Suspected D.C. Shooter Charged, Trump vs. Harvard, SCOTUS Ruling On Agency Firings

Summary

Up First from NPR – May 23, 2025

NPR's "Up First" for May 23, 2025, delivers the three most significant news stories to start your day. This episode covers the charging of a suspect in the deadly Washington, D.C. embassy attacks, the Trump administration's contentious action against Harvard University regarding international student enrollment, and a pivotal Supreme Court ruling on presidential authority over independent agencies.

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1. Suspected D.C. Shooter Charged in Embassy Attack

Timeline: [00:02] – [06:08]

The Washington, D.C. community is reeling after a tragic attack targeting two Israeli Embassy employees. The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, has been formally charged with murder.

• Initial Reporting:

  • Amy Martinez reports at [00:02], "The man suspected of fatally shooting two Israeli Embassy employees in D.C. has been charged with murder."
  • Michelle Martin adds at [00:08], "He could still face additional charges. Police are investigating the killings as a possible hate crime."

• Details from NPR’s Jennifer Ludden:

  • At [02:47], Jennifer Ludden elaborates, "The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, flew from his home in Chicago to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. He declared a firearm in his checked luggage and attended a young diplomats' mixer at the Jewish museum three hours before the attack."
  • She continues, "From witness interviews and surveillance video, we have some pretty gruesome details. Rodriguez shot at the two victims from the back and kept firing repeatedly, even as one tried to crawl away. He then discarded his 9 mm handgun and told a police officer, 'I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza.'"

• Legal Proceedings and Investigations:

  • Michelle Martin questions the classification of the crime, stating at [03:37], "President Trump and others have called this an act of anti-Semitism. But so far, he has not been charged with a hate crime."
  • Jennifer Ludden responds, "Interim U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro mentioned that murder charges are just the beginning. Federal agents discovered Rodriguez admired a martyr who attacked the Israeli Embassy last year, and they are investigating further motivations."

• Impact on the Community:

  • The victims, Jeron Leszinski and Sarah Milgram, are mourned. Leszinski was planning to propose to Milgram next week [04:49], and Milgram had taken her embassy job to combat rising antisemitism through diplomacy [05:23].
  • The attack has heightened fears, leading DC's police chief to increase security around faith-based groups and community centers [05:48].

Notable Quote:

“Violence against anyone based on their religion is an act of cowardice.” – Andrea Hsu ([04:25])

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2. Trump Administration Revokes Harvard's Ability to Sponsor International Students

Timeline: [06:08] – [09:32]

In a significant strike against higher education, the Trump administration has revoked Harvard University's ability to sponsor international students, sparking confusion and concern within the academic community.

• Administration’s Action:

  • Michelle Martin introduces the story at [06:08], "The Trump administration has revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students for those already enrolled, creating significant uncertainty."
  • Alyssa Nadworny explains at [06:38], "Kristi Noem, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, sent a letter terminating Harvard's student exchange certification, preventing the university from sponsoring new visas and impacting current international students."

• Harvard's Response:

  • Harvard deems the action unlawful and retaliatory, threatening serious harm to both the university and the U.S. overall [07:11]. The institution is also suing over previous research funding cuts related to accusations of antisemitism [07:11].

• Impact on Students:

  • With nearly 7,000 international students at Harvard, the decision has left many anxious. A senior student from Canada expressed fears about graduating next week [07:55], while another third-year undergrad from Europe lamented the uncertainty of re-enrollment [08:42].
  • Amy Martinez shares a student's perspective at [07:55], "I'm very close to graduation. If I can't graduate, I really don't know what I would do if I'm unable to re-enroll in September here at Harvard."

• Broader Implications:

  • Shawn Carver of International House at UC Berkeley warns that Harvard could be "the canary in the coal mine," signaling potential threats to other institutions [08:26].
  • The U.S. hosts over a million international students who contribute more than $43 billion to the economy, making this a critical issue [08:42].

Notable Quote:

“I think Harvard is the canary in the coal mine as administration kind of uses them to test what they can and cannot do to influence public and private institutions.” – Shawn Carver ([08:26])

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3. Supreme Court Ruling on President Trump’s Authority to Fire Independent Agency Members

Timeline: [09:32] – [13:15]

In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that President Trump has the authority to fire members of independent agencies, specifically addressing the cases of Gwen Wilcox and Kathy Harris.

• Case Background:

  • Michelle Martin outlines the issue at [09:32], "In a 6 to 3 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court said President Trump can fire two members of independent agencies. For now, yeah."
  • Andrea Hsu details at [09:54], "Gwen Wilcox of the National Labor Relations Board and Kathy Harris of the Merit Systems Protection Board sued, claiming Trump lacked authority to fire them. Congress had stipulated that members can only be removed for cause."

• Lower Courts and Supreme Court Decision:

  • Initially, lower courts sided with Wilcox and Harris, citing the 1938 Humphrey's Executor decision that limits presidential authority over independent agencies [10:27].
  • However, Chief Justice John Roberts intervened, allowing their removal again [11:01].
  • The Supreme Court majority ruled that the Constitution grants the president the power to fire agency officials at will, with narrow exceptions, effectively overturning Humphrey's Executor [11:03].

• Dissent and Future Implications:

  • Justice Elena Kagan, in her dissent, criticized the use of the emergency docket to bypass established precedents, emphasizing the importance of agency independence [12:25].
  • She stated, "Our emergency docket, while fit for some things, should not be used to overrule or revise existing law."
  • The ruling is not final and may undergo further appeals, but it signals a shift in how independent agencies are overseen and their protection from presidential interference [13:11].

Notable Quote:

“This is not just someone's job. It's this very idea that Congress embraced when it created independent agencies… they will make sound judgments that benefit the public good.” – Justice Elena Kagan ([12:25])

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4. President Trump’s Cryptocurrency Venture Raises Conflict of Interest Concerns

Timeline: [13:24] – [14:16]

Adding to the day's headlines, President Trump hosted a private dinner for over 200 investors in his personal cryptocurrency venture, the Trump Meme coin, at his Virginia golf resort. The event has sparked questions about potential conflicts between his business interests and his role as president.

• Event Details:

  • Michelle Martin reports at [13:24], "President Trump dined with more than 200 investors in the Trump Meme coin, raising questions about commingling his business interests with his public office."
  • The White House responded, asserting that the president attended during personal time and clarified that no media were granted access [14:09].

• Public Reaction:

  • The use of the presidential seal at the event's lectern and the exclusive nature of the dinner without media presence have fueled scrutiny over ethical boundaries [13:24].

Notable Quote:

“Everything that's been going on has kind of changed my life plans.” – Sarah Milgram's friend, Israeli attorney Ayelet Rezin Bedor ([14:12])

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Conclusion

Today's episode of NPR's "Up First" provided in-depth coverage of critical issues affecting national security, higher education, presidential powers, and ethical standards in politics. From the tragic embassy attack and its implications for community safety, to the administration's aggressive stance on international education, and a Supreme Court decision reshaping executive authority, listeners are equipped with the essential information to understand today's complex landscape.

Stay informed with NPR's "Up First" for the news you need to start your day.

Transcript

[Amy Martinez]

The man suspected of fatally shooting two Israeli Embassy employees in D.C. has been charged with murder.

[Michelle Martin]

He could still face additional charges. Police are investigating the killings as a possible hate crime.

[Amy Martinez]

I'm Amy Martinez with Michelle Martin. And this is up first from NPR News. The Trump administration has opened a new front in its war against Harvard University by revoking the school's ability to sponsor international students. So how are current students affected?

[Alyssa Nadworny]

I think this moment is not just about visas. It's about values.

[Michelle Martin]

And independent agencies like the Federal Reserve are supposed to be insulated from political influence. But the Supreme Court says President Trump is allowed to fire members of those agencies, at least for now. Stay with us. We've got the news you need to start your day.

[Amy Martinez]

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[Jake Kalik]

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[Amy Martinez]

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[Michelle Martin]

Suspected of killing two Israeli embassy employees outside a Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. has been charged with two counts of murder, among other crimes.

[Amy Martinez]

Law enforcement officials say they're continuing to investigate the attack as a possible hate crime.

[Michelle Martin]

NPR's Jennifer Ludden is with us now with the latest. Jennifer, good morning.

[Jennifer Ludden]

Good morning.

[Michelle Martin]

I understand that we now have a lot more information on what exactly happened so what can you tell us?

[Jennifer Ludden]

Yes, we do. We know now from the affidavit that the suspect, Elias Rodriguez, flew from his home in Chicago to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. That's the day before the attack. He declared a firearm in his checked luggage, and he bought a ticket to the event that was taking place at this Jewish museum three hours before it started. It was a mixer for young diplomats. From witness interviews and surveillance video, we also have some pretty gruesome details of the shooting. Law enforcement officials say Rodriguez shot at the two victims from the back and kept firing repeatedly, even as one of them tried to crawl away. He then discarded his 9 millimeter handgun. And eventually he went inside the museum and told a police officer that he had done this, saying, quote, I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza.

[Michelle Martin]

Yeah. And the Washington Post is also reporting that the gunman sat down indoors after the shooting as though he was fleeing the danger. A witness told the Post that somebody even got him a glass of water. So President Trump and others have called this an act of anti Semitism. But is that. Is it correct that so far he has not been charged with a hate crime?

[Jennifer Ludden]

That's right. Not at this point. But Jeanine Pirro, the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, told reporters that the murder charges and others are only the beginning. Federal agents raided Rodriguez's home in Chicago yesterday. They learned that he expressed admiration for a person who's self immolated in front of the Israeli Embassy here in D.C. last year. He described them as a martyr. And Pirro says investigators are going through massive amounts of evidence to learn what motivated him.

[Andrea Hsu]

Violence against anyone based on their religion.

[Jennifer Ludden]

Is an act of cowardice.

[Michelle Martin]

It is not an act of a hero.

[Andrea Hsu]

It is the kind of case that.

[Alyssa Nadworny]

We will vigorously pursue.

[Jennifer Ludden]

And she says, look, there's going to be additional charges as the evidence warrants.

[Michelle Martin]

Tell us more about the two people who were killed. They were a young couple. They both worked at the Israeli embassy. What else can you tell us about them?

[Jennifer Ludden]

It's really quite sad, Michelle. Israel's ambassador to the U.S. said Jeron Leszinski had bought an engagement ring. He was planning to propose to Sarah Milgram next week. They were going to be on a trip to Jerusalem. Leshinsky was a German and Israeli citizen. Milgram was American. She grew up in a Kansas City suburban. A friend of Milgram's, Israeli attorney Ayelet Rezin Bedor, told me she took the embassy job after Hamas attacked Israel a year and a half ago. She was already sensing a rise in antisemitism and she wanted to combat that.

[Alyssa Nadworny]

Not with violence or shoutings or verbal abuse, but in diplomacy, with love, with intelligence.

[Jennifer Ludden]

Razine Bator says it is a painful irony that Milgram lost her life in this way.

[Michelle Martin]

Finally, Jennifer, very briefly, obviously something like this heightens people's fears, obviously for many Jewish people, but others as well. Are officials saying something about that?

[Jennifer Ludden]

Absolutely. DC's police chief says there's going to be more law enforcement officers around faith based groups, schools and places like the Jewish Community center here.

[Michelle Martin]

That is NPR's Jennifer Ludden. Jennifer, thank you.

[Jennifer Ludden]

Thank you.

[Michelle Martin]

The Trump administration has revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students for students.

[Amy Martinez]

Who are already enrolled. The move is sowing confusion. This kind of makes us all very uneasy and sort of fearful and angry, honestly. The school, which has been in a months long back and forth with the president, says the government's actions are unlawful.

[Michelle Martin]

NPR's Alyssa Nadworny is covering this story and she's with us now to tell us more about it. Alyssa, good morning to you.

[Jennifer Ludden]

Good morning.

[Michelle Martin]

What exactly did the Trump administration do?

[Alyssa Nadworny]

So Kristi Noem, the US Secretary of Homeland Security, sent a letter to Harvard saying the administration is terminating Harvard's student exchange certification, which means the school can no longer sponsor student visas. That prevents Harvard from enrolling new students and pulls the rug out from under currently enrolled international students. In a statement, Noem says the administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, anti Semitism and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party. She encouraged current students to transfer and.

[Michelle Martin]

What has Harvard's response been?

[Alyssa Nadworny]

So in a statement, Harvard said the action was unlawful. They called it retaliatory and said it threatened serious harm to the Harvard community and our country. Harvard is already suing the Trump administration over research funding cuts related to accusations of anti Semitism on campus. And that trial is set to start in July.

[Michelle Martin]

What sort of impact does this have on Harvard and its student body?

[Alyssa Nadworny]

Well, the University has nearly 7,000 international students, roughly one fourth of the student body. We spoke to several of them. One senior from Canada told us she's worried about whether she'll be able to graduate next week. The students we talked to asked not to be named because they fear retaliation from the US government for speaking out. Another student at Harvard, a third year undergrad from Europe, told us he came to the US to study to be a professor.

[Amy Martinez]

I'm very close to graduation. I thought, you know, dang it, if this is the reason that I'm not going to be able to graduate, like I really have no idea what I would do if I were to get or if I were unable to re enroll in September here at Harvard.

[Michelle Martin]

Does this move have implications beyond Harvard?

[Alyssa Nadworny]

Well, it could. I talked with Shawn Carver about this. He's the executive director at International House at UC Berkeley.

[Amy Martinez]

I think Harvard is the canary in the coal mine as administration kind of uses them to test what they can and cannot do to influence public and private institutions.

[Alyssa Nadworny]

It could just be that the administration is having a spat with Harvard. But Carver says other institutions are fearful. Now, this isn't the first time that international students have been a target of this administration. Earlier this semester, the government revoked hundreds of student visas, but then reversed that decision.

[Amy Martinez]

I've been doing this for over 20 years, and this is probably the most difficult time for international students.

[Alyssa Nadworny]

And you know, Michelle, more than a million international students study at US Colleges and universities. They don't qualify for federal financial aid. And so for a lot of colleges, they represent a crucial financial lifeline. Carver says international student applications are way down. He says it's likely because students are looking at Europe, Asia, Canada for college. And that could ultimately have a big impact on the U.S. one report found last year, international students contributed more than $43 billion to the U.S. economy, not.

[Michelle Martin]

To mention their intellectual contributions. Right?

[Alyssa Nadworny]

Absolutely.

[Michelle Martin]

All right, that is NPR's Alyssa Nadhorny. Thanks for this, Alyssa.

[Alyssa Nadworny]

You bet.

[Michelle Martin]

In a 6 to 3 ruling, the U.S. supreme Court said President Trump can fire two members of independent agencies. For now, yeah.

[Amy Martinez]

It's not the final say on the matter, but it is an indication of how the Supreme Court views the extent of Trump's power.

[Michelle Martin]

NPR's Andrea Hsu is here to explain. Andrea, good morning.

[Andrea Hsu]

Good morning.

[Michelle Martin]

Could you just start by telling us who are these officials that Trump fired?

[Andrea Hsu]

Yeah. So Gwen Wilcox was a member of the National Labor Relations Board, and Kathy Harris sat on the Merit Systems Protection Board. That's the board that hears federal employee complaints. And they both sued, saying Trump did not have the authority to fire them. In fact, in creating their agencies, Congress wrote into law that members can only be fired for cause, like neglect of duty or malfeasance. But the Trump administration has been arguing that those restrictions on the president violate the Constitution. So that's the fight that's been playing out in the lower courts.

[Michelle Martin]

And what have the lower courts said?

[Andrea Hsu]

Well, there's already been a lot of ping ponging back and forth, Michelle. Initially, two judges found Wilcox and Harris's firings not only violated the law, but also ignored Supreme Court precedent. A case called Humphrey's executor from 90 years ago, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Congress could limit the president's power to remove members of independent agencies. And so Wilcox and Harris actually went back to work for a while. But the government appealed. There was some back and forth. And last month, Chief Justice John Roberts stepped in and allowed Trump to remove Wilcox and Harris again.

[Michelle Martin]

And now the entire Supreme Court has weighed in.

[Andrea Hsu]

Yeah. Yesterday, a majority of justices said they think Trump does have the authority to fire Wilcox and Harris. For now, anyway. They wrote that the Constitution gives the president the power to fire at will those officials who help him carry out his duties with only narrow exceptions. And they said Wilcox and Harris probably don't qualify for those exceptions.

[Michelle Martin]

Okay, so tell me more about this. Probably. Does that mean that this is not necessarily a definitive ruling?

[Andrea Hsu]

That's right. It's a stay while the appeals court weighs the merits of the case. To be clear, the Supreme Court hasn't yet heard arguments of this case. This order came out of what's known as the emergency docket, which conservatives have increasingly relied on to get quick decisions without a hearing. And this is something that liberal Justice Elena Kagan brought up in her dissent. She wrote, our emergency docket, well fit for some things, should not be used to overrule or revise existing law. Meaning Humphrey's executor. She said, what's that at stake here is not just someone's job. It's this very idea that Congress embraced when it created independent agencies that, you know, if their members are insulated from political pressure, that they will make sound judgments that benefit the public good. Now, in recent years, the court has been chipping away at this idea and at Humphreys executor. But in yesterday's decision, the conservative majority did carve out an exception for one independent agency, the Federal Reserve.

[Michelle Martin]

Okay, so what did they say about the Fed?

[Andrea Hsu]

Well, Wilcox and Harris had warned that if the court finds that Trump can fire them, that nothing can stop him from firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell. And in fact, Trump did threaten to fire Powell, which tanked the markets. Later, he pulled back and said he had no intention of firing Powell. In any event, the conservative majority disagreed with the notion that their order would affect the Fed. They wrote that the Fed is a uniquely structured quasi private entity, with a distinction historical tradition. Kagan scoffed at this in her dissent, and she maintained that the Fed's independence rests on the same foundation as other independent agencies. Now, again, this is not. Yesterday's order is not the final word, but it does give us a pretty good sense of how the justices could rule if and more likely when they hear arguments.

[Michelle Martin]

In this case, that is NPR's Andrea Hsu. Andrea, thank you.

[Andrea Hsu]

You're welcome.

[Michelle Martin]

And finally, last night, President Trump dined with more than 200 investors into the Trump Meme coin, the president's personal cryptocurrency venture. The Associated Press reports that at the dinner hosted at Trump's golf resort in Virginia, the coin's top 25 investors were invited to a private reception with Trump, raising questions about the president's commingling his business interests with his public office. The White House said the president attended the event in his personal time. While there, he stood at a lectern emblazoned with the presidential seal. No media were alerted, allowed access. A lot has changed in higher education since President Trump took office.

[Amy Martinez]

Students have come to me and just they feel really scared.

[Jennifer Ludden]

Everything that's been going on has kind of changed my life plans.

[Michelle Martin]

This Sunday on Up first, how members of the class of 2025 are feeling about the state of higher education and their own futures. Listen to the Sunday story right here on NPR's Up first podc cast. And that's up first for Friday, May 23rd.

[Amy Martinez]

I'm Michelle Martin and Amy Martinez. And just a quick reminder that up first airs on Saturdays, too. Aisha Roscoe and Scott Simon will have the news wherever you get your podcasts.

[Michelle Martin]

Today's episode of up first was edited by Krishnadev Kalimor, Nicole Cohen, Russell Lewis, Ali Schweitzer and Alice Wolfley. It was produced by Ziad Buck, Nia Dumas and Ana Perez. We get engineering support from Zach Coleman in Washington, D.C. and Josh Savageau at NPR in St. Paul. And a big thank you to Jeff Jones and all of our colleagues at NPR for their support this week. Our technical director is Carly Strange, and our executive producer is Jay Shaylor. We hope you'll join us again Monday.

[Jake Kalik]

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