Trump Visits Disaster Zones, DEI and the Military, London Hacking Hearing

Summary

Up First from NPR – Episode: Trump Visits Disaster Zones, DEI and the Military, London Hacking Hearing
Release Date: January 24, 2025

NPR’s Up First delivers a comprehensive overview of the day's most pressing news in a succinct format. In this episode, hosts delve into three major stories: President Trump’s visits to disaster-stricken areas, his administration’s stance on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and military extremism investigations, and the extradition proceedings of an Israeli private investigator accused of targeting American climate activists through hacking. Below is a detailed summary capturing the essence of these discussions, enriched with notable quotes and timestamps for context.

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1. President Trump’s Visits to Disaster Zones: Asheville, North Carolina and Los Angeles

Overview: President Trump embarked on his first domestic trip since returning to the White House, visiting Asheville, North Carolina, and Los Angeles to inspect areas recovering from recent disasters. These visits are not merely acts of solidarity but are perceived as strategic political maneuvers to influence aid relief efforts.

Asheville, North Carolina:

• Context: Asheville is recovering from Hurricane Helene, which caused significant flooding in September.

• Political Undertones: Trump has publicly criticized the Biden administration’s handling of disaster relief, alleging that Democrats are withholding aid from Republican areas.

  "Parts of North Carolina are still recovering and rebuilding, and Trump talked about it in his inaugural address."
  — Michael Copley, NPR White House Correspondent [03:36]

• Expert Insight: Professor Henry Brady of Berkeley highlights the potential precedent set by using disaster relief for political leverage, cautioning against a slippery slope where future disasters may also become politicized.

  "Doing this also kind of sets up a slippery slope for both parties in general... where does it lead?"
  — Prof. Henry Brady [05:17]

Los Angeles, California:

• Context: Los Angeles is grappling with devastating wildfires, marking one of the most expensive natural disasters in recent US history.

• Federal Aid and Political Strategy: While FEMA has funds allocated, Trump views the ongoing recovery as an opportunity to push for his legislative priorities, such as tax cuts and government spending measures, potentially seeking bipartisan support from Democrats advocating for wildfire aid.

  "He's trying to build support in Congress for some of his legislative priorities, like tax cuts and government spending measures."
  — Michael Copley [04:17]

• Governor Relations: Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat often at odds with Trump, has invited him to Los Angeles. It remains uncertain whether Trump will engage directly with Newsom during his visit.

Implications: Trump’s approach intertwines disaster response with political objectives, raising concerns about the impartiality of federal aid distribution and the long-term effects on bipartisan disaster management.

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2. Trump Administration Targets DEI Programs and Military Extremism Investigations

Overview: The Trump administration has initiated measures to dismantle federal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, alongside efforts to curtail investigations into extremism within the military. These actions mark a significant shift from previous administrations that emphasized diversity and monitoring of extremist activities to maintain national security.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Programs:

• Historical Significance: DEI initiatives have been integral to federal programs since the civil rights movement, aiming to enhance representation and foster inclusive environments within government institutions.

• Administration’s Stance: President Trump has labeled DEI efforts as "dangerous, demeaning or immoral," seeking their elimination across federal agencies.

  "These programs were part of a civil rights movement stretching back decades. But the president has called these efforts, quote, dangerous, demeaning or immoral, unquote."
  — Michelle Martin, NPR Correspondent [06:09]

Military Extremism Investigations:

• Current Efforts: Former efforts focused on identifying and mitigating extremist behaviors within the military ranks, including participation in militia groups or attending rallies with extremist groups.

• Administration’s Position: The Trump administration perceives these investigations as politically motivated, arguing that they unfairly target service members based on their political beliefs rather than actions.

  "It created a climate inside our ranks that feel political when it hasn't ever been political."
  — Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota [08:24]

Confirmation Hearing Insights:

• Pete Hegseth’s Position: As President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, Hegseth has been vocal against DEI programs and skeptical about the necessity of extremism investigations within the military.

  "Those are the types of things that are going to change."
  — Pete Hegseth [08:35]

• Pentagon’s Response: Pentagon officials argue that extremism is a genuine concern, emphasizing that actions such as joining extremist groups or engaging in anti-government activities are detrimental to military cohesion and national security.

  "It's all about action... like joining militia groups, taking part in racist or anti-government rallies."
  — Henry Brady, Pentagon Correspondent [07:19]

Future Outlook: The potential dismantling of DEI and extremism programs could alter the dynamics within federal agencies and the military, possibly affecting recruitment, retention, and the overall culture. The Senate's decision on Hegseth’s nomination will be pivotal in determining the direction of these policies.

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3. Extradition Hearing in London: Israeli Private Investigator Accused of Hacking Climate Activists

Overview: A high-profile extradition hearing took place in London involving Amit Forlet, an Israeli private investigator accused by the US Justice Department of orchestrating a hacking campaign targeting American climate activists. The case underscores the ongoing tensions between climate advocacy and corporate interests, particularly within the oil and gas sector.

Case Details:

• Accusations: Forlet is alleged to have led a hacking operation aimed at discrediting climate activists associated with climate change litigation.

• Alleged Affiliation: The US claims Forlet worked for DCI Group, a public affairs firm representing ExxonMobil, one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies based in Texas.

  "Forlet was allegedly working for an unnamed public affairs firm based in Washington, D.C... representing one of the world's biggest oil and gas companies based in Texas."
  — Amit Forlet, NPR Correspondent [10:16]

Legal Proceedings:

• Defense and Company Responses: Forlet has denied responsibilities for the hacking activities. Both DCI Group and ExxonMobil have declined to comment on their alleged involvement, maintaining their non-involvement in any hacking operations.

  "Exxon and DCI declined to comment on being mentioned in court before the hearing in London. Both said in emails to NPR that they haven't been involved in hacking."
  — Amit Forlet [10:45]

• Historical Context: The US investigation into DCI Group became public in 2019 following the arrest and conviction of a business associate of Forlet. The associate was sentenced to over six years in prison for hacking-related charges, with prosecutors alleging that stolen information was used to undermine climate litigation efforts.

Impact and Future Developments:

• Victims’ Perspective: Climate activists emphasize the importance of holding perpetrators accountable to deter future attempts to silence activism through illicit means.

  "Finding out what happened is important for punishing whoever was ultimately responsible... And for the purposes of deterrence so that this is not done again."
  — Matt Powell, Environmental Lawyer [12:24]

• Extradition Outcome: The hearing in London is a critical step in the US’s efforts to prosecute Forlet. The outcome will determine whether he will be extradited to face charges in the United States. Further hearings are anticipated in the coming weeks.

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Conclusion

This episode of Up First meticulously covers significant developments ranging from presidential political strategies in disaster relief, transformative shifts in federal DEI and military policies, to international legal battles impacting climate activism. By providing detailed analyses and expert insights, NPR ensures listeners are well-informed about the multifaceted issues shaping the current socio-political landscape.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• "Trump is targeting the federal government's diversity programs. They got their start during the civil rights movement decades ago."
  — Michelle Martin [00:11]

• "Things like focusing on extremism have created a climate inside our ranks that feel political when it hasn't ever been political."
  — Senator Kevin Cramer [08:24]

• "These programs were part of a civil rights movement stretching back decades. But the president has called these efforts, quote, dangerous, demeaning or immoral, unquote."
  — Michelle Martin [06:09]

• "Doing this also kind of sets up a slippery slope for both parties in general... where does it lead?"
  — Henry Brady [05:17]

• "Finding out what happened is important for punishing whoever was ultimately responsible... And for the purposes of deterrence so that this is not done again."
  — Matt Powell [12:24]

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For more insights and detailed reporting, subscribe to NPR's Up First and stay informed with the latest news delivered every weekday morning.

Transcript

[Michelle Martin]

President Trump is heading to two disaster zones for his first trip since returning to the White House.

[Martinez]

So how are politics getting involved in aid relief for California and North Carolina?

[Michelle Martin]

I'm Michelle Martin. That's a Martinez. And this is up first from NPR News. Trump is targeting the federal government's diversity programs. They got their start during the civil rights movement decades ago. And he also wants to get rid of efforts to investigate extremism in the military.

[Deepa Shivaram]

Things like focusing on extremism have created a climate inside our ranks that feel.

[Martinez]

Political when it hasn't ever been political.

[Michelle Martin]

How can all this change the ranks of the people charged with defending the country?

[Martinez]

And the US Is seeking to extradite an Israeli private investigator accused of a hacking operation against American climate activists. Stay with us. We've got all the news you need to start your day.

[Tom Bowman]

This message comes from HubSpot. As a marketer, you have to generate leads, create content and make your brand go viral. It's a lot. Thankfully, there's Breeze, HubSpot's suite of AI tools. Now you can turn one piece of content into all the assets you need, find the best leads and beef up your reporting all in one place. Visit HubSpot.com marketers to see how companies like yours are generating 110% more leads in just 12 months. This message comes from Comedy Central's the Daily Show. Jon Stewart and the Daily show news team are kicking off 2025 with brand new episodes covering a brand new administration and a not quite brand new president. While it may feel like history is repeating itself, it's never been covered like this with Jon Stewart behind the desk kicking off every week, Comedy Central's the Daily show, new weeknights at 11 on Comedy Central and streaming next day on Paramount. This message comes from BetterHelp. Every January brings you 365 blank pages waiting to be filled. What do you want your 2025 story to be? Therapy can help you craft the next chapters with purpose. BetterHelp offers therapy 100% online with a diverse network of over 30,000 therapists worldwide. Visit betterhelp.com NPR today to get 10% off your first month.

[Martinez]

President Trump is capping off his first week in office with a trip across the country. He's heading to Asheville, North Carolina, today. And then here where I'm at in Los Angeles.

[Michelle Martin]

Both communities are grappling with recovery from disasters, but there is some politics at play, too.

[Martinez]

Yeah. NPR's White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram joins us now to talk about this. Deepa. So two disaster Zones. What's the president gonna be doing while he's in these two states?

[Michael Copley]

Yeah, well, we're waiting to hear more information. This is the first week of the new Trump administration, so they're still working out some of the details of these kinds presidential movements. What we do know is actually from the president himself. He said he's going to Asheville, North Carolina, and that city was absolutely devastated by Hurricane Helene in September. There was massive amounts of flooding. And this was all in the middle of the presidential campaign. And the disaster became political when Trump started posting online that the Biden administration wasn't doing enough to help. He spread misinformation about aid relief, saying Democrats were withholding aid from Republican areas and was misrepresenting how much money there was for rebuilding efforts. Parts of North Carolina are still recovering and rebuilding, and Trump talked about it in his inaugural address.

[Martinez]

Okay, so then after Asheville, North Carolina, then he comes to Los Angeles.

[Michael Copley]

Correct. So he's headed there after weeks of wildfires in la, it's set to be one of the most expensive natural disasters in the US In a long time. And FEMA has enough money right now, but there is going to be a lot more federal aid needed as the city works to recover. But Trump sees it as an opportunity for political leverage. He's trying to build support in Congress for some of his legislative priorities, like tax cuts and government spending measures. And having support from some Democrats who want the wildfire aid passed might make that easier. Here's Trump in an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News on Wednesday.

[Deepa Shivaram]

I will say that Los Angeles has changed everything because a lot of money is going to be necessary for Los Angeles, and a lot of people on the other side want that to happen in the West Carolina, too. Well, they don't care about North Carolina.

[Michael Copley]

California is led by a Democrat, and Governor Gavin Newsom and Trump often spar. Newsom has invited Trump to come out to la, but it's not known if Trump will meet with him. And I'll say North Carolina's current and previous governors are both also Democrats.

[Martinez]

So using disaster relief as political leverage, that doesn't sound very typical.

[Michael Copley]

Yeah, Trump is really leaning into leveraging the California aid. And any other element of it is that he's asking for the state to change their water policies in order for them to get any money. It's not clear how far Trump intends to go with that request, but he's been talking about it for days. I spoke with Henry Brady. He's a professor of politics at Berkeley in California. And he said doing this also kind of sets up a slippery slope for.

[Deepa Shivaram]

Both parties in general. Most of the Congress doesn't probably want this to happen because if this starts, where does it lead? Eventually in the Midwest, if you have tornadoes, you have to change your laws to have basements that are safe. If you are in New Orleans and you have a hurricane, you've got to stop building houses on floodplains and on and on and on.

[Michael Copley]

And in Congress, you know, some Republicans agree with Trump on this, but I will say there are some California Republicans who are pushing back, saying that there should be no conditions on this aid.

[Martinez]

All right. That's NPR's Deepa Shivaram. Thanks a lot.

[Michael Copley]

Thank you.

[Martinez]

The Trump administration has nixed dei, or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs, across federal government.

[Michelle Martin]

These programs were part of a civil rights movement stretching back decades. But the president has called these efforts, quote, dangerous, demeaning or immoral, unquote. And he's also targeting efforts to investigate extremism in the military's ranks.

[Martinez]

NPR's Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman joins us now to discuss. Tom, first off, just start off with the Defense Department's DEI programs. What are they?

[Henry Brady]

Well, these programs have been seen as pretty effective in bringing more women and minorities into the ranks at all levels. President Biden chose the first woman Admiral Lisa Franchetti, to run the Navy, as well as the first black defense secretary, Lloyd Austin. But Donald Trump and his defense secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth, have dismissed these programs as woke and divisive. Another thing they question is extremist activity. My colleague Lauren Hodges and I talked about all this in our recent podcast, A Good Guy. It focused on an active duty Marine, Sergeant Josh Abate, who was in the Capitol on January 6th and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. Abate told the court in a written statement that he was wrong about the election being stolen. And by the way, a Marine panel voted to keep him in and he's still on active duty now.

[Martinez]

So what does that say then about understanding extremism in the military?

[Henry Brady]

Well, first of all, it's important to Note that about 1 in 5 of those who were arrested for January 6th activities had military backgrounds, nearly all veterans. Now, Pentagon officials have long insisted that they don't have an extremism problem, that the numbers are small. But, you know, they really don't know because they've never collected data. And the services within just within the last several months said they would collect such data. And they outlined prohibitive behavior such as joining militia groups, raising money for them, or attending Rallies for extremist groups.

[Martinez]

So all this now brings us to Pete Hegseth, that's President Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense. What has he said about all this?

[Henry Brady]

Well, he has been very outspoken not only about his opposition to DEI programs, but also efforts to better understand whether the Pentagon and the military services have an extremism. Here he is at his confirmation hearing when he was asked about that by Republican Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota. Let's listen.

[Deepa Shivaram]

Things like focusing on extremism, Senator, have created a climate inside our ranks that feel political when it hasn't ever been political.

[Amit Forlet]

Those are the types of things that.

[Deepa Shivaram]

Are going to change.

[Henry Brady]

Now, officials who worked on these anti extremist efforts say no, it's not political. It's not what politician you support or even ideas you might have. It's all about action again, like joining the militia groups, taking part in racist or anti government rallies. But clearly all these efforts to collect data on extremism will end.

[Martinez]

All right, so Hegseth will get rid of DEI programs, those extremist fact finding programs. What else do we expect from him? Should the Senate confirm him?

[Henry Brady]

Well, we could see him making some personnel changes, maybe removing military leaders he believes got the job not based on merit, but because of their gender or race. There is concern with people I talk with in the Pentagon, among the in the Office of Corps. At this point, we'll just have to wait and see.

[Martinez]

All right, that's NPR's Tom Bowman. Tom, thanks a lot.

[Henry Brady]

You're welcome.

[Martinez]

Prominent climate activists in the United States were targeted several years ago in a global hacking campaign.

[Michelle Martin]

The Justice Department is trying to extradite someone it says is a key player in the story.

[Martinez]

NPR's Michael Copley is in London covering the latest developments. So, Michael, what took you to London?

[Amit Forlet]

I've been here for an extradition hearing. It's for an Israeli private investigator who's accused by the US of orchestrating a hacking operation against American climate activists. The privateized name is Amit Forlet. He was arrested earlier this year at London's Heathrow Airport. And we should say at the top. Forlet has previously denied ordering or paying for hacking.

[Martinez]

All right, so a private investigator. Do we know who he was allegedly working for?

[Amit Forlet]

So a British lawyer representing the U. S. Justice Department said Forlet was allegedly working for an unnamed public affairs firm based in Washington, D.C. and that that firm was allegedly representing one of the world's biggest oil and gas companies based in Texas. Again, unnamed. The lawyer said the oil and gas company wanted to discredit activists connected to climate change litigation.

[Martinez]

So the private eye was allegedly working for this public affairs company, which in turn was allegedly working for a big oil and gas company.

[Amit Forlet]

Yeah, exactly.

[Martinez]

Okay. But the US Government hasn't named the companies.

[Amit Forlet]

No, it hasn't. We did hear from one of Forlet's lawyers this week. She said in court that the US Is trying to prosecute Forlet for leading a hacking operation that was allegedly commissioned by a public affairs firm called DCI Group that was representing ExxonMobil. The Justice Department didn't respond to a message seeking comment. It hasn't accused Exxon or DCI of wrongdoing. Exxon and DCI declined to comment on being mentioned in court before the hearing in London. Both said in emails to NPR that they haven't been involved in hacking.

[Martinez]

Why did you contact those companies before they were mentioned in court in London?

[Amit Forlet]

So there have been media reports stating that the US has investigated DCI as part of its hacking probe. Before the London hearings, a source familiar with the probe confirmed NPR, that the US has investigated DCI's possible role in the hacking. The source wasn't authorized to speak publicly. NPR hasn't found what, if any, links the Justice Department thought DCI may have had with the hacking campaign. And we have not found any indications that the Justice Department investigated ExxonMobil.

[Martinez]

So it sounds like the government and journalists have been pursuing this hacking investigation for a while.

[Amit Forlet]

Yeah. So the government investigation became public. In 2019, a business associate of Forlets was arrested in the U.S. he eventually pleaded guilty to hacking related charges. And in 2023, a federal judge sentenced him to more than six years in prison. In that case, federal prosecutors said stolen information was leaked to the media and that ExxonMobil's lawyers used the media coverage to try to fight state climate investigations. Federal prosecutors did not accuse ExxonMobil of any wrongdoing. The company said at the time that it had not been involved in hacking.

[Martinez]

Okay, so where do things go from here?

[Amit Forlet]

I mean, you know, it's been years since the hacking allegedly started, but the victims say it's critical for the US to find out who ordered it. Matt Powell is one of the victims and an environmental lawyer. He says finding out what happened is important for punishing whoever was ultimately responsible.

[Deepa Shivaram]

And for the purposes of deterrence so that this is not done again. And deterrence gets to these big issues of, you know, living in a free society. If we have a lot of hacking, then we're not going to live in a very free society because people are going to be afraid to speak out.

[Amit Forlet]

For now, we're waiting to see if the UK Extradites forlet. Another extradition hearing is expected in the coming weeks.

[Tom Bowman]

All right.

[Martinez]

That's NPR's Michael Copley from the Climate Desk. Michael, thanks.

[Amit Forlet]

Thanks A.

[Martinez]

For your next listen on upverse Sunday in Syria, witnesses to the brutality of the former Assad regime are now speaking out. They include those forced to dig mass graves across the country.

[Henry Brady]

The holes were so filled with bodies that there wasn't enough dirt to reach the other side to cover.

[Martinez]

This Sunday on Up first, correspondent Ruth Sherlock uncovers what has been called the Assad regime's machinery of death. Listen to the Sunday story right here on NPR's Up first podcast. And that's up first for Friday, January 24th. Emi Martinez, and I'm Michelle Martin.

[Michelle Martin]

And remember, you can listen to this podcast sponsor free, while financially supporting public media with Up First Plus. Learn more at +npr.org that's plus.npr.org Today's.

[Martinez]

Episode of Up first was edited by Roberta Rampden, Andrew Sussman, Neela Banerjee, Olivia Hampton and Alice Wolfley was produced by Ziad Buch, Nia Dumas, Milton Gavada and Claire Murashima. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent, and our technical director is Carly Strange. Our executive producer is Kelly Dickens. Join us again next time.

[Ruth Sherlock]

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