President Trump addressed graduating students at the University of Alabama on Thursday, a visit that drew hundreds of protesters to an off-campus rally.
Earlier, Trump announced that he’s naming Secretary of State Marco Rubio as acting national security adviser to replace Mike Waltz, whom he is nominating for United Nations ambassador.
Trump announced the moves shortly after news broke that Waltz and his deputy Alex Wong were departing the administration just weeks after it was revealed the adviser had added a journalist to a Signal chat being used to discuss military plans.
Follow along live.
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Here’s what you missed from Trump’s interviews about his first 100 days
In a series of interviews this week coinciding with the first 100 days of Donald Trump‘s second term, the president evaded responsibility for his administration‘s early missteps — often deflecting blame onto his predecessor, Joe Biden — while asserting that his policy decisions are justified and have the country on the right track.
See a rundown of what you may have missed.
Trump tells graduates: ‘Don’t waste your youth’ — 9:19 p.m.
By the New York Times
President Trump offered some fairly traditional advice to University of Alabama graduates at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, telling them, “Don’t waste your youth.”
He mentioned early successes among people who went on to make history with their successes, including both Steve Jobs founding Apple at 21 and himself, developing his first hotel at 28. “Go out and fight right from the beginning,” Trump said.
Earlier in the speech, Trump recycled, almost verbatim, some talking points he’s made in the last week in speeches and interviews — trashing his predecessor, defending his tariffs, and complaining that he inherited high egg prices.
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Trump highlights the University of Alabama’s sports accomplishments — 8:56 p.m.
By the New York Times
President Trump, at a special pre-commencement event at the University of Alabama, has spent a considerable amount of time praising the school’s sports accomplishments.
He drew thunderous applause when he said he would “protect womens’ sports,” citing an order he signed recognizing only two genders to prevent biological males from participating on female sports teams. Trump said that the class he was addressing was the first to return after the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns and that it was now “the first graduating class of the golden age of America.”
Trump addresses graduating students at the University of Alabama — 8:48 p.m.
By the Associated Press
President Trump was addressing graduating students at the University of Alabama on Thursday, a visit that drew hundreds of protesters to an off-campus rally.
Trump’s remarks in Tuscaloosa are the Republican president’s first address to graduates in his second term and come as he has been celebrating the first 100 days of his administration. The previously scheduled visit came shortly after he announced a shake-up to his national security team, with Mike Waltz being tapped for United Nations ambassador and Secretary of State Marco Rubio taking over Waltz’s national security adviser role on an interim basis.
“What a nice looking group this is,” Trump said to open his speech. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be than Tuscaloosa.”
Alabama, where Trump won a commanding 64% of the vote in 2024, is where he has staged a number of his trademark large rallies over the past decade. It is also where Trump showed early signs of strength in his first presidential campaign when he began filling stadiums for his rallies.
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Trump arrives in Tuscaloosa — 8:36 p.m.
By the New York Times
President Trump has arrived at the University of Alabama, in Tuscaloosa, where he will address graduates at a special pre-commencement ceremony at which student attendance was optional.
The venue, Coleman Coliseum, is pretty packed, and many in the crowd are wearing graduation caps or red MAGA hats. Signs flanking the lectern where Trump will speak say, “The American Dream is back.”
Former US Sen. Doug Jones speaks at counter rally about a mile from Trump event — 7:59 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Jones, the last Democrat to hold statewide office in Alabama, told the crowd they were there “not just as a protest, but as a movement.”
“You are here today because you’re concerned, you’re afraid. You understand that this country’s great democracy is teetering right now with what we’re seeing going on,” Jones said.
He urged students and others to make their voices heard.
“What’s happening now is not justice. Injustice can be really loud. Injustice can be especially loud when you’ve got the bully pulpit of the presidency. injustice can be really loud, and that’s why justice has to get louder,” Jones said.
DOJ and resettlement groups argue over how many refugees to admit — 7:42 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump administration lawyers say it should only have to admit 160 refugees to the United States under a court order partially blocking the president’s efforts to suspend the nation’s refugee admissions program. A federal judge in Seattle disagrees, suggesting the number is closer to 12,000.
U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead earlier blocked the suspension of the refugee program entirely, but last week the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals significantly narrowed that ruling. The appeals court said only refugees who were furthest along in their processing — those with “arranged and confirmable” travel plans before Jan. 20 to come to the U.S. — should be allowed in.
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Whitehead held a virtual hearing Thursday to discuss what steps the government must take to comply with the 9th Circuit’s order and what refugees it must process for admission.
More than 100 gather on Boston Common to ‘defend rule of law’ against Trump administration — 7:28 p.m.
By Emily Spatz, Globe Correspondent
More than 100 people gathered on Boston Common Thursday to protest what they said are threats by the Trump administration to legal independence and freedom.
The protest was one of about 50 events held nationwide as part of the National Law Day of Action and was organized by the Massachusetts Bar Association along with other state law organizations.
In his second term, President Trump has sought to bend prominent law firms to his will. Many of them have opted to make a deal with him rather than fight.
Attendees at Thursday’s protest, many wearing business attire, condemned the Trump administration for undermining due process protection in deportation cases like that of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, who was wrongly deported to El Salvador in March. They also pointed to student visa revocations as attacks on free speech.
Vance says Trump shifting Waltz to UN is really a promotion — 6:41 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Vice President JD Vance pushed back on characterizations that national security adviser Mike Waltz was let go by Trump 100 days into the administration.
“He’s being made ambassador to the United Nations, which, of course, is the Senate-confirmed position,” Vance said in an interview with Bret Baier of Fox News Channel. “I think you could make a good argument that it’s a promotion.”
Vance said Waltz was brought on to make “serious reforms” at the National Security Council and “he has done that.”
“Now it’s time for Mike to do something else,” he added.
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The former Florida congressman embarrassed the White House by using the commercial app Signal to discuss military plans and inviting a reporter to join the conversation.
Vice President JD Vance appearing at $1M-per-plate fundraiser — 6:31 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Vance is scheduled to be the featured speaker at a Thursday evening dinner in Palm Beach, Florida, that will benefit MAGA Inc., the super PAC that supports Trump. That’s according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly.
US wants to move Georgetown scholar’s deportation lawsuit to Texas. Judge appears skeptical. — 6:29 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The Trump administration told a federal judge that a Georgetown University scholar’s lawsuit against deportation should be moved from Virginia, where it was filed, to Texas, where he’s jailed over allegations of “spreading Hamas propaganda.”
US District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles seemed skeptical of the request, which would involve her dismissing the case in Virginia. She raised concerns that such a dismissal would void her March order to keep Badar Khan Suri in the US while his First Amendment case plays out.
David Byerley, a Justice Department attorney, told Giles that he would need to talk to U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement about her concern. Byerley said he didn’t see why ICE wouldn’t honor her order against deporting Khan Suri while the case is refiled in a Texas federal court.
“OK,” the judge said. “I’m not going to rely on that. But thank you.”
Apple posts stronger-than-expected Q2 results, says most US iPhones will come from India — 6:21 p.m.
By the Associated Press
CEO Tim Cook said that the majority of iPhones sold in the US in the current fiscal quarter will be sourced from India, while iPads and other devices will come from Vietnam, as the company works to avoid the impact of Trump’s tariffs on its business.
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Apple’s earnings for the first three months of the year topped Wall Street expectations thanks to high demand for iPhones, and the company said tariffs had a limited effect on the fiscal second quarter’s results.
Cook added that for the current quarter, assuming things don’t change, Apple expects to see $900 million added to its costs as a result of the tariffs but remains “confident” in its business.
The Cupertino, California-based company earned $24.78 billion, or $1.65 per share, in the first three months of the year, up 4.8% from $23.64 billion, or $1.53 per share, in the same period a year earlier.
Vance tours South Carolina steel plant — 6:04 p.m.
By the Associated Press
During his visit to the facility, Vance heralded the launch of an “industrial renaissance” in part due to Trump’s moves to boost domestic industry.
Vance made the trip to Nucor Steel in Huger as part of the administration’s events marking Trump’s first 100 days in office.
“I hope every single one of you, you guys in front me, feel a sense of pride, because these are the products that actually make America work,” Vance told several hundred guests and steelworkers on a gravel outdoor lot at the sprawling facility. “These are the products that make our citizens’ lives better.”
Nucor’s corporate leaders have cheered Trump’s tariff policies, which have shaken the global economy and proved less popular with other business leaders. The company’s stock rose 6% when the administration announced new tariffs on imported steel, though the price has fluctuated since.
It was Vance’s first visit to South Carolina, an industry-rich state that also plays a pivotal role in national politics.
University of Alabama graduates and their families await Trump — 5:46 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Hours ahead of the president’s speech Thursday evening in Tuscaloosa, hundreds of graduates and their relatives began filing into the university’s Coleman Coliseum.
Students in caps and gowns took their seats in front of the stage where Trump is scheduled to appear.
Unlike a Trump campaign event featuring signs and flags emblazoned with his name and political slogans, most of the arena was simply decorated in Alabama crimson.
An exception: two signs flanking the lectern that read, “The American Dream is back.”
University of Alabama prohibits disruptions during Trump’s speech — 5:38 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The university is barring demonstrations, heckling and disruption of other attendees’ views by standing or raising objects during the president’s speech, which is an optional graduation-weekend event. Signs, flags and noisemakers are among banned items.
Anyone who engages in prohibited behavior will be disciplined, the university said, with possible punishments including suspension, expulsion, arrest or campus ban.
The university is establishing separate areas for protests and counterprotests.
New lawsuit challenges DOGE actions shutting down NEH — 5:12 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Three plaintiffs sued in the Southern District of New York over what they call the Trump administration’s “dismantling” of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The action names the NEH, the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, and others as defendants.
Among the lawsuit’s claims: “The Constitution grants Congress — not the President — the power to create and prescribe the duties of Federal agencies, and Congress maintains the exclusive power of the purse in directing how Federal funds must be spent. The President cannot unilaterally shut down an agency that Congress has created, nor may an agency refuse to spend funds that Congress has appropriated.”
Last month DOGE terminated 75% of staffers and cut the funding and grants programs of state humanities councils, impacting thousands of recipients across the country.
The plaintiffs are the American Council of Learned Societies, the American Historical Association and the Modern Language Association.
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to strip legal protections from 350,000 Venezuelan migrants — 4:54 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The administration asked the Supreme Court to strip temporary legal protections from 350,000 Venezuelans, potentially exposing them to being deported.
The Justice Department asked the high court to put on hold a ruling from a federal judge in San Francisco that kept in place Temporary Protected Status for the Venezuelans that would have otherwise expired last month.
A federal appeals court had earlier rejected the administration’s request.
The Trump administration has moved aggressively to withdraw various protections that have allowed immigrants to remain in the country, including ending TPS for a total of 600,000 Venezuelans and 500,000 Haitians.
TPS is granted in 18-month increments to people already in the U.S. whose countries are deemed unsafe for return due to natural disaster or civil strife.
Here’s what you missed from Trump’s interviews about his first 100 days — 4:43 p.m.
By Julian E.J. Sorapuru, Globe Staff
In a series of interviews this week coinciding with the first 100 days of Trump‘s second term, the president evaded responsibility for his administration‘s early missteps — often deflecting blame onto his predecessor, Joe Biden — while asserting that his policy decisions are justified and have the country on the right track.
This, of course, is Trump’s second shot at a first 100 days in office and he openly admitted that this term feels different. “The first time, I had two things to do — run the country and survive; I had all these crooked guys,” Trump mused to The Atlantic in an interview published this week. “And the second time, I run the country and the world.”
Trump brushed aside the critics who have said he is overstepping the bounds of his office in an attempt to expand presidential powers.
Did Trump — or ABC News — choose who would interview the president? Why does it matter? — 4:40 p.m.
By the Associated Press
During a contentious exchange about deportations in his interview with ABC News’ Terry Moran this week, Trump brought up — from his perspective — how Moran had gotten into the White House in the first place.
“They’re giving you the break of a lifetime, you know,” Trump said in Tuesday’s prime-time broadcast. “You’re doing the interview. I picked you because, frankly, I never heard of you, but that’s OK.”
Emphasizing again that it was his choice that Moran was there, the president scolded, “You’re not being very nice.”
From an ethics perspective, it’s considered a breach for a news organization to let a newsmaker dictate who will conduct an interview. In the real world of competitive journalism, things aren’t always so simple.
Microsoft and Meta Platforms lead Wall Street higher — 4:16 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Microsoft and Meta Platforms led Wall Street higher Thursday after the Big Tech companies reported profits for the start of the year that were even bigger than analysts expected.
The S&P 500 rose 0.6% for an eighth straight gain, its longest winning streak since August. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 83 points, or 0.2%. And the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.5%.
Microsoft rallied 7.6% after the software giant said strength in its cloud computing and artificial intelligence businesses drove its overall revenue up 13% from a year earlier.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, also topped analysts’ targets for revenue and profit in the latest quarter. It said AI tools helped boost its advertising revenue, and its stock climbed 4.2%.
White House to present Trump’s 2026 budget — 3:49 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The Office of Management and Budget expects to roll out the federal budget, according to an OMB spokesperson.
It’s expected to be the initial version of the coming year’s requested spending plan, a so-called skinny budget, of top-line figures with details still to come.
Capitol Hill is bracing for proposed steep cuts that are likely to reflect Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency zeroing out various programs.
But it’s just a proposal. Federal budgets are often referred to as a statement of a president’s values, as Congress, under its constitutional power, compiles the annual spending bills.
It comes as Congress is already deep into drafting Trump’s big bill of tax breaks and other spending cuts.
Congratulations begin to flow for Waltz’s UN nomination — 3:33 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump’s decision to shift Waltz to represent the US at the United Nations has received approval from America’s closest ally: Israel.
Danny Danon, the Israeli Ambassador to the UN, congratulated Waltz on the nomination, saying the former Green Beret is a “true friend of the State of Israel and of the Jewish people.”
Israel has become isolated at the international body since the start of its war in Gaza in October 2023. The US has remained one of a few allies for the country as other nations, including the other permanent members of the Security Council — China, Russia, the U.K. and France — have criticized its handling of the deadly war with Hamas and recent monthslong blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
“Our alliance is stronger than ever — especially in the face of the hypocrisy and moral decay that characterizes several UN institutions,” Danon said in a statement. “I am confident that we will work together to forge a clear path rooted in security, justice and accountability.”
Trump appoints a career diplomat to run the US Embassy in Ukraine — 3:14 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The State Department announced that Julie Davis, a 30-year veteran of the foreign service, would be the charge d’affaires at the Kyiv embassy “during this critical moment as we move toward a peace agreement to stop the bloodshed.”
Davis is currently serving as US ambassador to Cyprus.
The appointment came just a day after the US and Ukraine signed an agreement on critical minerals and other resources which could pave the way for additional US military support for Ukraine.
Davis, who has also previously served as ambassador to Belarus and deputy ambassador to NATO, replaces Bridget Brink at the helm of the Kyiv embassy. Brink announced she was leaving the post last month as the Trump administration pushed ahead with plans for Russia-Ukraine peace talks that many believed favored Moscow.
Surprise at the State Department briefing — 2:59 p.m.
By the Associated Press
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce was told by reporters that Trump named her boss, Rubio, as acting national security adviser.
Trump said on social media that he was nominating outgoing national security adviser Mike Waltz as United Nations ambassador.
“It is clear that I just heard this from you,” Bruce said.
She added that Trump and Rubio work well together and have gotten to know each other well.
“I have to admit these last hundred days, it’s like hanging on to a freaking bullet train. I mean, it is. It is a fast dynamic,” Bruce said.
"That is an exciting moment here."
— CSPAN (@cspan) May 1, 2025
.@statedeptspox Tammy Bruce on President Trump nominating former National Security Advisor Michael Waltz to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations as well as @SecRubio being named interim National Security Advisor. pic.twitter.com/A8NfuISbl0
Trump taps Waltz for UN ambassador, names Rubio as acting national security adviser — 2:23 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump said that he’s naming Secretary of State Marco Rubio as acting national security adviser to replace Mike Waltz, whom he is nominating for United Nations ambassador.
US imposes sanctions on a Mexican cartel linked to a drug trafficking and fuel-theft network — 1:48 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The Trump administration imposed economic sanctions on three Mexican nationals and two Mexico-based entities involved in a drug trafficking and fuel theft network linked to Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
It is one of Mexico’s most powerful cartels and the US Drug Enforcement Administration says it has some 19,000 members in its ranks. The cartel developed rapidly into an extremely violent force after it split from the Sinaloa cartel after the 2010 killing of Sinaloa cartel capo Ignacio “Nacho” Coronel Villarreal by the military.
The new sanctions against Jalisco New Generation, including top members Cesar Morfin Morfin and his brothers Alvaro Noe Morfin Morfin and Remigio Morfin Morfin, target the group’s fuel theft network. The Treasury Department says that network has resulted in tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue to the Mexican government and also funds the flow of illicit fentanyl into the United States.
The sanctions freeze any assets the individuals or companies have in the US and prohibit US citizens from doing business with them.
Justice Department sues Hawaii, Michigan over plans to sue fossil fuel companies for climate harm — 1:44 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The US Justice Department filed lawsuits against Hawaii and Michigan over their planned legal action against fossil fuel companies for harms caused by climate change, claiming the state actions conflict with federal government authority and Trump’s energy dominance agenda.
Trump creates a religious liberty commission on the National Day of Prayer — 1:34 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The president signed an executive order creating the panel during a White House Rose Garden ceremony to recognize the National Day of Prayer.
Its members include Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, former housing secretary Ben Carson and TV talk-show host Phil McGraw. The commission was Patrick’s idea, Trump said.
Patrick told Trump, “There has never been a president who has invoked the name of Jesus more than you.”
McGraw said Trump is a “man of deep faith … who wants this country to have a heart and have religion.”
President Trump is joined by @DrPhil at the National Day of Prayer ceremony at the White House. pic.twitter.com/rI3LJLZVvb
— CSPAN (@cspan) May 1, 2025
State Department says American officials met with Syria’s interim authorities in Washington — 1:03 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The meeting Tuesday was the first between the two countries since the fall of President Bashar Assad in a lightning rebel offensive in December.
The new Syrian authorities arrived in the U.S. last week to attend a series of meetings in Washington and New York as part of an effort to urge relief from harsh sanctions that were imposed by America and its allies after Assad’s brutal crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011 that spiraled into a civil war.
In a statement released Wednesday, the State Department said while they do not discuss “private diplomatic conversations,” they continue to urge the interim authorities to “choose policies that will reinforce stability” for Syrians, “assure peace with Syria’s neighbors,” while developing the war-torn country’s economy.
“Any future normalization of relations or lifting of sanctions will depend on the interim authorities’ actions and positive response to the specific confidence building measures we have communicated,” the State Department said.
Trump says taxes increasing may make people give up their religion — 12:51 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Addressing a National Day of Prayer Event in the White House Rose Garden, Trump vowed: “We’re bringing back religion in our country” and doing so “quickly and strongly.”
The president used the occasion to again promise that tax-cut legislation would work its way through Congress.
Trump noted that he was addressing “a religious ceremony” but, added that, to him, “That’s part of the religion because, if your taxes go up” than some people “might give up your religion.”
“You might have no choice. You’ll be working too hard to try and make it,” he said if taxes rise.
Sex assault reports in the US military fell by nearly 4 percent last year — 12:28 p.m.
By the Associated Press
A Pentagon report released today says there were 8,195 reported sexual assaults in 2024 involving members of the military, compared with 8,515 in 2023.
Judge bars deportations of Venezuelans from South Texas under 18th-century wartime law — 12:19 p.m.
By the Associated Press
US District Court Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. is the first judge to rule that the Alien Enemies Act cannot be used against people whom the Republican administration claims are gang members invading the United States.
“Neither the Court nor the parties question that the Executive Branch can direct the detention and removal of aliens who engage in criminal activity in the United States,” Rodriguez wrote Thursday. But, he said, “the President’s invocation of the AEA through the Proclamation exceeds the scope of the statute and is contrary to the plain, ordinary meaning of the statute’s terms.”
In March, Trump issued a proclamation claiming the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua was invading the U.S. He said he had special powers to deport immigrants, identified by his administration as gang members, without the usual court proceedings.
The Alien Enemies Act has only been used three times before in US history, most recently during World War II, when it was cited to intern Japanese-Americans.
The proclamation triggered a flurry of litigation as the administration tried to ship migrants it claimed were gang members to a notorious prison in El Salvador.
Rodriguez’s ruling is significant because it is the first formal permanent injunction against the administration using the AEA and contends the president is misusing the law.
FDA to rehire fired staffers who booked inspection trips, but other workers remain in limbo — 12:18 p.m.
By the Associated Press
For the second time in recent months, the Food and Drug Administration is bringing back some recently fired employees, including staffers who handle travel bookings for safety inspectors.
More than 20 of the agency’s roughly 60 travel staff will be reinstated, according to two FDA staffers notified of the plan this week, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential agency matters.
Food scientists who test samples for bacteria and study potentially harmful chemicals also have been told they will get their jobs back, but have yet to receive any official confirmation.
The reversals are the latest example of the haphazard approach to cuts at the agency, which have shrunk FDA’s staff by an estimated 20%. In February, the FDA laid off about 700 provisional employees, including food and medical device reviewers, only to rehire many of them within days.
National security adviser Mike Waltz expected to leave Trump administration, according to reports — 11:45 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump is expected to replace national security adviser Mike Waltz, multiple news outlets reported.
Waltz came under searing scrutiny in March after revelations that he added journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to a private text chain on the encrypted messaging app Signal, which was used to discuss planning for a sensitive March 15 military operation against Houthi militants in Yemen. A far-right ally of the president, Laura Loomer, has also targeted Waltz, telling Trump in a recent Oval Office conversation that he needs to purge aides who she believes are insufficiently loyal to the “Make America Great Again” agenda.
Waltz’s deputy, Alex Wong, is also expected to depart, according to the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a personnel move not yet made public. The National Security Council did not respond do a request for comment.
Mexico President says she spoke with Trump about ongoing trade negotiations — 11:25 a.m.
By the Associated Press
“It was a good conversation,” Sheinbaum said during her daily news briefing. “Even though there wasn’t a specific agreement, the important thing is that we’re working on it.”
Sheinbaum, who said she and Trump spoke for 10 to 15 minutes Thursday morning, noted that the Trump administration had relaxed some of the tariffs on automobiles and auto parts this week, but said Mexico is still looking for a better deal for the automotive sector, as well as for steel and aluminum which face their own US tariffs.
The US is looking to reduce its trade deficit with Mexico, she said, noting that Mexico was working to find ways to help them do that.
The leaders agreed that their cabinet secretaries would continue negotiating.
“It is a good sign that we continue advancing,” she said.
From Tokyo to Turin to LA, Trump’s policies loom over May Day marches — 11:02 a.m.
By the Associated Press
French union leaders condemned the “Trumpization” of world politics, while in Italy, May Day protesters paraded a puppet of the American president through the streets of Turin.
Across continents, hundreds of thousands turned out for Thursday’s rallies marking International Workers’ Day, many united in anger over President Trump’s agenda — from aggressive tariffs stoking fears of global economic turmoil to immigration crackdowns.
In the United States, organizers framed this year’s protests as a pushback against what they called a sweeping assault on labor protections, diversity initiatives and federal employees.
In Germany, union leaders warned that extended workdays and rising anti-immigrant sentiment were dismantling labor protections. In Bern, Switzerland, thousands marched behind banners denouncing fascism and war — part of a wider backlash against the global surge of hard-right politics.
Trump will address graduating students at the University of Alabama — 10:39 a.m.
By the Associated Press
President Trump will travel to heavily Republican Alabama on Thursday to speak to graduating students at the University of Alabama, where he’s expected to draw some protesters despite enjoying a deep well of support in the state.
Trump’s evening remarks in Tuscaloosa will be the Republican president’s first address to graduates in his second term and will come as he’s been celebrating the first 100 days of his administration.
The White House did not offer any details about Trump’s planned message.
Alabama, where Trump won a commanding 64 percent of the vote in 2024, is where he’s staged a number of his trademark large rallies over the past decade. It also is where Trump showed early signs of strength in his first presidential campaign when he began filling stadiums for his rallies.
State Department plans to host memorial to fallen staffers of dismantled aid agency — 10:35 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Administration officials say they’re seeking a permanent home at the State Department for a memorial honoring fallen staffers of the US Agency for International Development.
The memorial bears the names of 99 USAID and other foreign assistance workers killed in the line of duty around the world.
The Trump administration has dismantled USAID and terminated most of its programs and staff, accusing its humanitarian and development work of being wasteful and out of line with Trump’s agency. Past presidents since John F. Kennedy argued that working for a more stable and prosperous world benefited US security.
The State Department says workers removed the memorial from the former USAID headquarters Wednesday. It’s being held in a temporary location, the agency said.
White House says Harris comments are a reminder she’s not president — 10:30 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller says former Vice President Kamala Harris’ criticism of Trump are a “great reminder to the American people of just how blessed we all are that the leader sitting in the Oval Office today is President Donald Trump and not President Kamala Harris.”
“It would have been the end of America,” Miller said at a briefing with reporters at the White House on Thursday.
Harris said in a speech Wednesday night that Trump’s tariffs are “clearly inviting a recession.”
Miller countered that, “The only things Americans want to hear from Kamala Harris is an apology” for less strict immigration policies and enforcement along the US-Mexico border, which he said was “unforgivable.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt added, “I think I speak for everyone at the White House, we encourage Kamala Harris to continue going out and do speaking engagements.”
Weekend round of nuclear talks between the US and Iran are postponed, Oman says — 10:20 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The planned negotiations between Iran and the United States this weekend over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program have been postponed, Oman announced Thursday.
A message online from Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi made the announcement in a post on the social media platform X.
“For logistical reasons we are rescheduling the US Iran meeting provisionally planned for Saturday May 3rd,” he wrote. “New dates will be announced when mutually agreed.”
Al-Busaidi did not elaborate. Iran and the US did not immediately acknowledge al-Busaidi’s comments.
The talks Saturday were to be held in Rome.
For logistical reasons we are rescheduling the US Iran meeting provisionally planned for Saturday May 3rd. New dates will be announced when mutually agreed.
— Badr Albusaidi - بدر البوسعيدي (@badralbusaidi) May 1, 2025
Official defends Trump saying dolls could get more scarce and cost more due to tariffs on China — 10:10 a.m.
By the Associated Press
A top White House official is defending Trump’s acknowledgement that steep tariffs on China might lead to fewer goods on the shelves at higher prices.
Trump said children maybe “will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls. And maybe the two dolls will cost a couple bucks more than they would normally.”
Deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller insisted Thursday that the president was “making the point that I think almost every American consumer agrees with.”
In a briefing with reporters, Miller said dolls made in the US had higher quality standards than ones from China that he said could contain lead paint.
“Yes, you’d probably be willing to pay more for a better-made American product,” Miller said.
China signals willingness for tariff talks — 9:48 a.m.
By the Associated Press
China’s state broadcaster has claimed in a social media post that the Trump administration has been seeking contact with Beijing through multiple channels to start negotiations over tariffs.
In a climbdown, the post by China Central Television says there’s no need for China to talk with the US before the US takes any substantive act but also said “there is no harm” for contact.
“China needs to observe or even force out the true intent on the US side to stay proactive in the talks,” reads the post.
Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, said she also understands “it’s getting close” for talks between the two sides but such talks will be at the working level, not yet between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
House Speaker Mike Johnson heading to the White House (again) — 9:27 a.m.
By the Associated Press
There’s trouble as House Republicans race to build Trump’s big bill of tax breaks and spending cuts, especially over its trillions in costs and potential Medicaid changes.
Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, tax writing committee chairman Rep. Jason Smith and the chairman handling health programs, Brett Guthrie, are meeting with Trump.
Trump’s health agency urges therapy for transgender youth, not broader gender-affirming health care — 9:09 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump’s administration released a lengthy review of transgender health care Thursday that advocates for a greater reliance on behavioral therapy rather than broad gender-affirming medical care for youths with gender dysmorphia.
The Health and Human Services report questions standards for the treatment of transgender youth issued by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health and is likely to be used to bolster the government’s abrupt shift in how to care for a subset of the population that has become a political lightning rod.
This new “best practices” report is in response to an executive order Trump issued days into his second term that says the federal government must not support gender transitions for anyone under age 19.
“Our duty is to protect our nation’s children — not expose them to unproven and irreversible medical interventions,” National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya said in a statement. “We must follow the gold standard of science, not activist agendas.”
Ukraine and the US have finally signed a minerals deal. What does it include? — 8:54 a.m.
By the Associated Press
After months of tense negotiations, the US and Ukraine signed a deal that’s expected to give Washington access to the country’s critical minerals and other natural resources, an agreement Kyiv hopes will secure long-term support for its defense against Russia.
According to Ukrainian officials, the version of the deal signed Wednesday is far more beneficial to Ukraine than previous versions, which they said reduced Kyiv to a junior partner and gave Washington unprecedented rights to the country’s resources.
The deal covers minerals, including rare earth elements, but also other valuable resources, including oil and natural gas, according to the text released by Ukraine’s government.
It doesn’t include resources that are already a source of revenue for the Ukrainian state. In other words, any profits under the deal are dependent on the success of new investments. Ukrainian officials have also noted that it doesn’t refer to any debt obligations for Kyiv, meaning profits from the fund will likely not go toward the paying the US back for its previous support.
Trump’s agenda faces courtroom setbacks as Justice Department lawyers struggle to win over judges — 8:30 a.m.
By the Associated Press
To understand the Justice Department’s struggles in representing President Trump’s positions in court, look no further than a succession of losses last week that dealt a setback to the administration’s agenda.
In orders spanning different courthouses, judges blocked a White House plan to add a proof-of-citizenship requirement to the federal voter registration form, ruled the Republican administration violated a settlement agreement by deporting a man to El Salvador and halted directives that threatened to cut federal funding for public schools with diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
That’s on top of arguments in which two judges expressed misgivings to a Justice Department lawyer about the legality of Trump executive orders targeting major law firms and a department lawyer’s accidental filing of an internal memo in court questioning the Trump administration’s legal strategy to kill Manhattan’s congestion toll — a blunder the Transportation Department called “legal malpractice.”
Cheap parcels from China will no longer be duty-free. Here’s what it means for buyers and sellers — 8:06 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Consumers can expect higher prices and delivery delays when the Trump administration ends a duty-free exemption on low-value imports from China Friday.
The expiration of the so-called de minimis rule that has allowed as many as 4 million low-value parcels to come into the US every day — mostly from China — is also forcing businesses that have built their models on sourcing production in China to rethink their practices in order to keep their costs down.
But some might actually benefit from the termination of the duty exemption. For instance, companies that make their goods in the US may feel relief from the competition of cheap Chinese imports, and likely experience a brighter sales outlook.
The move, which applies to goods originating from mainland China and Hong Kong, comes on top of President Trump’s new tariffs totaling 145 percent on China. Beijing has retaliated with tariffs of 125 percent on the US, fueling a trade war between the world’s two largest economies. Sellers are already seeing cautious consumers.
Harris accuses Trump of ‘wholesale abandonment’ of American ideals in major post-election speech — 8:02 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Former Vice President Kamala Harris used a high-profile speech to sharply criticize Trump amid speculation about whether she will mount another presidential campaign or opt to run for California governor.
In her most extensive public remarks since leaving office in January following her defeat to Trump, Harris said Wednesday she’s inspired by Americans fighting Trump’s agenda despite threats to their freedom or livelihood.
Before Wednesday, Harris had barely mentioned Trump by name since she conceded defeat to him in November.
In a 15-minute speech, she spoke to the anxiety and confusion that have gripped many of her supporters since Trump took office but discouraged despair.
Trump went after Harris in a campaign-style rally Tuesday marking his 100th day in office. He sarcastically called her a “great border czar” and a “great candidate,” and repeated some of the applause lines he routinely delivered during the campaign.
The Senate votes down resolution to block Trump’s global tariffs amid economic turmoil — 8:00 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Senate Republicans narrowly voted down a Democratic resolution Wednesday that would have blocked global tariffs announced by Trump earlier this month, giving the president a modest win as lawmakers in both parties have remained skeptical of his trade agenda.
The 49-49 vote came weeks after the Senate approved a resolution that would have thwarted Trump’s ability to impose tariffs on Canada. That measure passed 51-48 with the votes of four Republicans — Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul of Kentucky. But McConnell — who has been sharply critical of the tariffs but had not said how he would vote — and Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse were absent Wednesday, denying Democrats the votes for passage.
Republicans had the upper hand on immigration and the campus antisemitism debate. Then Donald Trump got involved. — 5:30 a.m.
By Tal Kopan, Globe Staff
As President Trump marked the first 100 days of his administration this week, he has prominently touted his far-reaching crackdown on undocumented immigrants and antisemitism.
But rather than being put on the defensive, Democrats see his actions as providing an opening on issues that a mere few months ago were among their weakest spots politically.
After the detention of immigrant students and dramatic funding cuts to universities under the banner of combating antisemitism, the dynamics of the issues of immigration and campus unrest that once favored Republicans seem to be shifting, both in Washington and with voters. A swath of recent public polls show the public souring on Trump’s handling of immigration, with approval rates of his policies falling markedly in the past month.
They wanted Harvard to pay more in taxes. But not like this. — 4:17 a.m.
By Spencer Buell and Catherine Carlock, Globe Staff
The flier featured a picture of Mr. Monopoly, holding a crimson-red bag of cash, dashing toward a map of Harvard Square.
It beckoned people to a community meeting in a high school library, and posed the question residents here have been asking for many years: “What does Harvard owe?”
That was in long-ago March, when the people calling for Harvard University to pay more in taxes were unions, elected officials, and neighborhood associations.
Now, someone else is joining that chorus: Donald Trump, who has suggested the IRS should consider revoking Harvard’s tax-exempt status entirely.
Rubio calls India and Pakistan in effort to defuse crisis over Kashmir attack — 2:22 a.m.
By the Associated Press
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called senior officials in India and Pakistan in an effort to defuse the crisis that followed last week’s deadly attack in Kashmir, the State Department said.
Rubio urged Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to de-escalate tensions on Wednesday.
India has vowed to punish Pakistan after accusing it of backing the attack, which Islamabad denies. The nuclear-armed rivals have since expelled each other’s diplomats and citizens, ordered the border shut and closed their airspace to each other. New Delhi has suspended a crucial water-sharing treaty with Islamabad.