Trump officials planned to mark 2.7 million living people as dead, whistleblower says  —  A former Social Security executive said the plan, which was not carried out, would have used a death database to pressure immigrants to leave the country.  —  Summary

Senate passes $70B bill to fund immigration enforcement, without limits on Trump ‘anti-weaponization’ fund  —  Republicans ultimately defeated multiple attempts by senators on both sides of the aisle to codify ending or changing the $1.8 billion pot of money.

Paramount's Weiss Woes … Over the last week, as Bari Weiss plunged CBS News into an unprecedented crisis by implementing her ill-advised overhaul of “60 Minutes,” other Paramount leaders have been left to deal with the fallout.  Indeed, Status has learned that the Weiss-induced turmoil …

America, the Inessential Nation  —  On Feb. 28, 2025 Donald Trump berated Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine, for what he claimed was failure to show sufficient respect.  “You're not in a good position,” Trump declared.  “You don't have the cards right now.”

Platner ex-girlfriend accuses New York Times of ‘set up’  —  An ex-girlfriend of Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner is expressing her frustration with The New York Times over the way it portrayed her and others' experience dating the Democrat.  —  Lyndsey Fifield, whom the Times quoted …

Defense Department to drop atheists, pagans, 175 others from list of military faiths  —  (RNS) — The Department of Defense is substantially reducing the number of religions it officially recognizes, reportedly excluding atheists, pagans, humanists and New Age faiths, an independent military-focused news website reports.

U.S. payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, much more than expected; unemployment at 4.3% … Job growth unexpectedly surged in May as the U.S. labor market continued a solid year of expansion, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.  —  Nonfarm payrolls jumped a seasonally adjusted 172,000 …

Move Fast, Surveil Things  —  Meta has deployed facial recognition code to millions of their always-on surveillance glasses, according to new reporting by Wired.  EFF's Threat Lab was able to confirm that the facial recognition code is present through static analysis of the application.

It's No Wonder Grads Are Booing Their Commencement Speakers  —  Commencement address season hasn't been going well — for the commencement speakers.  —  I'm sure you've seen the videos on social media.  The big shots who have been brought in to inspire a next generation of graduates have used …

How Bari Weiss's Free Press laundered MAGA talking points about refugees  —  Bari Weiss continues to take a hatchet to CBS News.  This week she fired longtime journalist and 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley after he angrily confronted her handpicked new editor for the program.

I wrote about George Santos.  Then he made a violent threat and lied about it  —  I was winding down my work day here in Los Angeles when my phone rang at 5:37 p.m. from a blocked number.  It was former Congressman George Santos.  He was boiling with rage.

House bill rolls back food aid for pregnant women, children  —  Millions of WIC recipients would have less money for fruits and vegetables under the legislation, which funds the Agriculture Department and other agencies.  —  Summary  —  As grocery prices continue to rise nationally …

Vanilla Ice Is In, Bret Michaels Is Out: Trump's Battle for Celebrity Validation  —  President Trump has pursued fame his entire adult life.  Now in his second term in the White House, he is finding how little power he has to force cultural figures to fall in line.

Kennedy Center moves to erase Trump references after judge said they were illegally added  —  The Kennedy Center is beginning the process of removing references to President Donald Trump a week after a federal judge ruled that his name had been illegally added to the performing arts center.

The John Bolton Plea Deal  —  The Justice Department wants prison time for the former Trump adviser for a single count of retaining classified information.  —  President Trump may hate being the target of lawfare, but he sure knows how to wield it against anyone who crosses him.

Judge Says Trump Officials Must Restart Asylum and Immigration Processing  —  The judge invalidated policies the Trump administration enacted last year that halted asylum grants, as well as the processing of immigration benefits for people from 39 countries.

Inside the Implementation of Schedule Policy/Career  —  President Trump signed an executive order making over 8,000 federal employees removable at will.  —  nicholasbednar.bsky.social  —  Meet The Authors  —  Immediately following his second inauguration, President Trump signed …

Trump Is Eyeing Control of Smithsonian's Budget  —  The administration is creating a conflict with how Congress intended its money be spent.  — Copy  —  A directive from the Office of Management and Budget could force the Smithsonian Institution to change its spending plans …

House members keep losing their bids for higher office.  Some think they know why. … Some of those who have been on the campaign trail this year have a simple explanation for the trend: It's hard for members of a dysfunctional and unpopular institution to ask voters to reward them with even bigger jobs.

Trump lawyers refuse to reveal financial information to BBC in $10bn lawsuit  —  Broadcaster has sought documents under subpoena in effort to identify impact of ‘Panorama’ documentary on US president  —  US President Donald Trump's legal team has refused to hand over financial information requested …

China Builds an Economic Fortress as Global Tensions Rise  —  Beijing says the changes are needed for national security, but they could complicate efforts by Chinese companies to find growth overseas.  —  China is erecting walls to prevent money, technology and companies from leaving the country.

The Betrayal of Black Voters Threatens Our Democracy  —  Outside the blindingly white antebellum columns of the Alabama State Capitol on a recent Saturday, Martese Chism stood in the Southern heat with thousands of others, rallying for voting rights.  It was a show of defiance amid a sweeping attack on Black political power.

The White House's Latest Provocation Is ‘Grotesque and Terrifying and Juvenile’  —  “They walk among us.”  The glowing green letters emerge ominously against a dark backdrop.  Above them hover the words “aliens” and “declassified,” suggesting the release — long awaited in some corners of the internet …

Trump Keeps Immunity from I.R.S. Audits, Even as $1.8 Billion Fund Falls Away  —  Even as they rebelled against a $1.8 billion fund for President Trump's allies, Republicans looked the other way as his administration granted him potentially lucrative tax protections.