Geoff Bennett:
Last week, Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen also went to El Salvador and unsuccessfully lobbied for Abrego Garcia’s release. The White House has called the trips by Democratic lawmakers an apology tour. The Trump administration has not complied with the unanimous Supreme Court ruling ordering it to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return.
Harvard this afternoon sued the Trump administration over its recent decision to freeze $2.2 billion of the university’s research funding. That funding was halted last week after Harvard became the first major U.S. university to reject a list of White House demands, including federal audits of its programs and screening of international students. The administration has also threatened Harvard’s tax-exempt status.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed to multiple news outlets that she had her purse stolen while dining at a popular restaurant last night in Washington, D.C. Her bag contained $3,000 cash, as well as several forms of I.D., like her driver’s license, DHS access badge and passport.
The U.S. Secret Service, which provides security for Noem, says it reviewed security camera footage from the night and has launched an investigation.
Scattered thunderstorms are rumbling across the country tonight from Western New York all the way to the Gulf Coast. That’s after severe storms this Easter weekend brought tornadoes and flash floods that killed at least three people in Oklahoma. Across that state and in neighboring Missouri, Arkansas and Texas, heavy winds tore off roofs and toppled power lines.
Two to four inches of rain fell in parts of Oklahoma this weekend and more heavy rain is expected across parts of the Central Plains this week.
In Orlando, Florida, all passengers and crew aboard a Delta Air Lines flight are safe and accounted for after one of the plane’s engines caught fire on the tarmac. Cell phone video showed flames spewing from the Atlanta-bound Airbus shortly after it pushed away from the gate for departure. The nearly 300 passengers were forced to evacuate using the emergency inflatable slides.
It’s the latest in a string of incidents that have raised questions about U.S. aviation safety. Both Delta and the FAA say they are investigating the cause of the fire.
And, on Wall Street, stocks were in freefall today over investor concerns about President Trump’s tariffs and his recent threats to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The Dow dropped by nearly 1,000 points. Both government bonds and the value of the U.S. dollar were in retreat too. The Nasdaq plummeted by more than 400 points and the S&P fell nearly 125, as all three major indices lost more than 2 percent.
Still to come on the “NewsHour”: Tamara Keith and Amy Walter break down the latest political headlines; and the Trump administration’s latest efforts to dismantle climate protections.
