analysis. In this episode, hosts Steve Inskeep and Layla Fadel explore the contentious Congress budget vote, President Donald Trump's rare speech at the Department of Justice, and significant judicial rulings affecting federal workers.

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1. Congress Budget Vote: A Battle to Prevent a Government Shutdown

Overview: The Republican-controlled House of Representatives recently passed a spending bill aimed at keeping the government operational through the end of September. This bill maintains most funding levels but increases defense spending and cuts allocations for the District of Columbia, among other adjustments. The passage of this bill is crucial to avoiding a government shutdown, but it hinges on securing Republican support in the Senate, where Democrats hold the balance.

Democratic Dilemma: Senate Democrats face a critical decision: support the Republican bill to prevent a shutdown or oppose it, risking the cessation of vital government services. This decision is further complicated by internal divisions within the Democratic Party.

Key Insights from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: NPR congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh interviews Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) to delve into the Democrats' stance on the spending bill.

• Likelihood of a Shutdown: AOC expresses cautious optimism, stating, "It does not look like we are heading towards a shutdown" (02:48).

• Democratic Opposition and Strategy: Despite general disapproval, she anticipates that enough Democrats may side with Republicans to pass the bill, even as many remain opposed. "Most will vote against it, but we expect enough will join Republicans to get it through" (03:38).

• Internal Party Tensions: AOC highlights the frustration within the Democratic ranks, noting, "There is a deep sense of outrage and betrayal" (04:51). Top Democratic leaders have publicly opposed the bill, emphasizing the party's reluctance to support legislation crafted without their input.

Quotes:

• "A shutdown would give Donald Trump and Elon Musk carte blanche to destroy vital government services at a significantly faster rate than they can right now." – Layla Fadel (03:19)
• "The Democratic base is really angry about how President Trump and Elon Musk have been slashing the federal government." – AOC (04:12)

Conclusion: The upcoming Senate vote is pivotal. While Republicans control key chambers and the White House, they require Democratic votes to achieve the necessary majority. The tension within the Democratic Party underscores the complexity of balancing party unity with pragmatic governance to prevent a government shutdown.

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2. President Trump’s Rare Speech at the Department of Justice: Implications and Reactions

Overview: In an unprecedented move, President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver a speech at the Department of Justice (DOJ), marking a significant departure from the norm where presidents typically maintain a distance from the department to preserve its independence.

Historical Context:

• Rarity of Presidential Addresses at DOJ: Layla Fadel explains, "It's a pretty rare thing. Biden never did it. Trump didn't do it in his first term" (06:08). Since 2000, only four presidents have addressed the DOJ directly, highlighting the unusual nature of Trump’s decision.

Content and Themes: Trump's speech is expected to focus on themes of "law and order," emphasizing the removal of violent criminals and criticizing what he perceives as the politicization of the justice system. He aims to assert his influence over federal agents and prosecutors, challenging the long-standing norm of departmental independence.

Justice Department Turmoil: Layla Fadel provides an overview of the tumultuous changes within the DOJ under Trump's administration:

• Mass Firings and Replacements: The administration has dismissed thousands of federal employees, including prosecutors involved in investigations deemed unfavorable to Trump.
• Alleged Retaliation: These actions are framed by the administration as efforts to end the "weaponization" of the DOJ, but critics argue they constitute retaliation against legitimate legal processes.
• Impact on the DOJ: The purge has led to the resignation of over half a dozen veteran prosecutors, undermining the department's effectiveness and credibility.

Quotes:

• "The White House is unamused by all of this. A single judge is attempting to unconstitutionally seize the power of hiring and firing from the executive branch." – Government spokesman (10:52)
• "President Trump has been extremely critical of the Justice Department over the years. So it's going to be interesting to see what he has to say" – Steve Inskeep (08:51)

Expectations and Reactions: Given Trump's antagonistic stance toward the DOJ, the reception of his speech is anticipated to be contentious. The administration's aggressive restructuring of the department has already sparked significant backlash, including the resignation of top prosecutors and legal challenges to the mass firings.

Conclusion: President Trump's decision to address the DOJ signals a potential shift in the perceived autonomy of federal legal institutions. His rhetoric and actions suggest an intent to reshape the department's role and personnel in alignment with his administration's objectives, raising concerns about the erosion of institutional independence and the rule of law.

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3. Judicial Rulings Mandate Reinstatement of Thousands of Federal Workers

Overview: Two federal judges have ruled that the Trump administration's mass firings of federal employees were likely unlawful, ordering the reinstatement of thousands of workers across various departments. These rulings address firings that predominantly affected probationary employees within their first one to two years of service.

Details of the Rulings:

• San Francisco Case: District Judge William Alsup condemned the mass firings as deceptive, stating, "It's a sad day when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance, when they know good and well that that is a lie" (10:01). He criticized the administration for orchestrating terminations without legitimate performance issues, labeling the actions as a "sham."

• State Attorneys General Case: A second ruling by an unnamed judge halted the firings for 14 days, pending further legal proceedings. This case involved Democratic state attorneys general who argued that the firings were overreaches of executive power.

Government's Defense: The Trump administration contended that individual agencies had the authority to handle their own personnel decisions and that the firings were justified. However, the judiciary found these arguments unconvincing, noting inconsistencies and potential abuses of power.

Impact on Federal Agencies: The mass firings have led to significant disruptions within federal departments, resulting in a loss of institutional knowledge and capacity. Plaintiff attorneys have described the effect as making agencies "Swiss cheese," with critical gaps in operations and services.

Quotes:

• "These workers were lied to about why they were fired." – Judge William Alsup (10:01)
• "The idea there is that firing workers for bad performance made it easier to fire them. But it wasn't true." – Caroline Levitt (10:46)
• "You understand the government has a right to do a reduction in force, but it has to follow the law." – Judge in second case (11:45)

Federal Workers' Plight: Federal employees affected by the firings have expressed frustration and uncertainty. Many, despite being longtime federal workers, were on probationary status, often due to recent promotions or new roles. The abrupt terminations have left workers seeking alternative employment or pursuing legal avenues for reinstatement.

Timeline for Reinstatement: While the judges have ordered the reinstatement of these employees, practical implementation faces delays. "Don't count on this. The government's been dragging its feet with some of these orders," advises employment attorney Michelle Berkovich to affected workers (12:44).

Conclusion: These judicial rulings signify a pushback against executive overreach in federal personnel management. The orders to reinstate thousands of federal workers aim to restore stability and ensure that firings adhere to legal standards. However, the path to full reinstatement remains fraught with bureaucratic delays and ongoing legal battles, prolonging uncertainty for impacted employees.

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Closing Remarks

In this episode, Up First highlights the intricate dynamics within Congress as Democrats navigate the precarious budget vote, the unprecedented implications of President Trump's DOJ speech, and the judiciary's intervention to protect federal employees from potentially unlawful terminations. These developments underscore the ongoing tensions between legislative actions, executive policies, and judicial oversight in shaping the functioning of the U.S. government.

Stay informed by subscribing to Up First and supporting your local NPR station at donate.npr.org.

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Note: Timestamps are referenced from the transcript provided and correspond to the moments when the quotes were made.

Transcript

[Steve Inskeep]

The Senate Democratic leader now backs a Republican bill to fund the government.

[Layla Fadel]

A shutdown would give Donald Trump and Elon Musk carte blanche to destroy vital government services.

[Deirdre Walsh]

We hear his case for a bill he hates.

[Steve Inskeep]

I'm Steve Inskeep with Layla Fadel. And this is up first from NPR News. Past presidents kept some distance from the Justice Department to avoid the appearance of political interference. Today, President Trump delivers a speech there on what he says is law and order. What are his orders to federal agents and prosecutors?

[Deirdre Walsh]

Two federal judges say the Trump administration may have broken the law when they dismiss thousands of federal employees. But will they permanently get their jobs back? You have a huge loss of institutional knowledge. It's just decimated the government. Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

[Ryan Lucas]

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[Chris Arnold]

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[Ryan Lucas]

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[Deirdre Walsh]

Out of money at the end of today.

[Steve Inskeep]

The Republican controlled House of Representatives passed a spending bill earlier this week that would keep the government open. It funds the government through the end of September with money mostly unchanged, except it raises defense spending and cuts money for the District of Columbia, among other things. It's written in a way that may give President Trump more leeway to make cuts of his own. Republicans need the votes from Democrats to get the bill through the Senate, leaving Democrats with the choice to support this bill. They hate or allow up government shutdown.

[Deirdre Walsh]

NPR congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh joins us now. Good morning.

[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]

Good morning.

[Deirdre Walsh]

Okay, so many Democrats had said they wouldn't vote yes on the spending bill to push back on these legally questionable government cuts. Is that still the case? Are they going to make good on that threat Is there going to be a shutdown?

[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]

It does not look like we are heading towards a shutdown. Democrats are not happy with this bill at all. It was written without their input, but enough are expected to join with Republicans to pass it later today. Since the House passed this bill largely along party lines on Tuesday, Senate Democrats have been debating and agonizing about what to do. Do they help Republicans avoid a shutdown or block the bill and trigger one? They say both options are terrible. Last night, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer argued a shutdown would be worse.

[Layla Fadel]

A shutdown would give Donald Trump and Elon Musk carte blanche to destroy vital government services at a significantly faster rate than they can right now.

[Deirdre Walsh]

Okay, so you say it looks like there won't be a shutdown. So do you expect most or all Democrats to follow suit and back the bill now?

[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]

No, most will vote against it, but we expect enough will join Republicans to get it through. Schumer declined to say how many, but his support does give undecided Democrats the COVID to vote yes. Republicans control the White House, the House, and the Senate, but they have a 53 seat majority in the Senate and you need 60 to get around a filibuster. They are going to need about eight Democrats to join them later today because one of their own, Republican Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, is planning to vote no.

[Deirdre Walsh]

Okay, so just walk us through why the Democrats have been and still are so divided on what to do here.

[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]

Right. It has been a, you know, intense discussions. The Democratic base is really angry about how President Trump and Elon Musk have been slashing the federal government. They want Democrats on Capitol Hill to use this one moment where they actually have some leverage in the minority to fight back. But, but since Schumer said last night he will vote for this bill, we're already seeing some major blowback from other Democrats. All three top House Democratic leaders put out a statement last night saying they remained strongly opposed to the bill. And New York Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez did not mince her words talking to NPR's Barbara Sprunt last night.

[Chris Arnold]

I think there is a deep sense.

[Layla Fadel]

Of outrage and betrayal.

[Chris Arnold]

And this is not just about progressive Democrats. This is across the board, the entire party.

[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]

She also said moderates in the House Democrats who won in Trump districts voted no on this. And she said today House Democrats are still going to urge Democrats to block this bill.

[Deirdre Walsh]

Okay, so what are Republicans saying about when we should expect this vote?

[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]

You know, it's Congress, so they always wait until the last minute. So we expect the vote on this bill later this afternoon. That obviously gives Congress just hours before the deadline. Republicans were gearing up for a message war if Democrats blocked the bill to label this a schumer shutdown.

[Deirdre Walsh]

That's NPR's Deirdre Walsh. Thank you, Deirdre.

[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]

Thank you.

[Deirdre Walsh]

President Trump is expected to make a short trip down Pennsylvania Avenue today to visit the Justice Department.

[Steve Inskeep]

Yeah, he's going to deliver a speech which the White House bills as being about law and order. Trump's visit comes at a turbulent time for the department, where Trump appointees have pushed out career officials at the department who they deem insufficiently loyal to the president.

[Deirdre Walsh]

NPR justice correspondent Ryan Lucas joins us now with more. Good morning, Ryan.

[Layla Fadel]

Good morning.

[Deirdre Walsh]

Okay, so how unusual is it for a president to deliver a speech at the Justice Department?

[Layla Fadel]

It's a pretty rare thing. Biden never did it. Trump didn't do it in his first term. In fact, I could only find four occasions that it has happened since 2000. Twice. President Obama did it. The first time was a speech about changes his administration was making to surveillance programs. The other time was at a farewell ceremony for his first attorney general. The other two instances were early in President George W. Bush's administration, one of them being a ceremony in 2001 to rename the department's headquarters after Robert F. Kennedy. So it is rare for a president to do this. Historically, presidents keep their distance from the Justice Department. There's been a norm for decades now, respected by both Republican and Democratic administrations, that the department should be independent and free from political interference. But President Trump has made clear that he has a very different idea about the relationship between the president and the Justice Department.

[Deirdre Walsh]

Yeah. So what do we expect to hear from the president in his speech?

[Layla Fadel]

Well, we heard a bit of it at the top. The White House says Trump is going to talk about restoring law and order, about removing violent criminals from communities and ending what the White House says is the weaponization of justice against Americans for their political leanings. And that last idea there is a central theme for Trump, his allies on the Hill and for his new Justice Department leadership. Trump, of course, argues that that he was unfairly targeted by federal prosecutors during the Biden administration. He has promised vengeance. The new Justice Department leadership talks a lot about ending the purported weaponization and politicization of the Justice Department in recent years, but at the same time, they have taken punitive action against non political career prosecutors and officials who worked on investigations or issues that Trump doesn't like.

[Deirdre Walsh]

Yeah, I mean, there's been quite the purge. Just recap some of the punitive actions we've seen.

[Layla Fadel]

Well, for one, the new department leadership has fired prosecutors who worked on the special counsel investigations into Trump, saying that those folks couldn't be trusted to implement the president's agenda. They have fired prosecutors who worked on the January 6th Capitol riot cases. They've demoted senior career prosecutors who worked cases involving Trump allies. The Justice Department frames this as ending weaponization, but critics say that these actions appear to be retaliation against folks who worked cases the president didn't like. Now, at the same time, the department has cut breaks for Trump allies. Critics point to the Justice Department's decision to dismiss corruption charges against the New York City mayor, Eric Adams. Adams has pledged to cooperate with Trump's immigration enforcement. More than a half dozen veteran Justice Department prosecutors resigned in protest. That includes the acting U.S. attorney in Manhattan, who said there was no good faith basis to drop the Adams case.

[Deirdre Walsh]

So with all of the things that have happened in the past few weeks, what sort of reception do you expect Trump to receive today?

[Steve Inskeep]

It's a good question.

[Layla Fadel]

You know, it's no secret, as we've said, that Trump has been extremely critical of the Justice Department over the years. So it's going to be interesting to see what he has to say, how he says it as he lays out his vision for the department in the very building that he has been so critical of.

[Deirdre Walsh]

NPR's Ryan Lucas, thank you, Ryan.

[Layla Fadel]

Thank you.

[Deirdre Walsh]

Two federal judges ordered government agencies to reinstate thousands of workers who were recently fired by the Trump administration.

[Steve Inskeep]

The judges say the mass firings were conducted in a way that appears to be illegal. All of the employees were on probationary status, meaning they were in their first year or two on the job for the most part. One ruling covers the departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Agriculture, Energy, Interior and Treasury, a lot of federal departments. The other case was brought by Democratic state attorneys general and covered even more agencies, but is just temporary.

[Deirdre Walsh]

We're joined now by NPR's Chris Arnold, who has been watching all of this. Hi, Chris.

[Caroline Levitt]

Hey, Layla.

[Deirdre Walsh]

Okay, so two rulings. Let's start with this case out of San Francisco. What did the judge say yesterday?

[Caroline Levitt]

The judge said a lot, actually. This is a dramatic hearing. This is District Judge William Alsup. And one thing he said is that these workers were lied to about why they were fired. He said, quote, it's a sad day when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance, when they know good and well that that is a lie. And the idea there Is that firing workers for bad performance made it easier to fire them. But it wasn't true. Many workers got glowing reviews from supervisors. They'd been doing a good job. We've spoken with some of these workers. The judge called the mass firing a sham to get around statutory requirements. And he said that the administration exceeded its authority by having one office in the government direct, so other agencies to just summarily fire all these workers.

[Deirdre Walsh]

Okay, so some strong language there from the judge. What was the government's argument? That these were legitimate firings.

[Caroline Levitt]

Right. The government argued that agencies made their own decisions, the firings were proper. But the judge again said, quote, you know, I tend to doubt that you're telling me the truth at that point. The White House is unamused by all of this. White House press secretary Caroline Levitt said in a statement, quote, a single judge is attempting to unconstitutionally seize the power of hiring and firing from the executive branch. The administration has now appealed, but now it's not a single judge. Last night, this ruling came down. The second case. The judge sided with democratic state attorneys general. They put a 14 day stay in place on these mass firings. The government there had argued that the states didn't have standing and hadn't been harmed by the firings. Interestingly though, we should say both judges said, look, we understand the government has a right to do a reduction in force, but it has to follow the law.

[Deirdre Walsh]

You know, Chris, this has been so chaotic for federal workers and it's been an ongoing fight that's really impacting their lives. What are you hearing from them when you speak to them?

[Caroline Levitt]

I mean, one thing I've been struck by is that these are not all new hires. I mean, these are probationary workers. But a lot of them have been working in an agency for 10 years, say, and they're probationary because they just got a new job that they just got promoted. I talked to an employment attorney, Michelle Berkovich, about this. She's. She's working on another effort to reinstate workers.

[Deirdre Walsh]

I've looked at data from about 10,000 terminated employees, and what's very clear is.

[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]

That you have everyone from the director.

[Deirdre Walsh]

Or deputy director to the student intern. So you have a huge loss in institutional knowledge. It's just decimated the government.

[Caroline Levitt]

And the plaintiff's attorneys in the case say the firings have made Swiss cheese of some of these agencies.

[Deirdre Walsh]

Okay, so now the judges ordered these workers to be reinstated. Is that going to happen right away?

[Caroline Levitt]

Well, the judge in the SF San Francisco case said immediately, Berkovich is saying, don't count on this. The government's been dragging its feet with some of these orders. She's telling workers, look, if you're looking for another job or trying some kind of appeal, just keep doing that.

[Deirdre Walsh]

NPR's Chris Arnold. Thank you, Chris.

[Caroline Levitt]

Thanks, Layla.

[Deirdre Walsh]

For your next listen this weekend on the Sunday Story, eneas Baba is NPR's eyes and ears on the ground in Gaza. Since the start of the war, he has sent dispatches from hospitals, displacement camps and bomb sites with little more than a cell phone.

[Caroline Levitt]

Wherever you put your eye to the.

[Deirdre Walsh]

Horizon, it's the same destruction everywhere. Annas tells the Sunday story what it's like to live through this war as he covers it for NPR. That's this Sunday right here in the Upverse PODC. And that's a first for Friday, March 14th. I'm Layla Falden.

[Steve Inskeep]

And I'm Steve Inskeep. Up first comes your way on Saturdays. Aisha Roscoe and Scott Simon have the news, which you will find wherever you get your podcast.

[Deirdre Walsh]

And today's episode of up first was edited by Kelsey Snell, Anna Yukonanov, Ben Swayze, Alice Wolfley and Mohammed Zadvardisi. It was produced by Ziad Buch, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Nisha Hyness. Our technical director is Carly Strange, and our executive producer is Jay Shaylor. Join us again on Monday.

[Chris Arnold]

This message comes from Bombas. Their slippers are designed with cushioning so every step feels marshmallowy soft. Plus, for every item purchased, Bombas donates to someone in need. Go to bombas.com NPR and use code NPR for 20% off your first order. This message comes from Mint Mobile. Mint Mobile took what's wrong with wireless and made it right. They offer premium wireless plans for less and all plans include high speed data, unlimited talk and text, and nationwide coverage. See for [e-mail] Switch this message comes from Bombas. Nearly 30% of marathoners end their race blistered. Bombus running socks are strategically cushioned to help. Say bye to blisters. Run to bombas.com NPR and use code NPR for 20% off your first purchase.