Trump's US Steel Reversal, Court Win For Harvard, Musk Leaves DOGE

Summary

Up First from NPR – May 30, 2025

NPR's "Up First" delivers the three biggest stories of the day with in-depth reporting and analysis. In this episode, host Steve Inskeep covers President Trump's reversal on the US Steel deal, a significant court victory for Harvard University, and Elon Musk's departure from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Below is a detailed summary of each topic discussed.

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1. President Trump's Reversal on the US Steel and Nippon Steel Partnership

Overview: In a surprising turn of events, President Trump has approved a multi-billion dollar partnership between U.S. Steel and Japanese competitor Nippon Steel, despite having previously vowed to block the deal during his campaign. This partnership aims to inject $14 billion into the U.S. economy and create approximately 70,000 jobs.

Key Points:

• Initial Opposition: President Trump campaigned on the promise to prevent foreign ownership of U.S. steel companies, citing national security and economic concerns.

• Change of Stance: Despite initial resistance, Trump announced his approval of the partnership, describing it as a move to strengthen U.S. Steel while maintaining its American headquarters in Pittsburgh.

• Lack of Details: The White House has not provided comprehensive details about the structure of the deal. A spokesperson for U.S. Steel refrained from commenting directly but highlighted the company's commitment to remaining American through the partnership.

• Industry Uncertainty: Analysts remain unclear about the specifics of the agreement. Gordon Johnson, CEO of GLJ Research, emphasizes that the deal is effectively an acquisition, despite being labeled a "partnership."

Notable Quotes:

• Steve Inskeep [00:02]: "President Trump campaigned on a promise to block that deal. He now says he approves."

• Stephen Fowler [04:19]: "This is an acquisition. It's very clearly an acquisition."

• Phil Gibbs [04:54]: "There have been so many missteps...we're even questioning the conclusion."

Political Implications:

• Local vs. National Reaction: While the deal is praised locally in Pennsylvania, where U.S. Steel has significant operations, national opposition persists. The United Steelworkers Union remains skeptical about the long-term benefits for jobs.

• Economic Promises: Trump emphasizes the economic boost and job creation, aiming to attract foreign investment and promote onshoring of manufacturing jobs.

Conclusion: The approval of the U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel partnership marks a significant shift in Trump's trade and economic policy. However, the ambiguity surrounding the deal's specifics has left industry experts and stakeholders uncertain about its true impact.

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2. Court Victory for Harvard University Against Trump's International Student Ban

Overview: A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration's attempt to ban international students from enrolling at Harvard University. This legal victory allows Harvard to continue admitting nearly 7,000 international students for the time being.

Key Points:

• Legal Battle: The Trump administration sought to prevent Harvard from enrolling international students, alleging violations of civil rights, including racial discrimination and failure to protect Jewish students.

• Judge's Ruling: Federal Judge Allison D. Burroughs expressed concerns that the government's actions were an overreach intended to single out Harvard unfairly.

• Harvard's Stance: The university argues that the administration's actions constitute retaliation and violate its First Amendment rights. Harvard contends that the legal challenges are part of a broader attempt to undermine its international programs.

• Economic Impact: International students contribute approximately $43 billion to the U.S. economy annually. Harvard's disruption could have significant financial repercussions for the institution and associated local economies.

• Future Implications: This case sets a precedent that could affect over a million international students across U.S. colleges and universities. The State Department is also targeting students from China, seeking to revoke visas for those with alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

Notable Quotes:

• Judge Allison D. Burroughs [07:55]: "Members of the class of 2025 from down the street, across the country and around the world. Just as it should be."

• Tamra Keith [08:17]: "This is very much just one step in a much, much larger process."

Political and Social Context:

• Impact on Diversity: The potential ban threatens the diversity and international collaboration that U.S. universities like Harvard depend on.

• Public Support: During Harvard's commencement, President Alan Garber highlighted the importance of international students, receiving a standing ovation for emphasizing a global perspective.

Conclusion: The preliminary injunction serves as a critical check against the Trump administration's aggressive stance on international education. However, the ongoing legal battle indicates that the issue is far from resolved, with significant consequences for U.S. higher education and international relations.

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3. Elon Musk Resigns from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Overview: Elon Musk has announced his departure from DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, a position he held as a special government employee. Musk's tenure has been marked by limited tangible outcomes, and his resignation reflects both personal and political challenges.

Key Points:

• Role and Tenure: Musk was appointed to DOGE shortly after Trump took office, with a term limited to 130 working days. His role was largely symbolic, reflecting his public support for the administration's efficiency initiatives.

• DOGE's Performance: The department's key initiatives, such as massive data collection and attempts to downsize the federal workforce, have faced significant legal obstacles and failed to deliver on promised efficiencies.

• Legal Challenges: DOGE's efforts to restructure data collection for immigration and reduce the federal workforce have been met with lawsuits and accusations of illegal practices.

• Musk's Influence: Despite being a high-profile figure, Musk's actual impact on DOGE's operations was minimal. Most of the department's work was carried out by federal employees within the Office of Management and Budget.

• Reasons for Resignation:

  • Political Unpopularity: Musk faced backlash from both the public and within his own business ventures, particularly affecting Tesla and SpaceX.
  • Business Strain: His involvement with DOGE coincided with challenges in his companies, including declining stock prices and internal board considerations.
  • Focus on Business: Managing multiple large enterprises became increasingly demanding, prompting Musk to prioritize his private endeavors over his government role.

Notable Quotes:

• Stephen Fowler [10:33]: "He's not really done much to make the government more efficient, cutting to the facts."

• Stephen Fowler [12:55]: "There's little evidence that Elon Musk has done much to make the government more efficient."

Impact on DOGE and Future Government Efficiency Efforts:

• DOGE's Future: With Musk's departure, DOGE is expected to continue its initiatives under the leadership of federal employees, though skepticism remains about achieving meaningful efficiency gains.

• Legislative Environment: As the midterm elections approach, concerns about the effectiveness and popularity of DOGE and similar government efficiency measures may influence legislative priorities and public opinion.

Conclusion: Elon Musk's resignation from DOGE underscores the challenges of integrating high-profile private sector leaders into government roles. The limited achievements of DOGE during his tenure highlight the complexities of governmental reform and the difficulties in enacting substantial changes within federal agencies.

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Closing Remarks: Today’s "Up First" episode delved into significant shifts in U.S. economic policy, higher education, and governmental operations. From President Trump’s unexpected support for a major steel industry partnership to a pivotal court decision safeguarding international education at Harvard, and finally, Elon Musk's departure from a government efficiency role, these stories collectively paint a picture of a nation grappling with complex domestic and international challenges.

For more in-depth coverage, subscribe to Up First+ for ad-free listening and additional content.

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This summary was compiled based on the transcript provided and aims to encapsulate the key discussions and insights shared during the episode.

Transcript

[Steve Inskeep]

US Steel is entering a multi billion dollar partnership with the Japanese competitor Nippon. President Trump campaigned on a promise to block that deal. He now says he approves. So how, if at all, did the agreement change? I'm Steve Inskeep and this is up first from NPR News. Harvard University says the Trump administration broke the law when it banned international students there. A judge says the students may keep attending for now.

[Tamra Keith]

This is very much just one step in a much, much larger process.

[Steve Inskeep]

Why is the administration cracking down? Also, as Elon Musk waves goodbye to his Department of Government Efficiency, did it make government any more efficient? NPR delivers you an efficient look at the evidence. Stay with us. We've got the news you need to start your day foreign.

[Jake Kalik]

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[Steve Inskeep]

President Trump travels to Pittsburgh today to celebrate something that he previously said he would not allow. It's a partnership between United States Steel and the Japanese company Nippon Steel. Former President Biden blocked that sale on national security grounds. Candidate Trump also promised to block it, saying that foreign ownership of a company with United States in the name just sounded psychologically bad. Here he was campaigning in Pennsylvania last October and I will not approve Japan buying US steel 70 years ago, the.

[Alyssa Nadworny]

Greatest company anywhere in the world.

[Steve Inskeep]

NPR Senior White House correspondent Tamra Keith is here. Tam, good morning.

[Alyssa Nadworny]

Good morning.

[Steve Inskeep]

Why say yes now?

[Alyssa Nadworny]

Well, there had been signs that President Trump was taking a second look at this planned acquisition. It came up when the Japanese Prime Minister visited the White House in February. And then last month President Trump ordered a new national security review. Then last week he announced he was on board with the in a social media post saying it would add $14 billion to the US economy and create 70,000 jobs. And significantly, he described it as a, quote, planned partnership that will keep the headquarters of U.S. steel in Pittsburgh.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay, so we have a social media post, but what are the details here?

[Alyssa Nadworny]

We don't have many. The White House didn't respond to a list of basic questions about the structure of the deal. And when I asked a U.S. steel spokesman whether it was an acquisition, he, he said he was unable to comment and directed me to a week old statement where the company praised President Trump and said U.S. steel will remain American, grow bigger and stronger through a partnership with Nippon Steel. So I called a bunch of industry analysts whose job it is to advise investors and they said they haven't been able to get clear answers either. But all along Nippon has made it clear that they aren't going to make this kind of investment unless they are acquiring U.S. steel and its assets. Gordon Johnson is CEO of GLJ Research.

[Stephen Fowler]

No matter how the government and or the non answers from us still want to position this. Let me be very clear. This is an acquisition. It's very clearly an acquisition.

[Alyssa Nadworny]

And given the expected purchase price, he says it is a very good deal for U.S. steel shareholders and executives. Another analyst I spoke to said their best interpretation of the facts is that Trump is calling it a partnership to avoid looking like he reversed himself on this. And another Phil Gibbs at Keybank Capital Markets put it this way.

[Stephen Fowler]

It has to be purposely opaque because.

[Phil Gibbs]

There have been so many missteps, misfires, lawsuits, political interference. And then we finally get to what looks like a conclusion and we're even questioning the conclusion.

[Alyssa Nadworny]

I will also note that US Steel hasn't filed anything with the securities and Exchange Commission about this latest version of the deal.

[Steve Inskeep]

Tam, first, thanks very much for the reporting. I appreciate your look at the substance here really helps me. Second, I want to talk about the politics. Last fall we talked with people in Western Pennsylvania where there are US Steel plants who thought this deal was good. Even the local union guys thought the deal was good. But there was this national opposition in the middle of the campaign. So why would he promote the deal in such a big way.

[Alyssa Nadworny]

Now, you know, a major theme of the first few months of his second term has been bringing foreign investment to the US Onshoring, manufacturing, creating American jobs. And there are a few things that he relishes more than announcing a deal. Pennsylvania, of course, is also a state that delivered him the presidency. So he's gonna call. But as you know, maybe it's popular locally, but the United Steelworkers Union is quite dubious of this announcement and what it will mean in the end for jobs. Democratic politicians from the state are offering very tentative statements saying the devil is in the details, and they don't yet have the details.

[Steve Inskeep]

NPR's Tamra Keith will be traveling with the president to Pittsburgh today. Tam, thanks so much.

[Alyssa Nadworny]

You're welcome.

[Steve Inskeep]

Harvard University can go right on enrolling international students, at least for now. A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction which has the same effect as a temporary restraining order did last week. The Trump administration may not revoke the university's ability to issue student visas. NPR's Alyssa Nadworny is covering this story. Alyssa, good morning.

[Marco Rubio]

Good morning.

[Steve Inskeep]

What happened in court?

[Marco Rubio]

Well, lawyers from Harvard and the Trump administration were in a packed courtroom in Boston on Thursday. The federal judge Allison D. Burroughs voice voiced concerns that the government was attempting to prevent foreign students from enrolling, despite her earlier order blocking the administration's planned actions. The Trump administration argues that Harvard has violated students civil rights, including failing to protect Jewish students on campus and using racial discrimination in admissions, and that banning the school from enrolling international students is warranted. After the judge's order, the White House told NPR that the Trump administration, not judges, should decide if universities can issue student visas. Now Harvard argues that the administration's actions are retribution, that President Trump is singling out Harvard and violating its First Amendment rights. And so the case is ongoing. For now. Nothing changes for Harvard's international students.

[Steve Inskeep]

How big a deal is it for Harvard to be taking in international students?

[Marco Rubio]

Well, Harvard has nearly 7,000 international students. It's about a quarter of the entire student body. Many of them were at Harvard's graduation ceremony, which was actually happening at the same time as the hearing yesterday. During the commencement, President Alan Garber addressed the graduates with a nod to the ongoing lawsuit.

[Stephen Fowler]

Members of the class of 2025 from down the street, across the country and around the world. Around the world, just as it should be.

[Marco Rubio]

Now. The audience gave him a standing ovation for that line. I've been in touch with Ella Ricketts. She's a first year student from Canada studying at Harvard, and she's hesitant to call this order a victory until that.

[Tamra Keith]

Case is actually won. I don't necessarily feel 100% safe with everything that's going on. Obviously, I remain optimistic and hopeful, but this is very much just one step in a much, much larger process.

[Steve Inskeep]

Every university in the country that has international students must be watching this case. Alyssa.

[Marco Rubio]

Exactly. You know, there are more than a million international students enrolled at US Colleges and universities, from community college to regional publics to Ivy League. India sends the most students to the US followed by China. And Steve, these students bring about $43 billion to the US economy every year.

[Steve Inskeep]

Wow.

[Marco Rubio]

University leaders are worried, obviously. And a lot have told me that international applications are down compared to last year.

[Steve Inskeep]

You mentioned that China is one of the biggest senders of international students, one of the biggest spenders on American education. And the State Department this week that it's planning to revoke student visas for students from China. What's going on?

[Marco Rubio]

So Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the department would work to, quote, aggressively revoke visas of Chinese students, including those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Now, Steve, it is worth reminding listeners that in Trump's first administration, back in 2020, officials canceled visas of more than a thousand Chinese graduate students and researchers because they had direct ties to military universities in China. So it's a familiar movement in the Trump foreign policy playbook, depending on how.

[Steve Inskeep]

Big the scale turns out to be.

[Marco Rubio]

Exactly.

[Steve Inskeep]

Alyssa, thanks so much.

[Marco Rubio]

You bet.

[Steve Inskeep]

NPR's Alyssa Nadworning. Elon Musk says he is leaving his government role as the leader of the Department of government efficiency, or DOGE. The head of Tesla and SpaceX and X will join President Trump at the White House for one last time this afternoon. NPR's Stephen Fowler has been covering Doge all along, and he's on the line. Stephen, good morning.

[Stephen Fowler]

Good morning.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay. Does Musk stepping away change anything about what the Department of Government Efficiency will do?

[Stephen Fowler]

Not really. I mean, he's been touted by President Trump and others as the leader in Doge. In court, lawyers for the government has said he's not and they've downplayed his role. But the reality is much of the Doge work, I mean, the parts that haven't been reversed or held up in court have always been carried out by people not named Elon Musk. These allies are embedded in agencies more permanently. Many of them are full on federal employees, and they're more focused on specific goals at those agencies.

[Steve Inskeep]

Stephen, I followed all your reporting on this. A lot of Doge's claims of Savings and changes were illusory or have been reversed, as you just mentioned, but they're still out there acting. So what could they continue to do?

[Stephen Fowler]

Well, there have been a few areas Doge has been successful. Data collections. One, there's been this emphasis on knocking down data silos and making massive data sets to be used, especially for Trump's immigration agenda. There's also dozens of lawsuits that allege that data collection is being done illegally. Then there's the push to further downsize the federal workforce and reshape who gets to work in federal government. But the main force behind implementing that part of Trump's agenda is the Office of Management and Budget and its head, Russ Boat.

[Steve Inskeep]

So why would Elon Musk leave now?

[Stephen Fowler]

Well, he says his scheduled time is up. He's talking about his role as a special government employee. Time limited to 130 working days. It's been 130 days since Trump took office, and Musk took on this role.

[Steve Inskeep]

Got it.

[Stephen Fowler]

But he likely could have stayed longer. But politically, Musk is an avatar for the unpopular things Doge and the second Trump administration have done. He's taken a lot of heat as Congress is working on trying to pass Trump's big, beautiful bill and other legislative priorities. And we pivot to the midterms. There have been concerns by Republicans that Musk is not helpful.

[Steve Inskeep]

I think a lot of people who own Tesla stock didn't think he was being very helpful to them.

[Stephen Fowler]

Well, that's the other part of it. Musk runs multiple big businesses that have suffered because of his split attention and that unpopularity, especially Tesla. That's his main source of wealth. Tesla drivers sold their cars, stores were vandalized, profits cratered, and there were reports that the board was considering replacing him.

[Steve Inskeep]

Oh, it's like they threatened to fire the guy who was really openly joyful about firing people. I'm thinking of the moment when he stood on stage waving around a chainsaw. Now that just a little time has passed, how is that metaphor working out for him?

[Stephen Fowler]

Well, Steve, that chainsaw doesn't really have any teeth. I mean, Musk had these lofty savings goals of cutting $2 trillion from before joining the government to a fraction of that to around 150 billion. Our reporting has found those claims are inaccurate, overstated, and rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of how the federal budget works. Also, Doge's other signature efforts, like cutting the workforce, have hit repeated legal snags, driven in part by Musk's public statements that have been used to claim those changes broke the law. Put another way, there's little evidence that Elon Musk has done much to make the government more efficient, cutting to the facts.

[Steve Inskeep]

NPR's Stephen Fowler. He's part of NPR's team of reporters covering efforts to remake the federal government. Stephen, thanks so much.

[Stephen Fowler]

Thank you.

[Steve Inskeep]

And that's up first for this Friday, May 30th. I'm Steve Inskeep. Up first comes your way on Saturdays. Ayesha Rascoe and Scott Simon have the news. And then in this very same feed on Up First Sunday, scientists seek evidence of how dinosaurs went extinct by digging behind a strip mall in New Jersey.

[Stephen Fowler]

You could probably go under the Lowe's and find these same deposits or the Chick Fil A.

[Steve Inskeep]

That's this Sunday, right here on Up First. Today's Up first was edited by Kelsey Snell, Lauren Migaki, Padmarama, H.J. mai, and Mohamed El Bardisi. It was produced by Ziad Baj, Nia Demas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Misha Hyness. And our technical director is Carly Strange. Our executive producer is Jay Shaler. Join us Monday.

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