The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to allow restrictions on birthright citizenship to partly take effect while legal fights play out.
In emergency applications filed at the high court on Thursday, the administration asked the justices to narrow court orders entered by district judges in Massachusetts, Maryland, and Washington that blocked the order President Trump signed shortly after beginning his second term.
Earlier, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to offer jobs back to thousands of fired probationary workers across federal departments, and required that immediate offers of reinstatement be sent by agencies including the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, the Interior and Treasury.
Here’s how it unfolded.
pinned
Other news from Thursday:
- Trump threatens 200 percent tariffs on alcohol: In a post on Truth Social, Trump threatened tariffs on European wine, champagne and spirits if the European Union goes forward with a planned tariff on American whiskey on April 1.
- Wall Street tumbles: Amid Trump’s trade war, Wall Street’s sell-off hit a new low, with the S&P 500 dropping more than 10% below its record set just last month. A 10% drop is a big enough deal that professional investors have a name for it — a “correction” — and the S&P 500’s slide on Thursday sent the index to its first since 2023.
- Schumer backs GOP funding bill: The Senate Democratic leader said on the chamber floor Thursday that the Republican-led bill was “no choice at all” but that a government shutdown would be “a far worse option.”
Protesters at UMass Amherst, Harvard, rally over detention of Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil — 9:40 p.m.
By Lila Hempel-Edgers, Rita Chandler and Tonya Alanez
Protesters at Harvard University and University of Massachusetts Amherst campuses stood in solidarity Thursday with Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student and outspoken figure during the Gaza war protests last spring at Columbia University, who was arrested last weekend at the behest of the Trump administration.
About 100 demonstrators, including students, gathered on each campus, waving Palestinian flags, handing out flyers, chanting down the Trump administration, and calling for their universities to divest from companies tied to Israel. The administration is seeking to deport Khalil, who was born in Syria to Palestinian parents and has a green card to stay in the United States. He is married to a US citizen. He has not been charged with any crimes.
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At UMass Amherst, the protest took place outside the Whitmore Administration Building, where many were draped in black and white keffiyehs while others wore medical masks and sunglasses to conceal their faces.
One student hunched over a stack of cardboard posters, scrawling “sanctuary over suppression” across them with thick markers. Another stood with a megaphone by her side, greeting students as they arrived.
Pentagon continues purge of photographs it considers promote DEI, including 3 related to the Enola Gay — 7:30 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The Pentagon is continuing its purge of photographs it considers promote DEI, and although it said historical photographs would be protected, at least three images related to the B-29 Superfortress bomber that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, have been removed – likely because the aircraft was called the Enola Gay.
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The images that have disappeared include a historical black-and-white photo of the Enola Gay “undergoing modification at Oklahoma City Air Depot to be able to drop atomic weapons,” according to a thumbnail of the photograph, which remains. Two others that mention a grandson of a member of the original Enola Gay crew flying a refurbished B-29 to honor his family have also been deleted, although their thumbnails are also still visible.
A request for comment to the Pentagon on why the Enola Gay images were removed was not immediately returned.
Schumer says that as bad as the GOP bill is, a shutdown would be worse — 7:29 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer relented rather than risk a government shutdown, announcing he’s ready to start the process of considering a Republican-led government funding bill that has fiercely divided Democrats as they struggle to impose limits on the Trump administration.
Schumer told Democrats his views privately during a spirited closed-door lunch and then later in public remarks ahead Friday’s midnight deadline to keep government running.
The New York senator said that as bad as the GOP bill is, a shutdown would be worse, giving Trump and billionaire Musk “carte blanche” as they tear through the government.
Schumer says he will vote to move forward on GOP-led spending measure to keep the government open — 7:06 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor Thursday evening that the choice between the GOP spending bill and a shutdown is “no choice at all” but that a shutdown would be “a far worse option.”
It is still unclear if the legislation will pass. Republicans hold a 53-47 seat majority and need 60 votes to move forward.
Many Democrats have said they will vote against it and seemed willing to risk a shutdown Friday at midnight as they have criticized Trump’s efforts to make major cuts to government agencies.
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Others have argued that the shutdown could potentially worsen the cuts across the federal government. Schumer said a shutdown could hurt veterans programs, threaten social security and slow the courts.
“I believe it is my job to make the best choice to minimize the harms” to the American people,” Schumer said.
Johns Hopkins University cuts over 2,000 jobs — 6:41 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Johns Hopkins University slashed more than 2,000 jobs due to the termination of more than $800 million in US Agency for International Development funding, the Maryland school said.
The university confirmed that the funding cut has led to the loss of 1,975 positions in 44 countries internationally and 247 in the United States. An additional 29 international and 78 domestic employees will be furloughed with a reduced schedule, the university said.
The affected entities are Jhpiego, the Bloomberg School of Public Health, including its Center for Communication Programs, and the School of Medicine.
“This is a difficult day for our entire community,” the university said in a statement. “The termination of more than $800 million in USAID funding is now forcing us to wind down critical work here in Baltimore and internationally.”
RFK Jr.’s first month as health secretary — 6:23 p.m.
By the Associated Press
In his first month in office, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who vowed to “Make America Healthy Again,” touted beef tallow as a healthier alternative to seed oils and raised doubts about vaccines.
The latter message has the nation’s top infectious diseases specialists worried that his tepid recommendations will undermine access to long-proven, life-saving vaccines.
What happened during Kennedy’s first month:
- Public health agencies canceled vaccine meetings and research
- Kennedy rejected ‘anti-vaccine’ label but echoed the movement
- Supporters celebrated success on the food front
Ontario’s premier shows optimism about Trump’s trade war with Canada — 6:18 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he feels the temperature in Trump’s trade war with Canada is being lowered after meeting with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick in Washington.
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The leader of Canada’s most populous province says he feels positive about it despite Trump doubling down on his anti-Canada rhetoric during an Oval Office meeting earlier Thursday with NATO chief Mark Rutte.
“To be honest with you, Canada only works as a state,” Trump said before going on to say that he’s not going to change his mind on the tariffs he’s imposing on Canada. “We’re not going to bend.”
Ford backed down from a 25% surcharge on electricity to the U.S. after Lutnick called him and offered a meeting Thursday. He says there will be another meeting next week.
Broadcasting corporation sues FEMA over pause in funds for upgrading US emergency alert system — 5:42 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The federal government’s nonprofit steward of funding for public broadcasting stations sued the Trump administration over its pause in grant payments for upgrading the nation’s emergency alert system.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s federal lawsuit says a recent hold on grant funds for modernizing the alert system hampers the ability of federal, state and local authorities to issue real-time emergency alerts.
The CPB sued the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington, D.C., to challenge its Feb. 18 hold on the $40 million grant program for the Next Generation Warning System.
FEMA didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The lawsuit says FEMA hasn’t attempted to explain a basis for suspending the grant payments.
The national Emergency Alert System helps government officials issue alerts about disasters, including flash floods, blizzards, tornados and hurricanes.
Columbia University says it expelled some students who seized building last year — 5:40 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Democratic US Representative Raúl M. Grijalva of Arizona, who championed environmental protection during his 12 terms in Congress, died from complications from cancer treatments, his office said.
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Grijalva, who was 77, had risen to chair the US House Natural Resources Committee and was the top Democrat on the committee until earlier this year. He had been absent from Congress as he underwent cancer treatment in recent months.
Grijalva’s office said in a statement, “From permanently protecting the Grand Canyon for future generations to strengthening the Affordable Care Act, his proudest moments in Congress have always been guided by community voices.”
Democratic Representative Raúl M. Grijalva of Arizona dies at 77 — 5:29 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Democratic US Represenetative Raúl M. Grijalva of Arizona, who championed environmental protection during his 12 terms in Congress, died Thursday from complications from cancer treatments, his office said. He was 77.
Grijalva had risen to chair the US House Natural Resources Committee and was the top Democrat on the committee until earlier this year. He had been absent from Congress as he underwent cancer treatment in recent months.
“From permanently protecting the Grand Canyon for future generations to strengthening the Affordable Care Act, his proudest moments in Congress have always been guided by community voices,” Grijalva’s office said in a statement.
Wall Street tumbles 10 percent below its record after Trump escalates his trade war — 4:18 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Wall Street’s sell-off hit a new low after Trump’s escalating trade war dragged the S&P 500 more than 10 percent below its record, which was set just last month.
The losses came after Trump upped the stakes in his trade war by threatening huge taxes on European wines and alcohol.
Trump administration demands UN agencies disclose any ‘anti-American’ ties — 4:14 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The Trump administration is demanding UN humanitarian agencies that receive or disburse US funding to fill out a questionnaire disclosing any ties to communism, socialism or anti-American beliefs.
That’s according to US and UN officials and a copy of the survey obtained by The Associated Press.
UNICEF and the UN Refugee Agency joined the remaining offices and bureaus at the recently dismantled US Agency for International Development in receiving the questionnaire.
It probes several Trump administration concerns, including whether any of the programs are promoting diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
It was unclear how widely the administration sent the survey, which was verified by a current USAID staffer, a US official and three UN officials.
Federal antisemitism task force wants to meet with Mayor Wu, three other big city mayors about handling campus protests — 4:11 p.m.
By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff
A federal task force targeting antisemitism is asking for a meeting with Mayor Michelle Wu and three other big city mayors to discuss how local officials handled on-campus pro-Palestinian protests in their cities.
In a statement this week, the Department of Justice and the Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism said they wanted to meet with Wu and the other mayors “to discuss their responses to incidents of antisemitism at schools and on college campuses in their cities over the last two years.”
The other mayors were Eric Adams of New York, Karen Bass of Los Angeles and Brandon Johnson of Chicago, according to the statement issued by Leo Terrell, a task force member and adviser to Trump.
NATO secretary-general tells Trump he’s motivating alliance members to spend more on defense — 3:51 p.m.
By the Associated Press
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte laid on the praise for Trump as the two met in the Oval Office at a time when the president’s comments have raised doubts about his commitment to the transatlantic alliance and its mutual defense treaty.
Rutte welcomed Trump’s efforts to get fellow members of the alliance to step up their defense spending and told the president, “I think they want to work together with you in the run-up to the next summit to make sure that we will have a NATO, which is newly invigorated under your leadership.”
Trump’s nominee for US ambassador to Canada says it’s a ‘sovereign state’ — 3:47 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Pete Hoekstra was speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on his nomination.
Asked by Democratic Senator Chris Coons if he agrees that Canada is a sovereign state and shouldn’t be “even jokingly referred to as the 51st state,” Hoekstra replied:“Canada is a sovereign state, yes.”
Trump has rankled Canadians by insisting that their country would be better off as the newest member of the United States. Both countries are also embroiled in a trade war initiated by Trump.
Hoekstra is a former congressman from Michigan who was US ambassador to the Netherlands in Trump’s first term.
Trump wants his birthright citizenship restrictions to be partly allowed for now — 3:05 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The administration’s emergency applications filed at the high court on Thursday ask the justices to narrow court orders entered by district judges in Massachusetts, Maryland, and Washington that have blocked Trump’s order nationwide.
Three federal appeals courts have rejected the administration’s pleas.
The order Trump signed shortly after being sworn in for a second time would deny citizenship to people born after Feb. 19 whose parents are in the country illegally. It also forbids US agencies from issuing any document or accepting any state document recognizing citizenship for such children.
Trump will meet New York Governor Kathy Hochul Friday at the White House — 2:56 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The president said they’d discuss several topics, including construction of an underground pipeline going through a “small section” of New York state that may eventually lower energy prices.
Hochul said she wants to continue an Oval Office conversation they had on infrastructure and Penn Station, and raise “our concerns about energy in light of the tariffs.”
Also, “he knows I want to talk about congestion pricing,” Hochul said. The Trump administration has halted congestion pricing tolls in New York City.
Earthjustice sues the Trump administration for withholding funds from farmers and nonprofits — 2:55 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The environmental law nonprofit argues that the administration and the US Department of Agriculture is unlawfully withholding funds appropriated by Congress through the Inflation Reduction Act.
Earthjustice is representing five farms and three nonprofits that were awarded USDA grants funded by the IRA. The projects that were promised funding include improving energy efficiency, planting trees in historically underserved communities and providing technical assistance to farmers.
The freeze “erodes the trust that the USDA worked so hard to build,” said Brien Darby, Executive Director of Cultivate KC, one of the organizations.
The USDA has not responded to a request for comment.
A previously untariffed $15 bottle of Italian Prosecco could cost $45 in US — 2:46 p.m.
By the Associated Press
That’s if Trump follows through on his threat to impose 200 percent tariffs on European liquor and wine in response to Europe’s tax on American bourbon, itself a retaliation to Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs.
“This ongoing tariff war doesn’t just harm importers — it weakens domestic brands, disrupts distributors, and squeezes retailers who rely on global selections,” said Holly Seidewand, owner of First Fill Spirits in Saratoga Springs, New York. “In the end, consumers will bear the brunt of it all.”
Gabriel Picard, who heads the French Federation of Exporters of Wines and Spirits, said 200 percent tariffs would be “a hammer blow” to a US market worth $4.3 billion annually for French exporters alone. “All exports to the United States will come to a total, total, halt,” Picard told The Associated Press.
Protesters flood Trump Tower to demand release of Mahmoud Khalil — 2:01 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Demonstrators from a Jewish group filled the lobby of Trump Tower to denounce the immigration arrest of Mahmoud Khalil. a pro-Palestinian activist who helped lead protests against Israel at Columbia University.
The Jewish Voice for Peace protesters, who carried banners and wore red shirts reading “Jews say stop arming Israel,” chanted “Bring Mahmoud home now!”
After warning the protesters to leave the Fifth Avenue building, officers arrested 98 of them on various charges including trespassing, obstruction and resisting arrest, a police official said at a news briefing.
Khalil, a permanent US resident who is married to an American citizen and who hasn’t been charged with breaking any laws, was arrested outside his New York City apartment on Saturday and faces deportation. He’s being held at an immigration detention center in Louisiana.
‘JUST-DOGE’ team created to cut costs at the Justice Department — 1:57 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The team is tasked with working with the White House and the Department of Government Efficiency “to identify savings and cost cutting measures” in the law enforcement agency, according to an email sent to Justice Department employees this week.
It will be led by officials including Assistant Attorney General for Administration Jolene Ann Lauria, according to the email reviewed by The Associated Press.
“The JUST-DOGE team will lead directed reviews and identify cost savings and other potential efficiencies in DOJ’s budget,” the email said. “We have much work to do in this area and we sincerely appreciate your cooperation in advance of this critical Administration priority.”
Trump questions Denmark’s claim to Greenland, says more US troops could be headed there — 1:44 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump says “Denmark’s very far away” from Greenland, despite being part of that country’s kingdom.
“A boat landed there 200 years ago or something. They say they have rights to it,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “I don’t know if that’s true. I don’t think it is, actually.”
He noted that the US already has a military presence in Greenland and, “Maybe you’ll see more and more soldiers going there.”
Trump also suggested that Greenland’s election was very good “for us” and “the person who did the best is a very good person as far as we’re concerned.”
Trump said egg prices have gone down in the last couple of weeks — 1:27 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The president said to reporters: “We inherited that problem: eggs.”
Wholesale egg prices have dropped this month as demand has dropped, according to the Department of Agriculture, after surging 28 percent from January to February, according to the Labor Department’s Producer Price Index.
But it’s not clear yet if consumers will benefit. Egg prices remain higher than they were at the start of 2025, according to Federal Reserve Economic Data.
Trump says Democrats would be responsible if government shuts down — 1:22 p.m.
By the Associated Press
“If there’s a shutdown, it’s only because of the Democrats,” Trump said.
The Republican-controlled House passed legislation this week to keep the government funded through the end of the budget year in September.
The Republican-controlled Senate needs to act on the measure by midnight Friday to keep the government operating.
President Trump: "If it shuts down, it's not the Republicans' fault … I'm hearing a lot of Democrats are going to vote for it and I hope they do." pic.twitter.com/GIul4zxymS
— CSPAN (@cspan) March 13, 2025
Trump could kill the US market for French wines, industry expert warns — 1:20 p.m.
By the Associated Press
A threatened 200 percent tariff would deal “a hammer blow” to the multibillion dollar French alcohol export industry and impact hundreds of thousands of people in France, according to the president of France’s Federation of Exporters of Wines and Spirits.
“Not a single bottle will continue to be expedited if 200% tariffs are applied to our products. All exports to the United States will come to a total, total, halt,” Gabriel Picard says.
Picard concedes Europe had no choice but to respond to Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum imports but that the EU shouldn’t have threatened to retaliate against US-produced whisky and wines.
Democratic Senate Finance Committee members want hearing on DOGE changes at Social Security — 1:19 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The Social Security Administration has announced plans to lay off at least 7,000 workers, and has cut entire departments and temporarily shut off information sharing with Maine.
The agency is run by Leland Dudek, a department worker who is friendly to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. Former Acting Commissioner Michelle King stepped down after voicing concerns about DOGE access to Social Security systems.
“When combined with SSA providing inexperienced individuals unfettered access to the agency’s sensitive systems, there is a profound risk of causing irreparable harm to the agency’s systems and Americans’ financial security,” the Senators wrote to committee chair Mike Crapo.
Social Security is the largest source of income for retirees. Musk recently told the Fox Business Network that “most of the federal spending is entitlements.”
“That’s the big one to eliminate,” he said.
Trump says he’s ‘not going to bend’ on tariffs coming for Canada — 1:18 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump told reporters at the White House that he’s not going to change his mind on the tariffs he’s imposing on Canada.
“We’ve been ripped off for years,” Trump said. “We’re not going to bend.”
Acknowledging the economic impact, he said, “There’ll be a little disruption. But it won’t be long.”
Trump sees ‘good signals’ from Russia — 1:14 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The president spoke during a White House meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte as his envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian officials, shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced an agreement in principle with the US proposal for 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.
Putin’s statement stressed that certain conditions must be met. Trump reiterated that he stands ready to speak with Putin, but underscored that it is time to end the war.
“He put out a very promising statement but it wasn’t complete,” Trump said. “Now we’re going to see whether or not Russia’s there. And if they’re not, it’ll be a very disappointing moment for the world.”
Federal judge orders Trump to offer jobs back to fired probationary workers — 12:52 p.m.
By the Associated Press
US District Judge William Alsup found the firings didn’t follow federal law.
He required that immediate offers of reinstatement be sent by agencies including the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, the Interior and Treasury.
The order from the San Francisco-based judge came in a lawsuit filed by a coalition of labor unions and other organizations as the administration moves to dramatically downsize the federal workforce.
Russia President Vladimir Putin says the cease-fire terms remain to be worked out — 12:30 p.m.
By the Associated Press
“We agree with the proposals to halt the fighting, but we proceed from the assumption that the ceasefire should lead to lasting peace and remove the root causes of the crisis,” Putin said.
Putin’s statement noted that Ukrainian troops are encircled in their last foothold in Russia’s Kursk region, and it’s necessary to determine before a ceasefire whether they will surrender.
He also noted that it’s necessary to develop a mechanism of control over possible breaches of the truce.
And he questioned whether Ukraine could use the 30-day ceasefire to mobilize and rearm.
Trump set to visit the Justice Department on Friday — 12:29 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The White House hasn’t provided any details about why the president is visiting the department that charged him with illegally retaining classified documents and trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat.
The DOJ, which is now led by his former defense attorneys and allies, abandoned the cases against Trump, citing longstanding Justice Department policy that sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution.
Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on X that she is “looking forward to welcoming” Trump to the department. It will be his first agency visit since his return to the White House.
Looking forward to welcoming @POTUS to the Department of Justice tomorrow!
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) March 13, 2025
Democratic senators complain about Trump’s Tesla promotion at the White House — 12:19 p.m.
By the Associated Press
They wrote to the acting director of the Office of Government Ethics slamming Trump’s apparent violation of federal ethics laws. They asked for an immediate investigation and possible disciplinary action.
Ethics laws against misusing government positions exist to make sure “finite taxpayer resources” address public concerns instead of “helping the world’s richest man get richer,” said the letter signed by Senators Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Richard Blumenthal, and Adam Schiff.
Shares in Tesla have taken a beating as Elon Musk leads Trump’s campaign to slash federal spending. Trump had five Tesla automobiles parked at the White House and bought one to show his support.
Senate Democrats refuse to back GOP spending plan as shutdown nears — 12:03 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Senate Democrats are mounting a last-ditch protest to a Republican-led government funding bill that already passed the House without slapping any limits on the Trump-Musk DOGE efforts to gut federal operations.
The Democrats are pushing a stopgap 30-day funding bill as an alternative, but its prospects are dim in the Republican-controlled chamber.
And it’s unlikely the Democrats would allow the government to shut down at midnight Friday, worried about the further chaos they say Trump and Musk could cause.
Transgender representative says she lives ‘rent free’ in minds of GOP colleagues — 11:49 a.m.
By the Associated Press
“We will not take a lecture on decorum from a party that incited an insurrection,” said Representative Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender person to serve in Congress.
McBride’s speaking out at the Democratic strategy meeting is a departure — she has often declined to push back on her Republican colleagues’ taunts and bathroom use restrictions.
“I wish that they would spend even a fraction of the time that they spent thinking about me thinking about how to lower the costs for American families,” said McBride. “The Republican Party is obsessed with culture war issues. It is weird and it is bizarre.”
.@Rep_McBride (D-DE): "The Republican Party is obsessed with culture war issues. It is weird and it is bizarre." pic.twitter.com/OKMX32yZFF
— CSPAN (@cspan) March 13, 2025
At strategy session, Democrats push back on GOP decorum critiques — 11:48 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Leading Democrats are huddling at the Democratic Issues Conference, where the party navigates its identity and messaging strategy.
And they’re not holding back when asked whether Democrats should dialogue with Republicans over decorum.
“Their focus on our decorum or our behavior while they are burning down things for people at home, just makes me livid,” said Rep. Katherine Clarke, the Democratic Whip, during a press conference for freshmen Democratic women.
Trump forces out the chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities — 11:29 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Shelley C. Lowe, the first Native American to lead the NEH, was appointed by President Joe Biden in 2021 and confirmed by voice vote in the Senate the following year.
Her ouster is Trump’s latest move to assert more control over the country’s cultural institutions.
An NEH spokesperson said Thursday that Lowe had departed “at the direction of President Trump,” and that Michael McDonald, who had been the NEH’s general counsel, will serve as acting chair.
The National Endowment for the Arts, also is operating under interim leadership: NEA chair Maria Rosario Jackson resigned shortly before Trump took office in January.
Weldon is the third Trump nominee to falter — 11:09 a.m.
By the Associated Press
- Then-Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida was Trump’s first choice to be attorney general, but withdrew when scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation cast doubt on his ability to win Senate confirmation. Trump then turned to ally and former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi, who was confirmed.
- Chad Chronister withdrew quickly as Trump’s first pick to run the Drug Enforcement Administration, saying he decided to back away after the “gravity of this very important responsibility set in.” Trump said he was the one who pulled that plug, and tapped Terry Cole, Virginia’s public safety and homeland security secretary, to fill the post.
Senate committee backs Stanford health economist to lead NIH — 10:55 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya once famously clashed with officials at the National Institutes of Health. Now he’s up for a full Senate vote with the approval of the Senate’s health committee.
Bhattacharya, who holds a medical degree but is not a practicing physician, was an outspoken critic of COVID-19 shutdowns and vaccine policies.
He sidestepped committee questions about drastic funding cuts and mass firings, and vowed to focus attention on chronic diseases and encourage scientific dissent at the $48 billion agency, the world’s largest funder of biomedical research.
Mass. joins nearly two dozen states suing Trump for dismantling US Education Department — 10:44 a.m.
By John Hilliard, Globe Staff
Massachusetts and nearly two dozen other states filed a lawsuit in federal court Thursday morning to stop the Trump Administration from dismantling the US Department of Education, two days after half of the agency’s staff were laid off as part of sweeping cuts to the agency.
The lawsuit, which was filed in US District Court in Boston, argued Trump does not have the authority to shutter the agency, which serves millions of students spread across tens of thousands of public and private school districts across the country.
The agency administers critical funding to support low-income students and children with disabilities, operates civil rights offices, including one based in Boston, to investigate claims students have faced discrimination, and administers federal loans to make higher education more affordable to students.
FDA nominee Marty Makary on track for confirmation after Senate panel vote — 10:23 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Dr. Marty Makary is on track to become the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
The Republican-controlled Senate health panel voted 14-9 to advance his nomination to the Senate floor. Democrats Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and John Hickenlooper of Colorado joined Republicans in favor.
Makary — a surgeon, author and researcher — is known for his contrarian views and is closely aligned with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on many issues. Both are highly critical of food additives, ultraprocessed foods and the overprescribing of drugs.
Makary refused to be pinned down on specific actions he might take as commissioner, including on the abortion pill mifepristone.
G7 allies meet in Canada as Trump’s policies shake unity — 10:16 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Top diplomats from the US, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan are gathering as the bloc’s once-solid unity is thrown into disarray by Trump’s trade and foreign policies.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will likely hear a litany of complaints. The meeting began just minutes after Trump threatened 200 percent tariffs on European alcohol if the EU retaliates against his steel and aluminum tariffs with a levy on American whiskey.
Relations between the US and its closest allies are already strained by Trump’s apparent pivot toward Russia. “Peace and stability is at the top of our agenda, and I look forward discussing how we continue to support Ukraine in the face of Russia’s illegal aggression,” Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said.
China opposes tariffs on steel and aluminum and confirms talks with Walmart — 10:10 a.m.
By the Associated Press
China called US tariffs on steel and aluminum “unilateral and protectionist acts under the name of national security.”
Chinese commerce ministry spokeswoman He Yongqian confirmed Thursday that ministry officials had reached out to Walmart following reports that the giant US retailer was seeking price cuts from its Chinese suppliers to offset the cost of Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods.
Walmart said in a statement that its conversations with suppliers were aimed at saving money for its customers and that it would work closely with the suppliers to “find the best way forward during these uncertain times.”
Trump’s initial pick to lead CDC has been a close RFK Jr. ally — 9:53 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The Senate health committee announced its cancelation of a hearing on former Florida congressman David Weldon’s nomination to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A person familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said the White House pulled the nomination because it became clear Weldon did not have the votes for confirmation.
Weldon has been closely aligned with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now President Trump’s health secretary, one of the nation’s leading anti-vaccine activists. Weldon also has been a prominent critic of vaccines and the CDC, which promotes vaccines and monitors their safety.
Trump administration withdraws nomination of David Weldon for CDC director — 9:40 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The White House has withdrawn the nomination of David Weldon, a former Florida congressman, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Senate health committee announced Thursday morning that it was canceling a planned hearing on Weldon’s nomination because of the withdrawal.
US wholesale inflation decelerated last month, but the progress may not last — 9:20 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The Labor Department reported that its producer price index — which tracks inflation before it reaches consumers — was unchanged from January to February, and core wholesale prices that exclude volatile food and energy costs dropped 0.1%, the first drop since July.
Thursday’s numbers hit as President Trump ramps up his trade war, threatening to send inflation higher.
Gasoline prices fell 4.7% last month, while food prices rose 1.7% from January to February, led by a 28% surge in the price of eggs.
Jobless numbers remain healthy for now — 9:16 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs, and have remained mostly in a range between 200,000 and 250,000 for the past few years.
US jobless claims filings fell by 2,000 to 220,000 for the week ending March 8, the Labor Department said Thursday. That’s fewer than the 226,000 new applications analysts forecast.
The four-week average, which evens out some of the week-to-week swings, ticked up by 1,500 to 226,000.
The total number of Americans receiving unemployment benefits for the week of March 1 fell by 27,000 to 1.87 million.
UN humanitarian chief says many needy people around the world will die because of aid cuts — 9:14 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The UN humanitarian chief says more than 300 million people across the globe need humanitarian support and many will die because funding from the United States and others is drying up.
Tom Fletcher told a UN news conference that the cuts have caused “a seismic shock.”
The Trump administration has dismantled the US aid agency, USAID, and terminated 83% of its programs.
Across the humanitarian community, he said, programs have been stopped and staff have been laid off including about 10% in February from nongovernmental organizations doing humanitarian work.
Fletcher said that in December global experts estimated that 300 million people needed help in 2025, and the UN prioritized 190 million it was aiming to reach, which would cost $47 billion.
That number increased to 307 million in recent days, he said, but with the funding cuts, he can’t say with confidence that the UN will get anywhere near $47 billion. Now, UN colleagues in Geneva are trying to identify how to prioritize saving 100 million lives and how much that would cost.
Trump threatens retaliatory 200% tariff on European wine after EU proposes American whiskey tariff — 8:49 a.m.
By the Associated Press
President Trump on Thursday threatened a 200% tariff on European wine, champagne and spirits if the European goes forward with a planned tariff on American whiskey.
The European tariff was expected to go into effect on April 1.
Trump in a social media posting called the EU “one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the World, which was formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States.”
“If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the US will shortly place a 200% Tariff on all WINES, CHAMPAGNES, & ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND OTHER E.U. REPRESENTED COUNTRIES,” Trump said. “This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the US.”
EPA head says he’ll roll back dozens of environmental regulations, including rules on climate change — 8:31 a.m.
By the Associated Press
In what he called the “most consequential day of deregulation in American history,” the head of the Environmental Protection Agency announced a series of actions Wednesday to roll back landmark environmental regulations, including rules on pollution from coal-fired power plants, climate change and electric vehicles.
“We are driving a dagger through the heart of climate-change religion and ushering in America’s Golden Age,’' EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in an essay in The Wall Street Journal.
If approved after a lengthy process that includes public comment, the Trump administration’s actions will eliminate trillions of dollars in regulatory costs and “hidden taxes,” Zeldin said, lowering the cost of living for American families and reducing prices for such essentials such as buying a car, heating your home and operating a business.
In all, Zeldin said he is rolling back 31 environmental rules, including a scientific finding that has long been the central basis for US action against climate change.
Rubio could face an unfriendly reception from close G7 allies over Trump’s policies — 8:12 a.m.
By the Associated Press
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio may be walking into unusually unfriendly territory this week when he meets his counterparts from the Group of 7 industrialized democracies — strong American allies stunned by President Trump’s actions against them.
Just hours after Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs kicked in — prompting responses from the European Union and Canada and threatening to ignite full-scale trade wars with close US partners — Rubio arrived at the scenic Quebec town of La Malbaie on the St. Lawrence River for two days of talks starting Thursday with the top diplomats of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. All of them have been angered by the new American president’s policies.
Rubio will likely be hearing a litany of complaints about Trump’s decisions from once-friendly, like-minded countries in the G7 — notably host Canada, to which Trump has arguably been most antagonistic with persistent talk of it becoming the 51st US state, additional tariffs and repeated insults against its leadership.
Trump hosting White House talks with NATO secretary general — 8:07 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Mark Rutte, who heads the 32-member transatlantic military alliance, will meet with President Trump at a pivotal moment for Europe and NATO.
Administration officials are pressing ahead with talks with Moscow to sign off on a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire that Trump believes could usher in a permanent end to Europe’s biggest land-war since World War II.
Thursday’s talks also come as Trump’s rhetoric on the alliance continues to leave members uneasy.
Trump last week suggested that the US might abandon its commitments to the alliance if member countries don’t meet defense spending targets, a day after his pick for NATO ambassador assured senators that the administration’s commitment to the military alliance was “ironclad.”
The US president also expressed doubt that NATO would come to the United States’ defense if the country were attacked. However, the alliance did just that after Sept. 11 — the only time in its history that the defense guarantee has been invoked.
Education Department layoffs gut its civil rights office, leaving discrimination cases in limbo — 8:07 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The Education Department’s civil rights branch is losing nearly half its staff in the Trump administration’s layoffs, effectively gutting an office that already faced a backlog of thousands of complaints from students and families across the nation.
Among a total of more than 1,300 layoffs announced Tuesday were roughly 240 in the department’s Office for Civil Rights, according to a list obtained and verified by The Associated Press. Seven of the civil rights agency’s 12 regional offices were entirely laid off, including busy hubs in New York, Chicago and Dallas. Despite assurances that the department’s work will continue unaffected, huge numbers of cases appear to be in limbo.
The Trump administration has not said how it will proceed with thousands of cases being handled by staff it’s eliminating. The cases involve families trying to get school services for students with disabilities, allegations of bias related to race and religion, and complaints over sexual violence at schools and college campuses.
Some staffers who remain said there’s no way to pick up all of their fired colleagues’ cases. Many were already struggling to keep pace with their own caseloads. With fewer than 300 workers, families likely will be waiting on resolution for years, they said.
Federal student loan site down Wednesday, a day after layoffs gutted Education Department — 08:06 a.m.
By the Associated Press
An hours-long outage Wednesday on StudentAid.gov, the federal website for student loans and financial aid, underscored the risks in rapidly gutting the Department of Education, as President Trump aims to dismantle the agency.
Hundreds of users reported FAFSA outages to Downdetector starting midday Wednesday, saying they were having trouble completing the form, which is required for financial aid at colleges nationwide. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, a group of people who handle colleges’ financial aid awards, also received reports of users experiencing technical issues and having trouble completing the FAFSA.
The developers and IT support staff who worked on the FAFSA form were hard hit in the Education Department’s layoffs Tuesday, along with staff buyouts and the termination of probationary employees. In all, the Education Department has reduced its staff by half, to roughly 2,000, since Trump took office.
FEMA launches review of migrant shelter aid, suggesting smuggling laws were violated — 12:35 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The Trump administration has launched a review of organizations that provide temporary housing and other aid to migrants, suggesting they may have violated a law used to prosecute smugglers.
The Department of Homeland Security has “significant concerns” that federal grants used to address a surge of migration under former President Joe Biden were used for illegal activities, wrote Cameron Hamilton, acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Rubio could face an unfriendly reception from close G7 allies over Trump’s policies — 12:11 a.m.
By the Associated Press
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio may be walking into unusually unfriendly territory this week when he meets his counterparts from the Group of 7 industrialized democracies — strong American allies stunned by President Trump’s actions against them.
Just hours after Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs kicked in — prompting responses from the European Union and Canada and threatening to ig
nite full-scale trade wars with close U.S. partners — Rubio arrived at the scenic Quebec town of La Malbaie on the St. Lawrence River for two days of talks with the top diplomats of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. All of them have been angered by the new American president’s policies.
Rubio will likely be hearing a litany of complaints about Trump’s decisions from once-friendly, like-minded countries in the G7 — notably host Canada, to which Trump has arguably been most antagonistic with persistent talk of it becoming the 51st U.S. state, additional tariffs and repeated insults against its leadership.