Zelenskyy-Vance-Trump Blow Up, DOJ Demotions, Feds Plan for Bird Flu

Summary

Up First from NPR – Detailed Episode Summary
Episode: Zelenskyy-Vance-Trump Blow Up, DOJ Demotions, Feds Plan for Bird Flu
Release Date: March 1, 2025

---

1. Oval Office Showdown: Zelenskyy, Trump, and Vice President Vance

The episode opens with a tense exchange in the Oval Office involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Vice President J.D. Vance. The meeting, intended to solidify a significant minerals deal between the United States and Ukraine, began on a positive note with Trump positioning himself as a mediator aimed at fostering peace between Ukraine and Russia.

Key Developments:

• The discussion unexpectedly escalated into a heated argument, leading to the dissolution of the minerals agreement.
• The White House canceled a joint news conference following the confrontation.
• The Ukrainian delegation subsequently withdrew plans to sign the treaty, leaving the deal unsigned.

Notable Quote:

• Ryan Lucas (Justice Correspondent): “You’re gambling with World War Three and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people.” (00:46)

Impact on Ukraine: Joanna Kakissis, reporting from Kyiv, describes the Ukrainian reaction as a mixture of outrage and panic. Ukrainians expressed deep concern over the apparent shift in U.S. support, with social media activity rallying behind Zelenskyy and criticizing the perceived antagonism from Trump and Vance. Prominent Ukrainian politician Mustafa Nyam encapsulated the sentiment by stating, "this administration doesn't just dislike us, they despise us."

Notable Quote:

• Mustafa Nyam (Ukrainian Politician): “This administration doesn’t just dislike us, they despise us. Not just Zelensky, but us as a country, as a problem, as an annoying obstacle in their cozy world of backroom deals.” (03:28)

Ukrainian Perspective: Ukrainians are increasingly looking toward Europe for support, with President Zelenskyy preparing to engage in a European conference. Political analysts in Kyiv highlight the stark contrast between Ukraine’s pursuit of peace and the Trump administration’s inclination towards deal-making, which appears to align more closely with Russian interests.

---

2. Department of Justice Demotions: A Deep Dive

The episode shifts focus to significant developments within the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Acting U.S. Attorney Ed Martin in Washington, D.C., has demoted several senior prosecutors, including those who handled high-profile cases against individuals associated with former President Trump and participants in the January 6th Capitol riot.

Key Points:

• Affected Prosecutors:
  • John Crabb: Supervised cases against Trump allies Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro and the January 6th cases.
  • Greg Rosen: Led the Capital Siege Unit responsible for prosecuting January 6th cases.
  • Two other prosecutors involved in cases against extremist groups like the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys were also reassigned to entry-level positions.

Notable Quote:

• Ryan Lucas (Justice Correspondent): “This is just the latest turmoil to hit the U.S. attorney's office here in D.C., which is one of the most important in the country.” (07:03)

Motivation Behind Demotions: Sources suggest that the demotions are retaliatory, aimed at punishing prosecutors for pursuing cases unfavorable to the Trump administration. Despite the official reason citing the need to realign office priorities, insiders view these moves as political retribution.

Impact on DOJ: These actions contribute to a turbulent environment within the DOJ, undermining the integrity of what is supposed to be an apolitical institution. The episode highlights a broader pattern of the Trump administration exerting influence to protect political allies and alter the course of justice.

Notable Quote:

• Ryan Lucas: “These demotions and firings of career prosecutors for what appear to be retaliatory reasons are all being undertaken by an administration that says it is ending the politicization of the Justice Department.” (08:17)

---

3. Fighting Bird Flu: USDA’s Response and the Egg Crisis

The final major topic addresses the ongoing bird flu outbreak and its economic repercussions, particularly the soaring egg prices affecting consumers nationwide.

Key Highlights:

• Economic Impact: Poultry farmers have culled over 166 million chickens since 2022, leading to a projected more than 40% increase in egg prices this year.
• Government Response: The USDA has allocated up to $1 billion to combat the virus, focusing on enhancing biosecurity measures to prevent further spread. Additionally, the U.S. is importing 15,000 tons of eggs from Turkey to mitigate shortages.
• Vaccination Strategies: While a vaccine for birds exists, its adoption is controversial within the poultry industry. Laying hen farmers are in favor due to the virus's impact on egg production, whereas meat chicken producers are less affected and concerned about trade implications.

Notable Quote:

• Leah Douglas (Agriculture and Energy Policy Reporter): “Experts are really telling me that this situation is unprecedented. There is a lot of support for a vaccine strategy as a way of really trying to prevent this from continuing to spread.” (14:02)

Long-Term Solutions: The USDA’s plan includes significant investments in biosecurity and continued research into vaccination. The division within the poultry industry over vaccine use remains a challenge, with economic and trade considerations influencing decision-making.

Market Responses: Egg companies are scrutinized for potentially exploiting supply constraints to hike prices beyond necessity, prompting calls from lawmakers for investigations into pricing practices.

Notable Quote:

• Leah Douglas: “There's a real supply constraint. There have also been questions about whether egg companies are maybe taking advantage of this moment of constrained supply to hike prices higher than they really need to be.” (11:36)

---

4. Additional Insights and Production Notes

While the main content revolves around international diplomacy, justice department dynamics, and agricultural challenges, the episode also briefly touches on lighter topics like Oscar season predictions and the importance of supporting public media through NPR.

Production Credits: The episode is produced by Martin Patience with contributions from Gabe O'Connor, Fernando Naro, and Gabriel Dunatoff. Technical and editorial support is provided by Krishna, Dave Cullimore, Shannon Rhodes, Melissa Gray, and others, ensuring the episode's seamless delivery.

---

Conclusion

This episode of Up First from NPR delivers a comprehensive overview of significant current events, from high-stakes international negotiations and internal shifts within the DOJ to pressing public health and economic issues related to bird flu. By incorporating firsthand reports from Kyiv and expert insights into U.S. agricultural policies, the episode provides listeners with a nuanced understanding of these multifaceted stories.

---

For more detailed reporting and analysis, subscribe to NPR's Up First or support your local NPR station at donate.npr.org.

Transcript

[Scott Simon]

Don't tell us what we're gonna feel.

[Leah Douglas]

I'm not telling you because you're in.

[Scott Simon]

No position to dictate that.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

A heated exchange in the Oval Office in front of reporters and a minerals deal left unsigned. I'm Ayesha Rascoe.

[Scott Simon]

And I'm Scott Simon. This is up first from NPR News.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

The meeting with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy began smoothly with President Donald Trump touting his role as a peacemaker between Ukraine and Russia.

[Scott Simon]

But it ended in shouting, we'll have the details.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

And the reaction from Kyiv, demotions at the Department of Justice, including lawyers who worked on the January 6 cases.

[Scott Simon]

Also the Department of Agriculture's plan to fight bird flu and high egg prices.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Stay with us. We have the news you need to start your week.

[Leah Douglas]

It's Oscar season and we watched the.

[Joanna Kakissis]

Nominated movies so you don't have to.

[Leah Douglas]

We are making some bold predictions for Hollywood's biggest night, and we may help you win your Oscars pool. Listen to the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast from npr.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

NPR informs and connects communities around the.

[Leah Douglas]

Country, providing reliable information in times of crisis. Federal funding helps us fulfill our mission to create a more informed public and ensures that public radio remains available to everyone. Learn more about safeguarding the future of public media.

[Scott Simon]

Visit protectmypublicmedia.org There is shock and dismay in Ukraine after President Zelensky was berated in the Oval Office by Both Vice President J.D. vance and President Trump.

[Ryan Lucas]

You're gambling with World War Three and.

[Scott Simon]

What you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that's backed you far more than a lot of people.

[Ryan Lucas]

Said they should have.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

After the meeting, the White House canceled a joint news conference and the Ukrainian delegation canceled plans to sign a treaty with the United States on sharing Ukraine's mineral resources.

[Scott Simon]

Trump had said this deal was key to organizing a ceasefire with Russia. And Peer's Joanna Kakissis joins us now from Kyiv. Thanks for being with us.

[Joanna Kakissis]

Thanks for having me.

[Scott Simon]

Scott, how would you describe the reaction you're experiencing there?

[Joanna Kakissis]

Well, Scott, I would describe the reaction as outrage laced with panic. The US Is Ukraine's most important single ally, and Zelensky himself has said repeatedly that it will be very hard for Ukraine to keep defending itself against Russia without US Support. I got several text messages from Ukrainians I know saying, oh, no, it's over. And they wondered, with the Trump administration embracing Russia, what will happen to Ukraine? Is the panic talking? But what's been louder than the panic has been the Anger. Ukrainians are rallying around Zelensky, recording TikTok videos, supporting him and writing on social media, likening President Trump and Vice President Vance to schoolyard bullies who set out to humiliate and browbeat Zelensky. One prominent Ukrainian politician, Mustafa Nyam, posted a Godfather meme and wrote, quote, this administration doesn't just dislike us, they despise us. Not just Zelensky, but us as a country, as a problem, as an annoying obstacle in their cozy world of backroom deals.

[Scott Simon]

Have you heard from Ukrainians specifically about the vice president's claim that President Zelensky hasn't shown gratitude to the US we.

[Joanna Kakissis]

Spoke to Ukrainians about this last night at the Kyiv food market. They brought it up and this idea that Vance thinks Zelenskyy isn't grateful. And they pointed out that Zelenskyy has literally thanked the US Single time he speaks publicly. They found it baffling that Vance would claim this since it's easy to check a Ukrainian soldier, Denis Sokolov. He told us that Ukraine and the Trump administration have two different goals.

[Leah Douglas]

I think the main difference is that Ukraine wants peace, but Trump won't make a deal. That's a huge difference in our politics, in our vision to how we want to end the war.

[Joanna Kakissis]

So, Scott, making peace versus making a deal.

[Scott Simon]

Joanna, based on your conversations, what do Ukrainians seem to hope, what will happen next?

[Joanna Kakissis]

Well, I hear many Ukrainians saying, look, let's work more closely with Europe, where ties are already strong. Zelensky is now in London and is preparing to join a European conference on Sunday. European Union leaders have publicly defended zelensky, including the EU's top diplomat, Kayakalis. She wrote on social media that the free world needs a new leader now and it's up to us, the Europeans, to take this challenge Here in Ukraine. Political analysts say Zelensky Zelensky's in a terrible spot since Trump seems to dislike Zelensky and seems to openly favor Russian President Vladimir Putin. Here's Oleksandr Krayev, the North America director for the Ukrainian PRISM Foreign Policy Council in Kyiv.

[Leah Douglas]

Putin does what Trump wants. He praises him, he compliments him. He speaks about reestablishing economic ties, and Zelensky speaks about justice. Zelensky speak about weapons. Zelensky speaks about defending Ukraine. So everything that Trump doesn't want to hear and doesn't want to do.

[Joanna Kakissis]

But Cryov did say he expects Zelensky to keep trying to get through to President Trump.

[Scott Simon]

NPR's Joanna Kakissis in Kyiv. Thanks so much you're welcome.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Friday, the acting U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C. demoted several senior lawyers in the office, including lawyers who oversaw cases against President Trump's political allies and the January 6th rioters.

[Scott Simon]

It is the latest punitive action taken by the Trump Justice Department against career prosecutors. NPR justice correspondent Ryan Lucas joins us. Ryan, thanks for being with us.

[Ryan Lucas]

Thanks for having me.

[Scott Simon]

What can you tell us about these demotions?

[Ryan Lucas]

Well, sources tell me and our colleague Kerry Johnson that the acting U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C. ed Martin, demoted at least seven top prosecutors in the U.S. attorney's office here. One of them is John Crabb. He was a supervisor in the office. He was involved in the cases against Trump allies Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro. He also oversaw January 6 cases. Another prosecutor is Greg Rosen. He led the Capital Siege Unit. That's the unit that prosecuted January 6th cases. And then two of the other attorneys who were demoted worked on two of the most high profile cases to come out of the Capitol riot investigation. One of the attorneys helped lead the prosecution against Stuart Rhodes. He's the leader of the far right Oath Keepers extremist group. Rhodes was convicted at trial of seditious conspiracy. One of the other attorneys helped spearhead the case against Enrique Tarrio, the former head of the Proud Boys extremist group. Tarrio, and as well was convicted of seditious conspiracy at trial. So the bottom line here is all of the attorneys who were demoted were senior prosecutors with a lot of experience, and now they're being reassigned to basically entry level jobs.

[Scott Simon]

Was the reason given?

[Ryan Lucas]

Well, one source tells me that Martin notified these individuals by email. In at least one of the emails, Martin said that every U.S. attorney has to assess the needs of their office as set forth by the president and the Attorney General, and, in essence, their priorities. And therefore, these senior prosecutors were being reassigned effective immediately. And at least one of the emails ended by saying this change is not temporary. Now, I'm told that some of the senior prosecutors were assigned to misdemeanors, which is where brand new prosecutors in the office are usually assigned. Others were demoted to what's known as the intake section, which is also for junior folks in the office. One person I spoke with described these demotions as pure political retribution for working on cases that the Trump administration does not like. Now, I contacted the U.S. attorney's office about these actions for comment. It did not respond. But this is not the first time that Ed Martin, the acting U.S. attorney here, has taken what appear to be retaliatory action against the office he leads. He previously fired more than a dozen prosecutors in his office who worked January 6th cases. So this is just the latest turmoil to hit the U.S. attorney's office here in D.C. which is one of the most important in the country.

[Scott Simon]

And what could this mean ahead for the Justice Department?

[Ryan Lucas]

Well, first off, these demotions and firings of career prosecutors for what appear to be retaliatory reasons are all being undertaken by an administration that says it is ending the politicization of the Justice Department. That's something that we hear quite often from Trump's Attorney General Pam Bondi. But Justice Department veterans say the DOJ under the Trump administration has cut breaks for Trump's political allies. For example, moving to drop the case against former Republican Congressman Jeff Fortenberry. You can also point to prosecutors withdrawing from an investigation against sitting Republican Congressman Andy Ogles. And then, of course, there's the department's decision to drop the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Adams has pledged to cooperate with the Trump administration's immigration enforcement. The decision to drop that case set off an uproar. More than a half dozen veteran Justice Department prosecutors resigned in protest. That includes the acting U.S. attorney in Manhattan, who said that there was no good faith basis for dropping the Adams prosecution. So all of these things have really rattled the Justice Department and the career, that apolitical career folks who work there. So this is undoubtedly a very, very turbulent time for the Justice Department.

[Scott Simon]

NPR justice correspondent Ryan Lucas, thanks so much.

[Ryan Lucas]

Thank you, Scott.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Think the cost of eggs is high right now? The Department of Agriculture says that prices could rise more than 40% this year.

[Scott Simon]

Since 2022, poultry farmers have culled more than 166 million chickens to prevent the spread of bird flu.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

This week, the USDA announced it will spend up to $1 billion to fight the virus.

[Scott Simon]

And to help ease the egg shortage, the US is importing 15,000 tons of eggs from Turkey.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Leah Douglas covers agriculture and energy policy for Reuters and has been closely following this outbreak. Thanks for joining us.

[Leah Douglas]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

So can you give us a sense of just how serious the spread of bird flu is?

[Leah Douglas]

Well, for poultry farmers, it's really a significant issue. We've actually seen some of the biggest flocks and some significant outbreaks just in the last few months. And so for poultry farmers, it's a major concern and also for dairy farmers who are seeing the virus spread in dairy herds as well.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

And what is the threat to humans and other animals?

[Leah Douglas]

So the primary threat to humans right now is in the farm worker population that's working with the sick animals. So the CDC has reported 70 cases of bird flu among humans in the past year, and the vast majority of those cases were among poultry farm workers or people working on dairy farms, perhaps milking the cows. Beyond that, the CDC hasn't yet reported any cases of human to human transmission of the virus. That would be more concerning about its potential for human spread, but they're monitoring that very closely.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

And one person has died from this?

[Leah Douglas]

Yes, one person in Louisiana did die from bird flu last year.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Is the bird flu outbreak, is that what's responsible for high egg prices, or is there more to it?

[Leah Douglas]

Bird flu is definitely a major factor. Why egg prices are high. I was at a conference this week where the Department of Agriculture's chief economist was presenting on this issue. He said that the laying flock, that's the chickens that lay our eggs, is down about 10% from where the country would want it to be to keep up with demand. So there is a real supply constraint. There have also been questions about whether egg companies are maybe taking advantage of this moment of constrained supply to hike prices higher than they really need to be. And some lawmakers have asked for an inquiry into that as well.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

What is the government's plan to combat bird flu and lower the price of eggs? What will it entail?

[Leah Douglas]

Well, newly appointed Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rawlins on Wednesday announced a plan, and a big chunk of it goes to helping farmers, particularly poultry farmers, increase what's called biosecurity on their farms. So basically, the efforts they can take to keep wild birds that might be sick off their property to make sure that technicians and workers and other folks coming onto the farm aren't bringing the virus. So the agency is putting about $500 million towards those efforts of prevention. Really. And then there's also some effort that the agency is taking to look into vaccination of birds, which is something that was also happening under the previous Biden administration, looking into vaccines for chickens and cows as. As another sort of preventative approach.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Well, about those vaccines, because scientists have developed a vaccine, but I gather it's not widely used. Why isn't it being used?

[Leah Douglas]

That's right. The USDA hasn't yet said that we should be vaccinating either poultry or cows against bird flu. And some of that is because there's still ongoing research. The agency is still collecting information. The poultry industry is divided over whether to use vaccines. So the farmers who grow laying hens, they do support vaccines because, as we've talked about, that's primarily the chickens that are being affected. By the spread of the virus. They really want that to stop. The growers who produce chickens for meat have been less impacted. And there's also potential trade implications from vaccinating those animals. And so there's a divide in the industry that the agriculture secretary has said she's still thinking about whether to move forward with a vaccine strategy.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

So you've been covering this story for a long time. What are the experts telling you needs to happen to get this outbreak contained?

[Leah Douglas]

Experts are really telling me that this situation is unprecedented. That was a word used by the USDA's chief veterinarian in a presentation this week. There's a lot of support for a vaccine strategy as a way of really trying to prevent this from continuing to spread. Farmers are already implementing biosecurity measures. And so there's already a lot of efforts underway. And I think there is increased attention to do we need to move to a vaccine? Because the efforts that we've been doing for the last few years clearly have not controlled the outbreak.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

That's Leah Douglas, an agriculture and energy policy reporter at Reuters. Thanks for talking with us.

[Leah Douglas]

Thank you for having me.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

And that's up first for Saturday, March 1st, 2025. I'm Ayesha Rascoe.

[Scott Simon]

And I'm Scott Simon.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Martin Patience produced today's episode with help from Gabe O'Connor, Fernando Naro and Gabriel Dunatoff editing.

[Scott Simon]

And so happy to be doing so are Krishna, Dave Cullimore, Shannon Rhodes and Melissa Gray, who say they enjoy this perpetual state of bliss because they have such great colleagues, including our director, Andrew.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Craig, our technical director, Andy Huether, and.

[Scott Simon]

The engineers who help us out, David Greenberg, Zachary Coleman and Arthur Helladay. Laurent.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Evie Stone is our senior supervising editor. And Sarah Lucy Oliver is our executive producer. They're happy to work with the ever delightful Just a Shining Light, Jim Cain, our deputy managing editor. And we are, too.

[Scott Simon]

Well, I'm not you, Ayesha. But tomorrow on the Sunday story, wicked Conclave, a complete unknown, plus seven other movies up for best picture. The team at Pop Culture Happy Hour makes their Oscar predictions. You can listen to find out how they compare with your own.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

And for more news, interviews, sports and music, you can tune in to WEEKEND edition. It's on your radio.

[Scott Simon]

Yeah, yeah. Right now.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Right now. Go to stations.NPR.org to find your local NPR station. Foreign.

[Leah Douglas]

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.