Trump Remaking Government, RFK Jr. Confirmation Hearings, US Education Report Card

Summary

Up First from NPR – Episode Summary Release Date: January 29, 2025

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1. Trump Administration's Efforts to Reshape the Federal Government

Timeframe: 00:03 – 06:09

The episode opens with a deep dive into President Donald Trump's latest initiatives aimed at restructuring the federal government. Michele Martin highlights a significant move where the Trump administration offered millions of federal employees the opportunity to resign, accompanied by severance packages equivalent to several months of pay ([00:03] Michele Martin).

Key Developments:

• Buyout Offer to Federal Employees: The administration's memo presented federal workers with the option to resign while still receiving pay until September. This strategy is part of Trump’s broader objective to "shrink the government," fostering an environment where federal positions are perceived as precarious rather than secure ([02:22] Michele Martin).

• Pause on Federal Spending: Alongside the buyout offer, Trump issued a sweeping memorandum to temporarily freeze trillions of dollars in federal payments, including grants and loans. This directive aimed to align government expenditures with the President's priorities, such as reducing programs related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and climate initiatives ([03:43] Esma Khalid).

Notable Insights:

• Impact on Federal Workers: Esma Khalid explains that federal employees now feel like their jobs are under threat, a sentiment previously unseen regardless of the administering party. This shift marks a significant change in how government workers are perceived and treated within the administration ([02:52] Esma Khalid).

• Legal and Public Response: The administration's actions have sparked immediate legal challenges, with Democrats accusing Trump of constitutional violations. Nonprofits have expressed severe concerns about potential cuts to essential services like shelters for domestic violence survivors and homeless individuals. A federal judge temporarily blocked the spending freeze, granting temporary reprieve until further hearings ([05:42] Steve Inskeep; [05:00] Esma Khalid).

Notable Quote:

"Under this new Trump administration, people in the federal workforce feel like they are being seen as the enemy in a way that they have never been viewed by prior administrations, either Republican or Democrat." — Esma Khalid ([02:50])

2. Confirmation Hearings for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health Secretary

Timeframe: 06:09 – 10:25

The confirmation hearings for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump's nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), take center stage. This role oversees critical health agencies, including Medicare, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with an annual budget of $1.7 trillion ([07:04] Michele Martin).

Concerns Raised:

• Vaccination Stance: Kennedy has a long history as an anti-vaccine activist, leading the organization Children's Health Defense. He has propagated the debunked claim that vaccines cause autism and has financially benefited from lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers ([07:32] Selina Simmons Duffin).

• Public Health Views: Kennedy denies that HIV causes AIDS and has compared COVID-19 public health measures to those of Hitler's Germany. His controversial viewpoints raise significant concerns given the HHS's role in managing public health crises ([07:32] Selina Simmons Duffin).

Support Arguments: Supporters portray Kennedy as a transformative figure who intends to redirect scientific research towards the root causes of chronic diseases, emphasizing the importance of healthy food and eliminating additives from the food supply. A White House spokesperson mentioned that Kennedy has engaged with over 60 senators and is enthusiastic about the confirmation process ([08:22] Selina Simmons Duffin).

Bipartisan Opposition: Interestingly, opposition to Kennedy spans both political spectrums. Protect Our Care, a left-leaning advocacy group, has criticized Kennedy as an anti-vaccine extremist, highlighting his visit to Samoa before a deadly measles outbreak. On the right, figures like former Vice President Mike Pence oppose Kennedy due to his stance on abortion rights, despite Kennedy's assurances to align with Trump's opposition ([08:53] Selina Simmons Duffin).

Notable Quote:

"He believes the thoroughly debunked claim that vaccines cause autism. I am sure we'll hear a lot about that since this job has broad powers over federal vaccine policy." — Selina Simmons Duffin ([07:32])

3. US Education Report Card: A Sobering Assessment of Student Performance

Timeframe: 10:25 – 14:03

The episode also examines the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report card, revealing concerning trends in American students' performance in math and reading, nearly five years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Findings:

• Math Performance: While there is a slight improvement among fourth graders in math compared to 2022, overall scores remain below pre-pandemic levels. Only Alabama's fourth graders surpassed their 2019 performance levels ([11:35] Peggy Carr).

• Reading Scores Decline: Both fourth and eighth-grade reading scores have continued to decline since 2022, with the lowest-performing students now scoring worse than those from 30 years ago. Louisiana is the sole state where fourth-grade reading scores have improved over the past five years ([12:31] Peggy Carr).

Underlying Issues: Despite a substantial federal investment of $190 billion aimed at mitigating pandemic-induced learning losses, the impact has been insufficient. The funds were primarily distributed directly to districts with minimal restrictions, limiting their effectiveness in addressing the core issues. Additionally, the report indicates that the decline in educational performance began a decade ago, suggesting systemic problems beyond the pandemic's immediate effects ([13:05] Steve Inskeep; [13:14] Peggy Carr).

Expert Insight: Peggy Carr emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying causes of these educational declines to develop effective strategies for improvement. She notes that the NAEP report is instrumental in highlighting where students are struggling but falls short in explaining the reasons or suggesting solutions ([13:55] Peggy Carr).

Notable Quote:

"These results are sobering. We're not where we need to be or where we want to be at this point." — Michele Martin ([00:40])

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Conclusion

This episode of NPR's Up First provides an insightful overview of the Trump administration's attempts to restructure the federal workforce and spending, the contentious confirmation hearings of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the Department of Health and Human Services, and the alarming trends in the nation's educational outcomes post-pandemic. Through expert analysis and firsthand accounts, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of these pivotal issues shaping the United States in early 2025.

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For more detailed reporting and analysis, subscribe to Up First and support NPR's vital journalism.

Transcript

[Michele Martin]

The Trump administration offered millions of federal employees an opportunity to resign.

[Steve Inskeep]

The administration offered the equivalent of several months pay. How are courts answering? Another administration move to pause federal spending?

[Michele Martin]

I'm Michele Martin. That's Steve Inskeep. And this is up first from NPR News. Confirmation hearings begin today for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. He is president Trump's pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. What are senators thinking about his views of medicine and vaccines?

[Steve Inskeep]

Also, the nation's report card is out, which shows how American students are doing in math and reading five years after the start of the pandemic.

[Michele Martin]

These results are sobering. We're not where we need to be or where we want to be at this point.

[Steve Inskeep]

Stay with us. We've got the news you need to start your day.

[Sarah Levy]

Support for NPR and the following message come from Betterment, the automated investing and savings app. CEO Sarah Levy shares how Betterment utilizes tech tools powered by human advice.

[Esma Khalid]

Betterment is here to help customers build wealth their way. And we provide powerful technology and complete human support where technology can deliver ease of use and affordability. And the people behind that technology can.

[Selina Simmons Duffin]

Provide advice and guidance.

[Sarah Levy]

Learn [e-mail] investing involves risk, performance not guaranteed.

[Cory Turner]

This message comes from Intuit. Why is Intuit Enterprise Suite a better solution for growing businesses? It provides powerful financial management and accounting capabilities integrated with payments processing, payroll, hr, marketing, third party apps, and more. Through powerful automation and insights, it helps you manage one or more businesses in one place. Visit intuit.comenterprise to learn more. Money Movement services by Intuit Payments, Inc. Licensed by NYDFS this message comes from HubSpot, where you can create content fast, get better leads and crush reporting all in one place. Visit HubSpot.com marketers to see how companies like yours are generating 110% more leads in just 12 months.

[Steve Inskeep]

Two actions this week show the scope of President Trump's bid to reshape the federal government.

[Michele Martin]

The president issued a sweeping memo to pause trillions of dollars in payments. Just as that was supp supposed to go into effect. A federal judge temporarily blocked it, and the administration added another proposal, offering millions of federal employees a chance to quit.

[Steve Inskeep]

NPR White House correspondent Esma Khalid is keeping up with all of this. Esma, good morning.

[Esma Khalid]

Good morning, Steve.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay, so the memo was going out to workers last night, I heard. What exactly is the federal government offering its employees?

[Esma Khalid]

Yes, you know, in terms of what it's offering, Steve, this is essentially an offer for federal workers to have a buyout. You know, yesterday federal employees received an email giving them the option to resign, but still be paid through September. It is a big move with the goal to shrink the government. Under this new Trump administration, people in the federal workforce feel like they are being seen as the enemy in a way that they have never been viewed by prior administrations, either Republican or Democrat. And, Steve, you know, being a government worker was once seen as a steady, secure job, but right now, federal workers feel like their jobs are very precarious. And that is indeed the intention. Trump wants government workers in line with his. His vision. He campaigned on remaking federal government. He campaigned on reshaping government as a whole. He telegraphed a lot of his decisions, and now he is following through just perhaps more swiftly than expected.

[Steve Inskeep]

Now, this email to federal workers will, I guess it'll be played out. Maybe it'll go to court. We'll find out what happens in the hours and days to come. But then there's this other memo pausing payments, trillions of dollars worth of payments, it said yesterday. What exactly was the federal government trying to do with that?

[Esma Khalid]

Mm. It was a memo, Steve, that sparked utter chaos and confusion. When it was issued by the Office of Management and Budget, it called for a temporary freeze in federal funds, grants, loans, other forms of assistance. It was a sweeping directive with little clarity. And Trump's press secretary, Caroline Levitt, spent a bulk of the White House press briefing yesterday defending the freeze. And the reason for this is to ensure that every penny that is going out the door is not conflicting with the executive orders and actions that this president has is referring to. There are programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as climate and just general overspending. But the memo was so broad that it was not clear what programs would be affected. The White House clarified that direct services like Medicaid, Social Security, and food stamps would not be impacted, but also did not articulate if financial assistance that comes through nonprofits, you know, think, for example, of food banks, whether those might be affected.

[Steve Inskeep]

What was the response to all of this?

[Esma Khalid]

Well, Democrats raised alarm bells and accused Trump of violating the Constitution. Nonprofits expressed concern about cuts to services they provide. Diane Yentle is the CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, which represents a network of some 33,000 nonprofits. She says this freeze could lead to catastrophic consequences. We're talking about potentially shutting down shelters for survivors of domestic violence or shelters for people experiencing homelessness. And so she was amongst a group that filed a legal challenge over Trump's move. And just as this directive was about to go into effect, at 5pm yesterday, a federal judge intervened the charge being.

[Steve Inskeep]

Here that Congress, not the president, set spending. So what's the ruling mean?

[Esma Khalid]

You know, it just allows sort of a bit of breathing room, at least until Monday. That is when a follow up hearing is planned with more fulsome arguments on the merits of the case. Steve, I will say the courts seem to be really the arena where the fights around Trump's changes will play out. You know, for example, you're also seeing legal challenges to the birthright citizenship executive order as well.

[Steve Inskeep]

NPR White House correspondent Asma Khalid, thanks so much.

[Esma Khalid]

Good to speak with you.

[Steve Inskeep]

Now, reporters are putting questions to the administration today about another story that emerged overnight.

[Michele Martin]

The Pentagon is moving to remove the security detail for retired Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley, who is under threat from Iran. The military is also revoking Milley's security clearance. And the defense secretary is directing the Pentagon's inspector general to conduct an inquiry into General Milley's conduct that could lead to a reduction in rank.

[Steve Inskeep]

That is one of the first actions under Trump's newly confirmed secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. General Milley repeatedly criticized Trump and also worked behind the scenes to ensure a peaceful transfer of power after the 2020 election or as peaceful as possible. Former President Biden issued a preemptive pardon of Melley before leaving office. Today, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Takes questions from senators about his bid to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

[Michele Martin]

It is a consequential job. It overthrow oversees all of America's health agencies, including Medicare, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and more. It has an annual budget of $1.7 trillion, which is about the size of Australia's GDP.

[Steve Inskeep]

And Kennedy has offered a lot of opinions on health over the years. NPR's Selina Simmons Duffin is here. Good morning.

[Selina Simmons Duffin]

Morning, Steve.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay, so what has Kennedy said and done that lawmakers may have questions about?

[Selina Simmons Duffin]

Well, first of all, he spent decades as an anti vaccine activist leading a group called Children's Health Defense. And he believes the thoroughly debunked claim that vaccines cause autism. I am sure we'll hear a lot about that since this job has broad powers over federal vaccine policy. He has made millions of dollars over the years suing vaccine makers and he could profit off of lawsuits against Merck while in this job that regulates drug makers. He also denies that HIV causes aids. That is an established scientific fact. And he frequently compared COVID 19 public health measures to Hitler's Germany. In this role, he would be in charge of the response. If there's another pandemic crisis. So there is just so much to talk about. It's really hard to predict how the hearing will play out, but it will definitely be interesting.

[Steve Inskeep]

What is the case that his supporters are making for RFK junior In this role?

[Selina Simmons Duffin]

They portray him as a change maker who will direct scientific research towards the root causes of chronic diseases. He's talked a lot about the importance of healthy food and getting additive out of the food supply. I reached a White House spokesperson last week who told me Kennedy has met with more than 60 senators and he's prepared and excited for this process.

[Steve Inskeep]

And I guess we should note here and there there's been a Democrat who said, listen, I agree with Kennedy about this one thing here and there, but then there are efforts to block his confirmation because of all those other opinions you just mentioned. What's going on.

[Esma Khalid]

Yeah.

[Selina Simmons Duffin]

So this is definitely a strange bedfellow situation. You have Protect Our Care, which is a left leaning advocacy organization running ads targeting Republican senators saying he's an anti vaccine extremist. They point to an incident in Samoa, which is a Pacific island that Kennedy visited in 2019 just before a measles outbreak that killed 83 people. Thousands of doctors have been speaking out saying infectious diseases like measles, also polio meningitis, could make a comeback if the federal government stops supporting routine vaccinations. And then you have Kennedy detractors on the right as well.

[Steve Inskeep]

Oh, that's interesting because so many people on the right have felt they need to support everything the President does. Who's resisting?

[Selina Simmons Duffin]

Well, former Vice President Mike Pence objects to the fact that Kennedy has been supportive of abortion rights. Now, Kennedy says he'll go along with Trump's opposition to abortion rights, but Pence does not buy that. And his group, Advancing American Freedom, has been running its own ads against Kennedy. Also this week, two conservative media outlets, the New York Post and the Wall Street Journal, ran editorials against his confirmation.

[Steve Inskeep]

I'm beginning to wonder, Selena, if just one confirmation hearing is going to be sufficient for all the questions that senators have.

[Selina Simmons Duffin]

Well, actually, he has two. So today is the hearing in the Senate Finance Committee and tomorrow is the hearing in the HELP Committee. The Finance Committee will actually vote on his nomination and after that it will be voted on by the full Senate.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay, HELP Committee. Health, Education, Labor. What's the P? Do we know the P?

[Selina Simmons Duffin]

Pensions.

[Steve Inskeep]

Oh, pensions. NPR's Selena Simmons Daffin, thanks so much.

[Selina Simmons Duffin]

Okay, thank you.

[Steve Inskeep]

Every two years, we get a rare glimpse of how the nation's students are doing in math and reading.

[Michele Martin]

It comes from the nation's report card. That's what it's called. The latest results are out today and have a lot to say. Nearly five years after the pandemic first.

[Steve Inskeep]

Closed schools, NPR's Cory Turner has been looking at the data. Cory, good morning.

[Peggy Carr]

Good morning, Steve.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay, so how are our students doing?

[Peggy Carr]

Well, this is not the report card we were hoping for. These results come from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which was created by Congress. It's been around for decades. Every other year, the country tests a sample of fourth and eighth graders, and we're talking reading and math. And the last time we got results in 2022, they showed steep learning losses from the pandemic. So the hope was when students took these tests again in 2024, we might see them doing better. Well, here's Peggy Carr. She is commissioner of the national center for Education Statistics.

[Michele Martin]

These results are sobering. We're not where we need to be or where we want to be at this point.

[Peggy Carr]

Now, Steve, as bleak as that sounds, I actually want to start with one glimmer of hope in those sobering results. Fourth graders who took the math test in 2024 actually did a little better than the fourth graders who took it in 2022.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay.

[Peggy Carr]

And that's really important because it ends a pandemic slide in fourth grade.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay. So that bit of good news amid some not so good news, I guess.

[Peggy Carr]

Yeah, a lot of not so good news, because even in fourth grade math, kids still aren't back to the scores we saw before the pandemic. In fact, when you break the data down, in only one state, Steve, Alabama, are fourth graders doing better in math than fourth graders were doing before the pandemic. One state. And in eighth grade, there's a really worrying achievement gap that's been widening between top and lower performers.

[Steve Inskeep]

Well, this is disturbing at a time when education is so closely linked to people's success later in life. How are kids doing in reading?

[Peggy Carr]

Well, that may be the toughest news of all. In fourth and eighth grade, both reading scores continued to fall from 2022 to 2024. And keep in mind, they'd already been falling from 2019 to 2022. The lowest performers in reading are actually scoring worse now than the lowest performers who took the test 30 years ago.

[Steve Inskeep]

Wow.

[Peggy Carr]

And remember how I said only one state had surpassed its pre pandemic math scores? Well, it is the same in reading. In only one state are fourth graders doing better than they were in 2019, and that is Louisiana.

[Steve Inskeep]

What happened to all the money that the federal government spent since the peak of the pandemic to try to make up for some of the pandemic educational losses.

[Peggy Carr]

Yeah. So $190 billion, that is a lot of money. You're right. But several researchers told me, look, that money helped just not enough. And part of the reason why is because Congress sent most of it directly to districts. They had a lot of freedom in spending it and they were only required to spend a small fraction of it on learning loss. I also want to say, though, these declines in math and reading, Steve, when you look big picture, they were made worse by the pandemic. But they actually started before COVID around a decade ago. And researchers told me understanding why is going to be key to getting kids back on track. The script, big report card. It's great for understanding where kids are struggling, but not why or what we.

[Cory Turner]

Can do about it.

[Steve Inskeep]

Really appreciate that insight that this would have slide would have started before the pandemic. Something bigger going on. Cory, thanks so much.

[Cory Turner]

You're welcome, Steve.

[Steve Inskeep]

That's NPR's Cory Turner. And that's a first for this Wednesday, January 29th. I'm Steve Inskeep.

[Michele Martin]

And I'm Michele Martin. Remember, you can listen to this podcast sponsor free while financially supporting public media with UpFirst Plus. Learn more at plus.NPR.org that's P L U S.NPR.org Today's Up first was edited.

[Steve Inskeep]

By Dana Farrington, Diane Weber, Nicole Cohen, Janaya Williams and Alice Wolfley. It was produced by Ziad Bach, Nia Dumas, Claire Murashima and Chris Thomas. We get engineering support from Nisha Hyness. And our technical director is Carly Strange. Join us tomorrow foreign.

[Sarah Levy]

To hear this podcast without sponsor breaks. Amazon prime members can listen to up first sponsor free through Amazon Music, or you can also support NPR's vital journalism and get up first [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org this message comes from Mint Mobile. From the gas pump to the grocery store, inflation is everywhere. So Mint Mobile is offering premium wireless starting at just $15 a month. To get your new phone plan for just $15, go to mintmobile.com Switch 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.