TV News LIES

Earlier this month, a Department of Agriculture employee who works remotely was given a list of possible locations for their upcoming mandatory return to office. One location was described as a "storage unit."

Confused, the employee drove to the address, which turned out to be, in fact, a storage facility. When the employee asked the facility's owner why it might show up on a list of federal office spaces, the owner laughed and told the employee that the federal government does rent a unit there — to store a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service boat. It doesn't have heat, windows or power.

The USDA employee notified their supervisor, but hasn't heard back. NPR spoke to 27 current employees at more than a dozen federal agencies for this story. All of them requested their names be withheld for fear of reprisal from the Trump administration for speaking out.

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A federal judge in Washington who has caught the ire of President Trump for his role in the case involving the deportation of alleged gang members will also preside over a case involving the administration's use of a messaging app to discuss military operations.

Chief Judge James Boasberg will oversee a new lawsuit brought against several senior national security officials after a reporter was unintentionally added to a Signal group chat where the planned bombing of Houthi targets in Yemen was discussed. Intelligence experts say the use of the chat group to discuss such operational matters is highly unusual. The White House denies that the matters discussed were classified.

While judges typically do not have control over what cases they are assigned, this latest assignment comes shortly after Boasberg has been in the spotlight while overseeing another high-profile case, this one involving the Trump administration's deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador.

Boasberg imposed a temporary restraining order on the action, but the administration is in the process of appealing.

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold an $8 billion program that subsidizes high-speed internet and phone service for millions of Americans, which has been challenged as being funded by an unconstitutional tax.

The case raises questions about how much Congress can “delegate” its legislative authority to a federal agency and whether the Supreme Court should tighten that standard.

Under a law Congress passed in 1996, telecommunications companies are charged a Universal Service Fund fee – passed on to customers − that boosts phone and internet service to households and hospitals in rural areas, low-income families, and public schools and libraries.

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A federal appeals court panel ruled against the Trump administration, declining to block a trial judge’s decision that temporarily halted certain deportations under an 18th century wartime law.

Federal officials filed an emergency appellate motion after U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued temporary restraining orders on March 15. President Donald Trump had invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to summarily remove alleged Venezuelan gang members and fly them to El Salvador.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the Biden administration’s regulation of untraceable “ghost guns,” ruling that the weapons can be subject to background checks and other requirements.

The 7-2 decision, which overturned an opinion by a conservative appeals court, was a victory for former President Joe Biden. But President Donald Trump could repeal the regulation, something gun rights advocates are counting on.

Writing for the majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch said the Gun Control Act allows the government to regulate some weapon parts kits and unfinished frames or receivers.

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented.

The University of Southern California announced an immediate hiring freeze for all staff positions, “with very few critical exceptions” in a letter to faculty and staff on Tuesday.

The letter, from USC’s president, Carol Folt, and provost, Andrew Guzman, said the hiring freeze was one of nine steps to cut the school’s operating budget amid deep uncertainty about federal funding – given sweeping cuts to scientific research, the reorganization of student loans, and an education department investigation accusing the university of failing to protect Jewish students during protests over Israel’s destruction of Gaza following the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023.