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Episode Date: May 2, 2025

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On the next Thru Line from NPR. For the presidency, I'm indebted to Almighty God. I'm in charge of the country and I need to serve all the American people and not just the political machine. The origins of the modern civil service. Listen to Thru Line wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News, I'm Lachmi Singh. The White House is proposing heavy cuts to non-defense spending in its new budget proposal. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reports President Trump's budget proposal is not binding, but

it may be particularly revealing. The Trump White House wants to cut $163 billion in non-defense discretionary spending. That's spending across a wide range of areas, science research, education, and transportation, for example. An Office of Management and Budget spokesperson confirmed the numbers, which were first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The proposed cuts would be a nearly 23% drop from current spending, according to the White House. The president's budget is merely a proposal. Congress passes spending bills. But this year, with Trump attempting to shrink government via executive order and his Department of Government Deficiency, and with congressional Republicans in his corner, Trump's budget may be more meaningful than usual. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News.

Trump says he is revoking Harvard University's tax-exempt status after the Ivy League schools sued the administration. Trump's responding on Truth Social to Harvard's legal fight to unfreeze more than $2 billion in federal funding. A federal judge in Texas has ruled that the president's use of an 18th century wartime law to deport certain Venezuelan immigrants is unlawful. NPR's Sergio Martinez Beltran reports the US District Judge, who was appointed by Trump, finds that the administration overstepped its authority.

The men in this Texas case have been threatened with imminent removal under the Alien Enemies Act. It's never been used in the way the Trump administration has. The men are accused of being members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez, Jr. wrote in his ruling that Trump's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act exceeds the scope of the statute. The government he ruled does not possess the lawful authority under the Alien Enemies Act to detain Venezuelan immigrants or remove them from the country.

That's NPR's Sergio Martinez Beltran reporting. The administration says there are now multiple law enforcement investigations into a former cybersecurity official whom the president has personally targeted. More from NPR's Tom Dreisbach. Christopher Krebs was the top cybersecurity official in the first Trump administration, but Trump fired him after Krebs said accurately that the 2020 election was safe and secure. Last month in the Oval Office, Trump ordered the government to investigate Krebs. He's the fraud, he's a disgrace, so we'll find out whether or not it was a safe election.

And if it wasn't, he's got a big price to pay. The Department of Homeland Security now says there are multiple law enforcement investigations into Krebs, and as a result, Krebs' global entry status, which allows travelers to get expedited screening at airport security and customs, has been revoked. Krebs has denounced Trump's actions as retaliation. Tom Dreisbach, NPR News. This is NPR. US employers added 177,000 jobs last month, according to figures released today by the

Labor Department compared to revised figures showing 185,000 jobs added in March. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.2%. Jobs were added in the healthcare and transportation and warehousing sectors among others, but declined in the federal government amid a round of layoffs initiated by the Trump administration. South Korea now has its third acting president in five months. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul the political upheaval began with last year's impeachment of the country's president, Yoon Sung-yeol. Former acting president and prime minister Han Deok-su declared his intent Friday to run for president.

He resigned the acting presidency, which then passed to finance minister Choi Sang-mok. But he too resigned after opposition lawmakers moved to impeach him over his appointment of constitutional court justices. Education Minister Lee Ju- Hou then took over as acting president. Yi must hold the government together until presidential elections next month. The leading candidate, meanwhile, opposition leader, Yi Jiaming, is facing a retrial on charges of violating the election law, which could disqualify him from running. Anthony Kuhn in PR News, Seoul. Journalism is favored to win at Churchill Downs. The Bake Hold is among 19 of the world's Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul.