Podcast Summary: WSJ What’s News
Episode: U.S. Pauses Visa Interviews for Foreign Students
Release Date: May 28, 2025
Host: Luke Vargas
Producer: Kate Bullivant
Supervising Producer: Daniel Bach
1. U.S. Suspends New Visa Interviews for Foreign Students
Overview:
The Trump administration has temporarily halted new visa interviews for foreign students, aiming to intensify the vetting process. This decision threatens to disrupt university operations that rely heavily on international students to subsidize tuition fees for domestic attendees.
Key Points:
- Policy Change: The State Department, under Secretary Marco Rubio, instructed all U.S. embassies and consulates to pause scheduling new student visa interviews.
- Impact on Universities: Institutions argue that foreign students constitute a significant portion of their student bodies and contribute financially to the overall tuition structure.
- Timing: The suspension hits during a peak season when international students typically apply for fall admissions after receiving spring acceptances.
Notable Quote:
“The cable orders embassies and consulates not to schedule any new interviews as officials prepare for tougher vetting of applicants.”
— Luke Vargas [00:49]
2. Presidential Pardons and Political Implications
Overview:
President Trump has pardoned individuals convicted of fraud and corruption, signaling a preference for allies and supporters within his administration. These actions raise questions about the motivations behind the pardons and their alignment with Trump's broader political agenda.
Key Points:
- Pardoned Individuals: Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, and former Virginia Sheriff Scott Jenkins.
- Justifications: Trump claims the pardoned faced undue harsh treatment and targeted due to their conservative values.
- Justice Department's Shift: Ed Martin, the new pardon attorney, is reportedly accelerating cases for political allies, transforming the office into a conduit for favoritism.
Notable Quotes:
“They had been targeted because of their conservative values.”
— Trump [00:49]
“He had fast tracked Jenkins case, describing him as being on the right side of a lot of issues.”
— Luke Vargas [07:29]
3. Supreme Court Clears the Way for Arizona Copper Project
Overview:
The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal from a local Apache group opposing the Resolution Copper project, a significant mining endeavor by Rio Tinto and BHP Group designed to meet a substantial portion of U.S. copper demand.
Key Points:
- Project Significance: Expected to supply up to 25% of current U.S. copper needs, essential for electric vehicles, infrastructure, and military applications.
- Economic Impact: Projected to add $1 billion annually to Arizona's economy and create thousands of jobs.
- Strategic Importance: Aligns with the administration's goal to bolster domestic mining and reduce dependency on China, the current leader in the copper market.
Notable Quote:
“It's a key part of EVs, the data centers, power grids, importantly for policymakers.”
— Rhiannon Hoyle [03:29]
4. SpaceX's Bumpy Road with Starship Tests
Overview:
SpaceX encountered another setback as its Starship vehicle lost control during its ninth test flight. Despite reaching space, the mission ended prematurely during reentry, highlighting ongoing challenges with the 400-foot-tall rocket.
Key Points:
- Test Flight Details: Starship achieved greater altitude compared to previous attempts this year but failed to complete planned reentry tests.
- Elon Musk's Ambition: The program aims to develop spacecraft capable of ambitious missions, essential for SpaceX's future endeavors.
Notable Quote:
“SpaceX said it lost control of the vehicle before it could conduct planned tests during reentry.”
— Luke Vargas [04:10]
5. Market Movements and Upcoming Earnings
Overview:
U.S. stock futures show a slight decline following a previous rally, with investors eyeing upcoming earnings reports from major tech companies amidst ongoing geopolitical uncertainties.
Key Points:
- Investor Sentiment: Wall Street is cautiously optimistic, anticipating whether companies like Nvidia can maintain growth amid complex geopolitical climates, especially related to sales challenges in China.
- Earnings Reports: Salesforce is slated to report earnings post-market close, following its announcement of a significant AI acquisition despite slowing revenue growth.
- Trade Tensions: Potential easing of U.S.-EU trade tensions could benefit the European luxury goods sector, which has been impacted by the trade war.
Notable Quotes:
“Investors are now looking ahead to what could be the next big test for markets.”
— Katy Barnato [05:12]
“If workshops start to move away from Europe into places like America or Asia... then yeah, for a town like Kabrikay, that becomes very difficult.”
— Nick Kostoff [07:49]
6. Ukraine's Recruitment Challenges Amid Ongoing Conflict
Overview:
Ukraine is intensifying its efforts to recruit young adults into its military through lucrative incentives. However, the program, known as Contract 1824, has seen disappointing participation rates compared to Russia's robust recruitment strategies.
Key Points:
- Incentive Program: Offers a $24,000 bonus, one-year service commitment, opportunities to travel abroad, free education, and subsidized medical care.
- Recruitment Results: Only around 500 sign-ups in three weeks, starkly lower than Russia's monthly recruitment figures.
- Challenges: Young Ukrainians prioritize career development over military service, compounded by bureaucratic hurdles and existing military personnel's resentment towards new recruits receiving higher bonuses without experience.
- Strategic Context: With Russia preparing for a summer offensive, Ukraine continues to bolster its defenses, anticipating a prolonged conflict.
Notable Quotes:
“Ukraine's youngest adults receive a $24,000 bonus for signing up through this program, which is more than many Ukrainian soldiers receive in the space of a year.”
— Matthew Luxmore [00:38]
“There's a huge campaign right now that really, really tries to get Ukraine's youngest adults into the military...”
— Matthew Luxmore [08:49]
“The short answer to that question is no.”
— Matthew Luxmore [09:38]
Conclusion
This episode of WSJ What’s News delves into significant developments impacting U.S. immigration policies, presidential pardons with political undertones, major infrastructure projects influencing the economy and geopolitical dynamics, setbacks in space exploration endeavors, fluctuating market sentiments in the face of global uncertainties, and Ukraine's struggle to bolster its military forces amidst persistent conflict. Each segment provides insights into how these events shape both national and international landscapes.
Prepared by Luke Vargas for The Wall Street Journal.