Key Events (10)
The Trump administration announced plans to open millions of acres in Alaska to drilling and mining, reversing Biden-era protections. Interior Department officials stated they will repeal protections across the state's ecologically sensitive North Slope, including the 23-million-acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
China accused the United States of 'seriously violating' a trade truce, citing moves against computer chip imports and threats to student visas. The Trump administration has maintained that China violated the agreement, setting off a new escalation in trade tensions.
U.S. manufacturing output declined for the third consecutive month amid uncertainty over tariffs, with the dollar nearing a three-year low. Manufacturing surveys indicated that Trump's trade war is hitting production across American firms.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross stated that tariffs will not be eliminated despite court challenges and criticism. President Trump is set to raise tariffs on steel and aluminum this week, even as courts question the constitutional basis for other levies.
The Trump administration is restricting press access and academic publication, with VA physicians and scientists ordered not to publish in medical journals without seeking clearance from Trump appointees. A reporter for a Trump-friendly outlet was also fired after criticizing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for clamping down on press access.
At least 20 Planned Parenthood clinics have shuttered amid political turbulence, with the reproductive health organization navigating loss of federal funding and fresh threats. The closures reflect the broader political pressure facing the organization under the Trump administration.
National Weather Service offices in hurricane-prone areas are understaffed due to job cuts and a hiring freeze imposed by the Trump administration, raising concerns as hurricane season begins. Key weather monitoring offices lack sufficient personnel during a critical time of year.
The Trump administration is scaling back engagement as Ukraine and Russia intensify military attacks, with the administration taking a step back from active involvement. Ukraine and Russia held a second round of talks in Istanbul that resulted in a prisoner-of-war deal but no ceasefire agreement.
Parents and advocates are pushing back against Trump administration changes to COVID vaccine rules, with frustration mounting over new trials and restrictions contemplated for COVID vaccines. Critics characterize the policy shift as a 'war on children.'
A federal court brief by conservatives helped put Trump's tariffs in constitutional peril, with one judge citing the coalition's argument eight times in challenging the legitimacy of tariff authority. The brief from leading figures on the right argued the tariff program violated the Constitution.