Liberal Reporting for 2026-04-05
Today’s news coverage from liberal media sources.
Republicans are losing clout in statehouses in another possible sign of midterm trouble
More than a dozen legislative leaders have headed for the exits over the past 14 months.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 4, 2026 - politico.com
‘Paradigm shift:’ How Trump’s budget request will keep everyone guessing
It’s become impossible to predict the trajectory of the Congressional appropriations process.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 4, 2026 - politico.com
Far-Right Religious Leaders Advising Trump See Iran as an End Times Holy War
By making Iran into a religious crusade, Trump’s spiritual advisers are making the war that much more difficult to end. The post Far-Right Religious Leaders Advising Trump See Iran as an End Times Hol...
The Intercept
Apr 4, 2026 - theintercept.com
RFK Jr. launches midterm travel push to shore up ‘MAHA’ support
The Trump White House counts RFK Jr. as a top surrogate – but he comes with downsides, too.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 4, 2026 - politico.com
Trump’s U.N. fight is becoming New York City’s problem
An office space deal threatens to leave the city on the hook for the U.N.’s financial travails.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 4, 2026 - politico.com
Border Wall Blasting Begins on New Mexico’s Mount Cristo Rey, Cherished by Catholics
This story was originally published by Inside Climate News in partnership with Puente News Collaborative and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. On a Saturday morning in Marc...
Mother Jones
Apr 4, 2026 - motherjones.com
How one Democratic senator is tackling Trump’s corruption
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) speaks during a protest at the US Customs and Border Protection Office on January 13, 2026, in Washington, D.C. | Jemal Countess/Getty Images for MoveOn Civic Action Preside...
Vox
Apr 4, 2026 - vox.com
Jared Kushner is seeking peace deals in the Middle East. He’s also raising money for his own firm | Mohamad Bazzi
The president’s son-in-law is acting as an envoy even as he looks to secure billions for his company from foreign governmentsAfter Donald Trump returned to the White House, his son-in-law and former s...
The Guardian
Apr 4, 2026 - theguardian.com
After the Minnesota surge, ICE is moving to a quieter enforcement approach
ICE seems to be changing from aggressive immigration enforcement on city streets to an apparent return to operations that rely heavily on local law enforcement. But even in Florida, where sheriffs are...
NPR Topics: Home Page Top Stories
Apr 4, 2026 - npr.org
Trump’s new budget proposal is historic — in one of the worst ways possible
The proposal would double down on last summer’s “big beautiful bill” and its legacy of cutting programs that struggling Americans rely on. The post Trump’s new budget proposal is historic — in one of ...
MS NOW
Apr 4, 2026 - ms.now
US authorities arrest relatives of late Iranian military commander who were living in Los Angeles
State department said niece and grandniece of Qassem Soleimani, killed in 2020 US drone strike, celebrated attacks against US soldiersUS federal agents have arrested the niece and grandniece of the la...
The Guardian
Apr 4, 2026 - theguardian.com
Halting $400m White House ballroom project is national security risk, Trump officials say
US National Park Service lawyers cite materials that will be installed to make ‘heavily fortified’ facilityDonald Trump’s administration is arguing that a judge’s order to halt construction of a $400m...
The Guardian
Apr 4, 2026 - theguardian.com
Trump’s fantasy of seizing the Strait of Hormuz for a ‘gusher’ of oil is a dangerous one
Trump doesn’t actually want the consequences that would follow from such an operation. The post Trump’s fantasy of seizing the Strait of Hormuz for a ‘gusher’ of oil is a dangerous one appeared first ...
MS NOW
Apr 4, 2026 - ms.now
A subdued Wisconsin Supreme Court race tilts Democrats’ way
Both parties are spending a fraction of the total that broke records for a spring election last year. But Democrats are in the driver’s seat in Madison.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 4, 2026 - politico.com
#MilitaryTok reactions to Iran war stray from White House messaging: ‘Now I’m regretting everything’
As Trump’s administration aims to bring ‘warrior culture’ back to the military, young service members express anxiety and snark online over potential deploymentIf posts coming from the White House wer...
The Guardian
Apr 4, 2026 - theguardian.com
Nurses Forge Alliances to Protect Patients From Trump’s Immigration Crackdown
Support and rights advocacy are seen as a duty of care for many nurses who are organizing to protect their patients.
Truthout
Apr 4, 2026 - truthout.org
The sticky, sugary history of Peeps
Editor’s note, April 4, 2026, 6 am ET: This story was last updated on March 30, 2018, and we’re revisiting it for this Easter. Easter season is upon us, and if you’re like a majority of Americans who...
Vox
Apr 4, 2026 - vox.com
HHS Directly Gives Crisis Pregnancy Centers Millions of Dollars
The US Department of Health and Human Services gave at least $34 million directly to 16 crisis pregnancy centers between 2018 and 2024, according to a US Government Accountability Office report public...
Mother Jones
Apr 4, 2026 - motherjones.com
Hold off on Celebrating Trump’s Proposal to Increase Disability Education Funding
On Friday, President Donald Trump released his budget proposal for the fiscal year 2027. Surprisingly, given the cuts that would be necessary to fund the $1.5 trillion the Trump administration is aski...
Mother Jones
Apr 4, 2026 - motherjones.com
Trump Budget Boosts War Spending While Slashing Domestic Programs
The proposal boosts Pentagon funding while gutting billions from health care, education, and environmental programs.
Truthout
Apr 4, 2026 - truthout.org
Art heists seem to be becoming more and more common. Here’s why.
We may never know what motivated the Magnani-Rocca robbers. But part of the answer may lie in an unexpected corner. The post Art heists seem to be becoming more and more common. Here’s why. appeared f...
MS NOW
Apr 4, 2026 - ms.now
Arrest of Wisconsin Mosque Leader Was Tied to Trump Antisemitism Campaign
Immigration lawyers and former federal officials say the case of Salah Sarsour echoes those against other pro-Palestinian activists.
NYT > Top Stories
Apr 4, 2026 - nytimes.com
Federal judge halts White House effort to collect university data on applicants’ race
Trump ordered data collection after raising concern about race being used as factor in college admissionsA federal judge on Friday halted efforts by the Trump administration to collect data that prove...
The Guardian
Apr 4, 2026 - theguardian.com
Oil, strait of Hormuz and empty threats: a timeline of Trump’s flip-flopping on the Iran war
In the fifth week of the war, Trump continues contradicting himself on its objectives and how Americans are affectedWhen Donald Trump launched Operation Epic Fury alongside Israel on 28 February, his ...
The Guardian
Apr 4, 2026 - theguardian.com
US says it has arrested relatives of late Iranian general Qasem Soleimani
The niece and grand-niece of Qasem Soleimani are in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, officials said.
BBC News
Apr 4, 2026 - bbc.com
Judge blocks Trump's college admissions data push in 17 states
The order reflects how the president's efforts to dismantle the Education Department are getting in the way of his policy goals.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 4, 2026 - politico.com
‘I Got Back Every Penny’: Inside Trump’s Supercharged Tax Season
The law Republicans passed last year has so far been largely imperceptible to most Americans. That’s changing as tens of millions file their taxes this spring.
NYT > Top Stories
Apr 4, 2026 - nytimes.com
Trump requests $152m funding to restore Alcatraz as prison
Budget proposal released on Friday outlines president’s desire to revive former federal prison in San Francisco BayDonald Trump is asking for $152m to restore Alcatraz, a former federal prison off the...
The Guardian
Apr 4, 2026 - theguardian.com
As Team Trump wage unceasing war on Iran, evangelical nationalists are destroying any moral world order we once had | Simon Tisdall
The brutalisation of global norms by figures like Pete Hegseth must be seen as an ethical issue. It’s a fight against chaos, and all major religions must play a roleThat combative old hymn, Onward Ch...
The Guardian
Apr 4, 2026 - theguardian.com
Ukraine war briefing: Russian army records almost no territorial gains for first time since 2023, analysis shows
Russian advances slowing, thinktank’s data shows; 14 killed in Ukraine in massive drone and missile salvo. What we know on day 1,501Russia’s army recorded almost no territorial gains on the frontline ...
The Guardian
Apr 4, 2026 - theguardian.com
Judge halts Trump effort requiring colleges to show they don't consider race in admissions
A federal judge on Saturday said the Trump Administration the demand to collect data from universities was rolled out in a "rushed and chaotic" manner.
NPR Topics: Home Page Top Stories
Apr 4, 2026 - npr.org
Congress gave money for global HIV work. The Trump administration isn't spending it
U.S. work combatting HIV/AIDS has saved millions of lives globally. Under the Trump administration, funding has been slow in coming and unpredictable, wreaking havoc on people trying to do the work.
NPR Topics: Home Page Top Stories
Apr 4, 2026 - npr.org
House Democrats to hold California 'shadow hearings' on midterm election security
House Democrats will hold informal hearings in California on midterm election security, following multiple threats of intervention in state-run voting by the Trump administration.
World & Nation
Apr 4, 2026 - latimes.com
Critics scold Trump for staying mum on search for missing U.S. airman in Iran
“You move mountains to try and find that individual, get them back to safety,” retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling told MS NOW. The post Critics scold Trump for staying mum on search for missing U.S. airma...
MS NOW
Apr 4, 2026 - ms.now
Trump Pledged a Quick End to the Iran War, but He Hasn’t Explained How
President Trump bet that American firepower could cow Iran into compliance. So far, Iran’s leaders have been unwilling to quit.
NYT > Top Stories
Apr 4, 2026 - nytimes.com
Death, displacement and military duties: children plunged into crisis by Middle East war
The US-Israeli war will have a lifelong impact on millions of children across the Middle EastMillions of children have been plunged into crisis by the war in the Middle East, with reports of child sol...
The Guardian
Apr 4, 2026 - theguardian.com
‘The good old days are gone’: how will US prices stand as war in Iran surges on?
Beyond rising costs of gas and air travel, experts say this is likely just beginning of higher prices amid global volatilitySign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbo...
The Guardian
Apr 4, 2026 - theguardian.com
As a state visit looms … can King Charles tame Trump?
Royal visitors have long been popular in the US, and Charles has decades of diplomacy under his belt. But can soft power save the special relationship?What’s the worst that could happen when King Char...
The Guardian
Apr 4, 2026 - theguardian.com
UN watchdog voices 'deep concern' as Iran reports new attacks on nuclear plant
The International Atomic Energy Agency urges restraint to avoid a nuclear accident at Iran's Bushehr plant.
BBC News
Apr 4, 2026 - bbc.com
What Trump’s Address to the Nation Revealed
Panelists on Washington Week With The Atlantic joined to discuss the president’s first national address since the war with Iran began.
The Atlantic
Apr 4, 2026 - theatlantic.com
IAEA Sounds Alarm on US-Israeli Strike Near Iran Nuclear Plant
At least one person was killed in the strike near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant, raising safety concerns.
Truthout
Apr 4, 2026 - truthout.org
Trump Relies on Centuries-Old Notions of Whiteness to Activate His MAGA Base
Whiteness is baked into the US’s DNA. Can it be structurally dismantled?
Truthout
Apr 4, 2026 - truthout.org
This Easter, an American Pope Confronts an American War
Last week, when asked if he had a message about the war in Iran for President Trump, Leo XIV said, “Hopefully, he’s looking for an off-ramp.”
News, Politics, Opinion, Commentary, and Analysis
Apr 4, 2026 - newyorker.com
Trump’s military spending bonanza has Republicans overlooking the debt
The president’s fiscal 2027 budget proposal seeks a more than 40% increase in defense spending, paired with cuts to medical research, national parks and the TSA. As for the debt? The data’s nowhere to...
MS NOW
Apr 3, 2026 - ms.now
Republican Islamophobia Has Reached Shocking New Levels
If you have the good fortune of not spending time on Elon Musk’s X, it is hard to grasp just how blatant the anti-Muslim hate coming from GOP lawmakers—and tolerated by their leaders—has become. Take ...
Mother Jones
Apr 3, 2026 - motherjones.com
DHS Launches Massive “Less Lethal” Chemical Weapons Buying Spree
Federal agents’ indiscriminate use of tear gases and “less-lethal” projectiles has become a mainstay of protest crackdowns. The post DHS Launches Massive “Less Lethal” Chemical Weapons Buying Spree ap...
The Intercept
Apr 3, 2026 - theintercept.com
State Dept. ‘reforms’ foreign service training to include white supremacist teachings
The Trump administration is planning to train new foreign service employees with the help of overtly racist works. The post State Dept. ‘reforms’ foreign service training to include white supremacist ...
MS NOW
Apr 3, 2026 - ms.now
Trump admin’s challenge of Watergate-era records law alarms historians
Scholars warn that DOJ’s declaration that the Presidential Records Act is unconstitutional could impact other administrations.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 3, 2026 - politico.com
The wreckage Pam Bondi leaves behind
She helped corrode the Justice Department’s credibility and trained the public to see federal prosecution as just another front in the culture wars. The post The wreckage Pam Bondi leaves behind appea...
MS NOW
Apr 3, 2026 - ms.now
Judge rejects DOJ push to resurrect Powell probe
The government sought to revive the quashed grand jury subpoenas for records relating to a $2.5 billion renovation of the Federal Reserve headquarters, targeting the Fed chair. The post Judge rejects...
MS NOW
Apr 3, 2026 - ms.now
Friday’s Mini-Report, 4.3.26
Today’s edition of quick hits. The post Friday’s Mini-Report, 4.3.26 appeared first on MS NOW.
MS NOW
Apr 3, 2026 - ms.now
Trump admin moves Title X family planning program away from contraception, toward conception
New guidance, and the promise of a new rule, are expected to cut off funding to Planned Parenthood starting in 2027.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 3, 2026 - politico.com
Trump plans spending $377M on executive residence renovations – plus $174M more
The fiscal 2027 budget shows a jump — from $39 million to $377 million — for renovations to the White House living space and possibly other areas.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 3, 2026 - politico.com
What young Republicans are saying about Trump's handling of the Iran war
The U.S. and Israeli war with Iran has caused a rare rift among conservatives, with several influential figures on the right condemning the war. A recent poll shows that while most Republicans support...
PBS NewsHour - The Latest
Apr 3, 2026 - pbs.org
Brooks and Capehart on the cost of the Iran war and Trump's strategy
David Brooks of The Atlantic and Jonathan Capehart of MS NOW join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including the political debate over the war in Iran, reaction to President Trump's address...
PBS NewsHour - The Latest
Apr 3, 2026 - pbs.org
Freed After a Year in ICE Jail, Palestinian Protester Leqaa Kordia Speaks Out
“ICE dungeons are systematically ... built to break people mentally,” Kordia said.
Truthout
Apr 3, 2026 - truthout.org
No Kings Must Mean No War: Foreign Policy Is Least Democratic Space in Politics
A movement in the name of democracy must resist imperial ambition done in our name and with our money.
Truthout
Apr 3, 2026 - truthout.org
News Wrap: Trump seeking $1.5 trillion for military spending in new budget
In our news wrap Friday, President Trump is asking for $1.5 trillion in defense spending for the upcoming financial year, March was a strong month for the jobs market even as soaring energy prices fro...
PBS NewsHour - The Latest
Apr 3, 2026 - pbs.org
Trump’s New Pharma Tariffs Could Drive Up Medical Costs, Patient Advocates Warn
Under a new order, brand-name pharmaceuticals made in other countries could be hit with tariffs as high as 100 percent.
Truthout
Apr 3, 2026 - truthout.org
A Wisconsin mosque president was detained by ICE agents. Supporters say he was targeted for speaking out against Israel
Salah Sarsour, a Palestinian-born legal permanent resident of the United States, was taken into custody by nearly a dozen U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who surrounded his car on Mond...
PBS NewsHour - The Latest
Apr 3, 2026 - pbs.org
Iran Shoots Down F-15 Fighter Jet After Trump Bragged They Had No Capability
“We are unstoppable as a military force," Trump boasted before Iran shot down one U.S. plane and another crashed near the Strait of Hormuz. The post Iran Shoots Down F-15 Fighter Jet After Trump Bragg...
The Intercept
Apr 3, 2026 - theintercept.com
CA Should Send Prisoners Home Instead of Spending Millions on New Facilities
A new facility celebrated by Gov. Gavin Newsom will disrupt prisoner-led programming and normalize our captivity.
Truthout
Apr 3, 2026 - truthout.org
‘India is going to face a food crisis’: Farmers panic over fertiliser shortages amid Iran war
Ripple effects of oil and fertiliser shortage felt by farmers in India and Sri Lanka despite governments saying there is enough stock to go roundGurvinder Singh never thought the war in Iran would tou...
The Guardian
Apr 3, 2026 - theguardian.com
Fact-checking key moments in Bondi's tenure as Trump's attorney general
PolitiFact has fact-checked Bondi since 2010, during her Florida attorney general run, a seat she held from 2011 to 2019. Here are some key moments and falsehoods from her year-plus in the nation's to...
PBS NewsHour - The Latest
Apr 3, 2026 - pbs.org
Trump asks Congress for $152 million to start rebuilding Alcatraz prison
The president's new budget requests funding from Congress to convert the historic site into a working "state-of-the-art" prison.
World & Nation
Apr 3, 2026 - latimes.com
Trump's 2027 budget would cut billions from clean energy and climate programs while boosting military spending
The proposal from Trump's Office of Management and Budget includes several key changes to climate and environment programs that would help further the administration's efforts to thwart the so-called ...
World & Nation
Apr 3, 2026 - latimes.com
ICE Arrests Palestinian Activist Who Leads Wisconsin’s Largest Islamic Group
Supporters of Salah Sarsour, who was brutalized by Israeli police as a teen, say his arrest is politically motivated.
Truthout
Apr 3, 2026 - truthout.org
The Guardian view on the US and Europe: the UK tried to be a bridge, but Trump likes to burn them | Editorial
The president’s outbursts on allies and Nato were further confirmation that Europe cannot wait to bolster security – and Britain must play its part“She had no more surprises for him; the unexpected in...
The Guardian
Apr 3, 2026 - theguardian.com
Trump announces ‘fraud’ crackdown in Democratic states as arrests begin in California
US president makes baseless claims about fraud in blue states and says JD Vance will lead clampdown as ‘fraud czar’Donald Trump announced a fresh crackdown on “fraud” in Democratic states and tapped J...
The Guardian
Apr 3, 2026 - theguardian.com
Hospital visit fuels speculation about Samuel Alito’s future on supreme court
Veteran justice, 76, was treated for dehydration in March; a retirement would give Trump new chance to shape courtUS supreme court justice Samuel Alito was reportedly taken to a hospital after becomin...
The Guardian
Apr 3, 2026 - theguardian.com
Relationship with Trump may be beyond repair, Keir Starmer told
PM gets widespread backing after president’s mocking impersonation takes US-UK relationship to new lowKeir Starmer has been warned his relationship with Donald Trump may be beyond repair after the US ...
The Guardian
Apr 3, 2026 - theguardian.com
Trump signs order aimed at stabilizing college sports with threats to federal funding
The threat of cutting funding to cash-starved schools that don't comply is real, even if the stricter rules that come out of the executive order he signed Friday could take a while to figure out.
PBS NewsHour - The Latest
Apr 3, 2026 - pbs.org
Georgia lawmakers pass bill that lets property owners sue over homeless encampments
Homelessness advocates say the bill would cause law enforcement to arrest people because they have nowhere to sleep and spur frivolous lawsuits paid for by taxpayers.
PBS NewsHour - The Latest
Apr 3, 2026 - pbs.org
Palestinians in occupied West Bank face growing violence from Israeli settlers
Human rights groups say a new Israeli law that expands the death penalty for killings classified as terrorism is expected to apply exclusively to Palestinian prisoners in the occupied West Bank. As Is...
PBS NewsHour - The Latest
Apr 3, 2026 - pbs.org
Company backed by Trump sons looks to sell drone interceptors to Gulf states being attacked by Iran
The sales drive by Florida-based Powerus – which announced a deal last month to bring aboard Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. – positions the company to potentially benefit from a war that their father...
PBS NewsHour - The Latest
Apr 3, 2026 - pbs.org
Georgia lawmakers fail to settle voting machines conflict before end of annual session
The Georgia General Assembly ended its annual session early Friday without a plan for new equipment to overhaul the state's voting system by a July deadline, plunging into doubt the future of election...
PBS NewsHour - The Latest
Apr 3, 2026 - pbs.org
President Trump bashed State Farm on social media: Why it didn't come out of the blue
There's a backstory to President Trump's Truth Social post and it stems from a controversial visit by administration officials to Los Angeles in February.
World & Nation
Apr 3, 2026 - latimes.com
Pope Leo Condemns “Imperialist Occupation” as He Urges Trump to End War on Iran
“Neither in the pastoral sphere nor in the social and political spheres can good come from abuse of power,” he said.
Truthout
Apr 3, 2026 - truthout.org
Hegseth Says He’s Ending Ban on Troops Carrying Personal Firearms on Bases
The change in policy comes amid low morale among military members due to anxieties over the US’s war on Iran.
Truthout
Apr 3, 2026 - truthout.org
Turning Point USA Throws Weight Against Clean Energy in Local Arizona Election
“It’s effectively feudal,” a clean energy advocate says of a utility board election in which only landowners can vote.