PBS News Hour - Full Show - July 3, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode

Episode Date: July 4, 2026

Friday on the News Hour, record-breaking heat bakes the central and eastern United States ahead of July Fourth celebrations. African soldiers lured by promises of high pay end up on the front lines of the war with Ukraine. One year since the deadly flood at Camp Mystic, two parents who lost their daughter remember her legacy. Plus, Judy Woodruff on the people and ideas that have shaped the U.S. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Good evening. I'm Amna Nawaz. Jeff Bennett is away. On the news hour tonight, record-breaking heat bakes the central and eastern United States ahead of July 4 celebrations. African soldiers, lured by promises of high pay, end up on the front lines of the war with Ukraine facing almost certain death. And one year since the deadly flood at Camp Mystic, two parents who lost their daughter remember her legacy and describe their push for better camp safety. keeping future campers safe is a guiding light for us and why we're so involved in the protection of campers throughout the U.S. Welcome to the News Hour. Americans across the East Coast are preparing for one of the hottest independence days in recorded history.

A brutal heat wave is bringing dangerous temperatures to some 160 million from Mississippi to Maine. Record-breaking, triple-digit temperatures have disrupted travel, strained the energy grid, and forced some communities to change or cancel planned celebrations. Yesterday, more than 100 people in Pennsylvania were treated for heat-related illnesses at an event tied to the 250th anniversary celebration. In the Capitol, today's events on the National Mall were postponed for hours because of the extreme heat. And in New York City, where the heat index was expected to reach 110 degrees today,

Mayor Zoran Mamdani urged residents to take precautions. What we ask New Yorkers to do is to be mindful of the danger that accompanies those temperatures. That means make sure that you stay hydrated, make sure that you're putting on sunscreen, make sure that you're taking as many breaks as possible from being outside, and if you can, to stay indoors and to stay in air conditioning. Meanwhile, health authorities in Europe have now linked thousands of excess deaths to record heat. To unpack it all, we're joined now by Jeff Goodell. He's a contributing writer at Rolling Stone, and the author of The Heat Will.

kill you first. Life and death on a scorched planet. Jeff, welcome back to the News Hour. Thanks for joining us. Thank you for having me. So there's heat advisories in effect in almost 30 states. The National Weather Service said today's temperatures are extremely dangerous. What are the risks here and who's most vulnerable? Well, the risks are tremendous. I mean, anyone who goes to the doctor knows the first thing they do is check your body temperature to see when things go wrong. Our bodies are very sensitive to changes in heat and it makes these kinds of outdoor events on weekends like this all the more dangerous. I mean, being out in extreme heat puts a lot of strain on your heart. So anyone with any kind of heart conditions, often that means elderly people are most at risk.

Young children, especially before the ages of two or so, have not fully developed an ability to sweat. So they're very vulnerable. People who are on certain kinds of, of pharmaceutical drugs like antidepressants, they mess with our body's ability to regulate temperature there at risk. And finally, I really urge caution to any women who are pregnant or think they might be pregnant because a lot of recent research has showing that the risk of miscarriage during extreme heat is much higher. So, Jeff, we're heading into this 250th anniversary weekend. There's a lot of outside events planned, people getting together for barbecues and parades and so on. We know there's a World Cup match scheduled to be outside in Philadelphia,

which is seeing some record high temperatures too. What do officials need to be thinking about leading into these events and what should individual people be doing to prepare? Well, officials need to be, you know, covering the basics, which is access to water, access to shade, access to cooling centers, even better than shade, you know, places, tents that are air-conditioned places where people can get out of the heat. And also importantly, having medical personnel around who understand the risks of heat, because that is, you would be surprised at how many of them really don't. So that's really important. And personally, what's important is drinking water. And I want to clarify that drinking water is important, not because the act of

drinking water cools you off, but because if you're dehydrated, you can't sweat. And sweating is how our body cools you off. So what's important is to keep hydrated so that you can continue to sweat. wearing light color clothing is really important. And making sure that you know that you have access to somewhere cool that you can get to, whether it's a building that's air-conditioned or a cooling center or something. Because heat builds up in your body and it kind of becomes a runaway train. And what you don't want to do is get too far down the tracks on that runaway train before you start cooling off.

And last thing I want to say, and if I can correct Mayor Mondami in your intro, So sunscreen is important to wear outdoors. It protects us from UV rays, but it doesn't do anything to protect you from heat. I want to ask a big picture question here, which is we know what the data shows us about climate change and the increasing threats and the warming of the planet and them leading to more frequent, more intense heat waves. But let's be specific about that so people really understand. What is driving that warming? What is driving that climate change? What should we understand?

Well, it's very clear. Science have understood what's driving this warming for, you know, a half a century, and that is, you know, increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, primarily from the burning of fossil fuels. There was a study that came out yesterday from a very highly respected scientific group in the UK that basically said that these kinds of extreme temperatures that we're seeing right now would be virtually impossible without the higher levels of sea. CO2 in the atmosphere. So what we're seeing is a manifestation of climate change. What we're doing is living in the future that climate scientists have been warning us about for 50 years. Jeff Goodell, contributing writer for Rolling Stone, joining us tonight. Jeff, thank you so much. Good to speak with you.

Thank you for having me. We start the day's other headlines in Iran, where funeral ceremonies got underway for the country's late Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khomeini. The cleric's almost 40-year reign was brought to an end in February when he was killed in U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. Iranian officials paid their respects today at Khomeini's flag-draped coffin in Tehran, along with dignitaries from Pakistan, Russia, and China, among others. Banners of the late ruler were visible across Tehran, with some residents saying they feel

the funeral sends a message to Iran's enemies. Our sense of revenge will never be extinguished, but at the very least what we can do for our martyred leader who sacrificed himself for the nation is to hold his funeral ceremony with grandeur. Today's tributes are the first in a days-long series of ceremonies, which includes a public viewing of his casket tomorrow, and then a procession through Tehran on Monday, followed by his eventual burial in his hometown of Mashab next week. In Pakistan, at least 40 people were killed when an overcrowded bus plunged into a ravine earlier today. Officials say the vehicle lost control as it traveled from Quetta to Peshawar and fell around 70 feet in Danasar,

a remote area known for its dangerous mountain roads. At least eight others were injured and what officials are calling one of the nation's deadliest road accidents in recent years. A local government spokesperson says the bus was carrying additional passengers from another bus that had broken down. A police investigation is underway. In Venezuela, hundreds more people have been confirmed dead after last week's power powerful twin earthquakes, even as the government defends its handling of the crisis.

Venezuelan authorities say more than 2,600 people died, and more than 12,000 others were injured. They did not say how many people remain missing, though one estimate says more than 38,000 are still unaccounted for. It's been nine days since the quakes, and some Venezuelans say they've had to search for loved ones with their bare hands. Acting President Delzi Rodriguez has defended the official response. We did not wait one, two, or three days. We acted immediately.

After the earthquake, the Venezuelan state as a whole sprang into action immediately. Rodriguez has also accused what she called propaganda laboratories of politicizing the humanitarian crisis to criticize her government. Her 180-day period as interim leader expired today, and there's been no official word on what happens next. In today's World Cup action, Egypt won its first ever game in the knockout round after beating Australia in a hard-fought match that ended in penalty kicks. The meantime, Croatia is still reeling from a video replay that overturned what would have

been a game-tying late goal in their loss yesterday to Portugal. And as expected, FIFA has confirmed the one-game red card suspension for American striker Falloran Baligan. He will miss Monday's match against Belgium. of New York are on lockdown this evening for the expected wedding celebration of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey at the city's iconic Madison Square Garden. Guests were seen arriving for the event, which has been shrouded in secrecy. It's believed that some 1,000 people are due to attend amid tight security. Earlier, catering trucks had been spotted entering the venue, and even New York's

Police Department is getting in the spirit with a patrol chief shouting swift lyrics at passers-by. I knew you were troubled. I knew it. This letter feels like a cruel summer. Welcome to New York. The multi-day celebration coincides with New York's July 4th celebrations, even as the city bakes in a hundred-degree heat. The pop music icon and Kansas City Chief Star have been dating since 2023 and announced their engagement last year. Financial markets are closed for the July 4th holiday weekend, but a bit of American news overseas. The National Archives in London says it discovered a vanishingly rare copy of the Declaration of Independence.

It's one of just 11 known copies of the Exeter declarations, named for Exeter, New Hampshire, where they were printed in July of 1776. This document was captured from a ship that was then under the direction of the recently formed Continental Congress. Experts at the National Archives say it tells a, quote, untold story about American heroism at sea. I think it shows what they were fighting for. I think this is potentially the first one that's actually found in a situation where people are prepared to die for their country. So for them, I think it was something which was inspirational. The document was intended to spread the news that the 13 colonies had declared independence from Britain.

It was found by a volunteer reviewing the letters of an 18th century Royal Navy captain who had labeled it simply as another paper. Still to come. On the News Hour, how climate change is endangering historic sites like Jamestown, Virginia. David Brooks and Jonathan Capehart weigh in on the week's political headlines. And Judy Woodruff on the people and ideas that have shaped the U.S. This is the PBS News Hour from the David M. Rubinstein studio at WETA in Washington, headquarters of PBS News. The capital city of Kiev observed a day of morning today after a deadly barrage. of Russian drones and missiles killed at least 30 people overnight Wednesday. And on the front lines, there is no let up in the bloodletting.

By some estimates, Russia has taken one and a half million casualties, including a half a million killed since the war began. Now, as special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky reports, with Russia running out of recruits, it's bringing in mercenaries from far away. And a warning, some images in this story are disturbing. What the fuck, you non-Russian piece of... This is the treatment awaiting African troops recruited to fight in Russia's war against Ukraine. Beatings, electrocution, and worse.

Blurred to Russia with promises of employment, hefty sign-up bonuses and citizenship, and instead thrown to the front line as disposable manpower, deployed as human bait. Look how many disposables. They're even singing. So happy. Don't work. They'll go on assault and they'll be singing a different tune. Nishu, now they'll go in the other way to say. Routality and corruption go hand in hand in Russia's military. Yet some of the estimated 4,000 African fighters now serving in the Russian army

are the special target of abuse from their commanders and fellow soldiers driven by racism and lawlessness within Moscow's army. These are the f***ing comrades that have arrived? You know what? What is your name? Francis. You're the can-upiter today. This is Francis Dungun Darua from Kenya.

That's an anti-tank mine strapped to his chest. A soldier appears to be forcing him at gunpoint towards the front line on a suicide mission. Since the video appeared on Russian social media, his family in Kenya say they've not heard from him, and his whereabouts are unknown. It's a grim story and not unique. Since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukrainian authorities estimate that Russia has recruited 27,000 foreign nationals from 130 countries. Martin, Mnager 26 years, Kenya, an international fighting force larger than some standing armies in Europe.

In an exclusive interview, Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andri Sabija, told the news hour Russia has stepped up its recruitment from Africa and other countries to compensate for poor battlefield performance and mounting casualties. In case of death or disappearance, they are ideal soldiers. Why? Because no public resonance. Because if you lose your own soldier, Russian soldier, you must pay to the family $50,000. They value them less than their own people.

As they use them in their so-called meat assaults, unfortunately. What is a meat assault? So they use them on the most difficult directions on the battlefield. So it means that their period of their life is very short. Ukraine is keen to get the message out that fighters from Africa and around the world who plan to join Russia's war against Ukraine will be used as cannon fodder and are likely to die, or be captured. But at the same time, Russia is trying to recruit this year more fighters from abroad than it ever has before. According to the Kiev-based war crimes watchdog truth hounds,

this year Russia expects to recruit 18,500 foreign fighters, nearly a sixfold increase since the start of the war. So the Russian are offering around $1,500 to $2,000 per month? Per month, which is a quite great amount of money. Kenza Ramari is one of the authors of the Truth Hounds report. She says Russia's recruitment strategy is to target Africans in extreme poverty, with few options at home. We were talking about people who are facing lack of opportunities, professional opportunities, economic opportunities. Did you get a sense of how dangerous it is for foreigners to serve in the Russian military?

We have found cases of soldiers who were humiliated, beaten. We've had some cases of people reporting being sent to suicide missions. Stroitrust Alabuga offers work not only men but also women are in demand for Russia's war machine. And a stable income. An estimated 1,000 young women from across Africa have been recruited to work in one of Russia's largest drone factories. What types of jobs are available?

The Alabuga Start program promises professional training and logistics, catering, and hospitality in its promotional videos. On arrival, recruits sign an NDA and discover that instead they'll be assembling suicide drones. African governments have started to take notice of Russia's deceptive tactics. Last year, Cameroon banned all men in uniform from traveling abroad without special permission in response to soldiers leaving their posts for better paid salaries in the Russian military. The latest to be sucked in are 17 South Africans, trapped, scared, and desperate to come back home. Young South Africans have been drawn in, too,

lured by promises of bodyguard training they ended up on the front line. In Kenya, intelligence officials revealed that over a thousand nationals had traveled to Russia to fight, prompting the foreign minister to visit Moscow to demand an end to recruitment tribes. It didn't come soon enough for some. Last October, Peter Kamao's brother, Gerald, asked for a ride to the Nairobi airport, saying he'd secured a job abroad to help feed his young family. On our way to the airport, he tells me that he headed to Russia. And you know, when I had Russia, I trembled, I shook.

After arriving in St. Petersburg, Gerald texted Peter that he'd be working as a cook in the military. It was only the casual greeting. That was it. I've never heard from him since then. That final message was back in November 2025. Peter Fears-Gerald ended up at the front, like so many others. Yeah, welcome to the embassy. To push back against Russia's influence in Africa, Ukraine's foreign minister told us his country is actively growing its diplomatic presence there.

So you're taking proactive SEP to try to combat the recruitment of soldiers' to watch? Of course, because for us it is a threat of the best. They are fighting against us on Russian side. For us, they are enemies. Mercenaries from Africa should be one of the priorities in African Union to prevent to stalk this rush illegal activities in Africa. Because of the scale, it is increasing.

Kenza Ramari believes an end to this type of recruitment is urgently needed. Every new recruit is another life potentially lost. The Russians are offering foreign fighters a chance to acquire Russian citizenship if they spend a year in the military. What are their chances of surviving that year? From what we've had, all the persons that we spoke to were fighting for less than two months a month. So we were talking about really short time on the field. So the chances are pretty high that you'll die before you even get to the end of the year to get your citizen. That you'll die or that you'll be captured.

will be captured, yeah, most likely. There is no possibility to just stop end your contract and go back home. Once you win this, you win this. I think this is also something that should be really well understood. This is something that you get into and there is no step back after. For the PBS News Hour, I'm Simon Ostrovsky in Kiev. This weekend marks one year since the catastrophic floods at Camp Mystic in Texas killed 28 people. The camp director, two teenage counselors, and 25 young girl campers, most of them just eight years old.

Tarrantial rains caused the Guadalupe River to suddenly surge on July 4th, sending a deluge of water in just a matter of hours through the Texas Hill country and devastatingly through the camp grounds where hundreds of girls slept. In their final reports, state investigators said the camp failed to respond adequately to storm warnings. Evacuations were too slow and there was poor emergency planning. Just last week, Camp Mystic filed for bankruptcy. Today, many parents are still pressing for stronger camp safety standards, even as they honor their daughter's memories. That includes Lacey and Lars Hollis, who lost their eight-year-old daughter, Virginia, that day.

I spoke with them earlier this week. Lacey and Lars, welcome back to the News Hour. Thank you for joining us. Thank you for having us. Thank you, Omna. Last year, when we spoke, you both generously shared with us, stories about Virginia. You told me about how she was a very talented composer and a pianist, a bright, happy child, and a wonderful big sister. I just have to ask how you both are doing today.

What can you tell us? You know, today I think we're doing okay. We still take it pretty much minute by minute, to be honest. And this week, this last month, has been really difficult. We were expecting it to be difficult, and it has been. Summer in general, it's just difficult. But we're happy to be here and still be speaking for Virginia and the girls. And it's very important to us, especially around July 4th, to remember them. Yeah, it's a very difficult week. It's been a rough month and a half, I'd say.

I had the opportunity to go back to that area where we lost Virginia about a month and a half ago. And I'd say it's very, very challenging. We're obviously very focused on the recovery of Seel Stewart who's still missing. And that in addition to keeping futures safe is a guiding light for us and why we're so involved in and the protection of campers throughout the U.S. I think in some ways, not just with the anniversary coming up, but the grief itself in some ways is getting kind of harder for us to carry because we're having to face really the reality of her being gone

and how do we start moving back towards some kind of regular life and just that heaviness, you know, has started to feel more real, which is really hard to face. What about Virginia's little sister, Sienna? How is she doing? You know, she, we are just really, really proud of her. She's amazing in that she continues to kind of surprise me with how mature she's become through this. You know, she was the baby of our family.

She had a big sister who always helped her. and it breaks your heart because we are so proud of her. She is helping us in ways we don't even know. She's able to express sometimes her feelings, similar feelings that we have better than we can even. And it just blows you away, but it also breaks your heart because these skills and strengths that she's showing,

she should never have to have those. And, Lars, I know since we last... you've set up a foundation in Virginia's name to help other children. On the website, it says Virginia taught us that a beautiful existence is made up of the dreams we chase, the talents we nurture and the love we share. We felt Virginia guiding us here. Tell us more about the foundation and what you hope that it does. Certainly, we're so grateful for the support that we've already received from far and wide.

Virginia in eight years developed so many talents and had mentors beyond our immediate family that helped her achieve such great gifts. And we wanted to pass that on to other children. And so we've established a 501c3 and her legacy called Virginia's song. We've already been supporting our local community. and passing on her gifts in the arts and athletics and agriculture, and will continue to spread that love throughout the U.S. It kind of came to us because, you know, really, in some ways, some of all that we have left of her is her song, you know, these memories,

these achievements, these wonderful gifts, her little notes that she would write us, you know, stories and things. And it kind of came to us because we were so grateful to have, those and all of a sudden wondered, you know, there must be so many children out there that have these beautiful gifts inside of them that they're never exposed and really couldn't stand the thought of any child out there with a song or a golf swing or anything hidden inside of them that they weren't able to share. You know, I have to ask you both, as we've been reporting, the camp won't be operating

this summer. And I know you both were among the many families who were pushing. for change and pushing for safety standards and fighting for accountability and channeling your pain into action to make sure another child doesn't endure what those children did. It's not the right word, but is there a sense of relief for you or something else in some way that girls won't be at the camp this summer or maybe even ever again? How do you look at that? I very much have a sense of relief that this summer the camp is staying closed.

I know we're continuing to grieve and deal with this trauma, and it felt very soon to even consider having children again at the same spot, knowing other people in that community are going through similar things. And I think we have very much a sense of relief that the legislation in Texas passed, and they're doing a wonderful job holding the line on that. that and getting camps on board. It's an area that we feel passionate about and taking our grief and turning it into purpose. A lot of the families, including our family, have gotten involved in the Safe Summers Foundation. And it's really, it's an organization that's trying to protect the 26 million summer campers that are in America. and what we found through this journey has been the inconsistencies and common sense regulations that come as expected in other child care facilities in the U.S.

And so just in the last several months, I've been in Austin, Jefferson City, Missouri, Washington, D.C. We've passed laws in four states, and we're going to continue that March. and just push for common sense bipartisan safety requirements that these summer camps should implement. And we have to underscore you're doing all of that as you continue to grieve Virginia. And you've been so generous and so graceful in sharing that grief, which is so personal to each of you in your own way with all of us, with the millions who've come to know you and Virginia because of this and who think of you. I mean, I drop my own children at camp and my thoughts turn to you.

And I know that I'm not alone in that impetus. But I have to ask for people who know you now and who are following your story, what is it that you want them to know about how you've gotten through the last year and how you look at what's ahead? I think there's not just... one way we've gotten through this last year. I couldn't have ever imagined something like this happening that we would have gotten through.

We've gotten through it together. From day one, I remember waking up and Laura's looking into my eyes, holding my hand and saying, we're going to get through this together. Like, no matter what we're going to be together, our family is going to survive this. And I know that gave me just the hope and confidence that we could face it. I'm not sure this is something you ever get through. But most days gratitude really helps me. This feeling that our daughter is still kind of living on and creating these meaningful connections with other people all across, you know,

America of the world, I think it does help. Just even in this week, the outpouring of messages and calls from, you know, friends and family and other heavens 27 families has been, it's been remarkable. And I, you know, I think communication is a big part of getting through this journey, having, you know, besides just your friends and family, but also, having the resources to work with professionals who've counseled other people that have been through similar laws. That's been a major benefit for us.

You know, but I will say so many people, you know, try to encourage us by saying, you know, you're so strong or, you know, we're so proud of you, things like that. And I don't, being honest, I don't feel strong. every day is such a struggle and if we seem strong I think it's because we don't have any other choice you know if we choose to wake up we have to

be seen as parents and be there for each other but it's not strength so much as it's just necessity I hope you know how many people out here are thinking about you Lars and you Lacey and Sienna and of course Virginia Yeah, Lars and Lacey Hollis, we thank you so much for being with us today. It's good to see you and speak with you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. As the country celebrates its 250th anniversary, a growing threat is putting some of America's most historic places at risk. Rising seas and coastal erosion are reshaping the landscape where our history unfolded. Special correspondent Ben Tracy with Climate Central takes us to Jamestown, Virginia, where archaeologists are racing to uncover America's past before it's washed away. It's part of our ongoing series, Tipping Point.

When we know that it's shallow. If you spend your days digging through the past... I think it might be a gate. Sean Romo says this is the place to do it. You can't put a shovel in the ground without finding something. Romo is director of archaeology for Jamestown Rediscovery. at the site of America's first permanent English settlement founded in 1607. What took place here and why does this matter?

Well, for American history, it's harder to have more of an impact in Jamestown. This is the first place that when English colonists come over here, they end up staying. And without Jamestown, there is no modern United States. This is where America's first representative assembly met, where Pocahontas married John Rolth, and where the first enslaved Africans, were forced onto these shores. And they are kept enslaved by the English colonists. So in one place here at Jamestown, we have our ideals of American democracy and our biggest

mistake in slavery. So this is a place where many different cultures interacted. Many different cultures have a claim on this site. And the history is pretty complicated. The ruins of the original fort were discovered in 1994. We can just open this up a little bit. And archaeologists have unearthed five million artifacts that tell the story. of the people who lived here.

This is a chain that was found at the bottom of one of Jamestown's early wells, and you can actually hold it if you like. So this is from how long ago? This is from the beginning of the 17th century. Now they're using ground-penetrating radar to map out what still lies buried. Now if it shows up, that would be really cool.

Because this has become triage, a race to save as much history as possible before it's lost. When I think of archaeology, I think of a very slow, painstaking process. You, however, don't have time on your side here. No, we always have to be meticulous, but we do need to pick the pace up because we are under severe threat from climate change. And the real big one for us is flooding. Jamestown is under siege from rising waters.

Sea levels here have risen 1.6 feet over the past century and could rise another three feet or more by 12. The James River is battering the shoreline on one side. That swamp is really close. Yeah, and it didn't used to be. While an expanding swamp on the other regularly floods the excavation sites. So what happens on a day where you get a lot of rain or it's high tide? On a day with a lot of rain or high tide, we are in the water.

And so when you talk about history being washed away, it's a literal thing. Oh yeah, that's not hyperbole. It's actually happening right here. And it's not just here. our burning of fossil fuels is rapidly warming the planet, causing ice sheets to melt and ocean water to expand as it heats up. 2.5 million Americans and many historic sites could be at risk of severe coastal flooding by 2050. If you want to argue about why or who's causing it, great. Knock yourselves out. But see all those rising.

We've been measuring it for more than 100 years. Geologist Rob Young and his team at Western Carolina University are now assessing the risks to all 107 coastal national park sites for the National Park Service, including the Statue of Liberty, Fort Sumter, and Pearl Harbor. We have increased flooding of roads, parking lots, it impacts visitor access, you know, all kinds of changes like that that parks just haven't had to deal with before. What are we most at risk of losing? The greatest vulnerability in the national park system without question are the barrier

island parks in the southeastern U.S. The Atlantic continues to swallow homes along North Carolina's outer banks, which is why the historic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was moved a quarter mile inland back in 1999. But it's one thing to move a lighthouse, another thing to move a Civil War fort. Yeah, we're not going to move Fort Sumter. So no. going to look like what it looks like now for your kids or for your grandkids. Honestly, we can't protect them all.

And the trick for us as a society is to admit that and have a good national conversation about what we do about it and where our national priorities are. But unfortunately, I just don't see us having that conversation. So Sean Romo will continue to dig as long as he can. Jamestown reinforces its defenses, hoping to buy more time. Do you see a time where Jamestown Island is basically underwater? Sadly, yes. If we do nothing right now, we're going to go from Jamestown Island to Jamestown Islands in the next 50 years.

So the time is now to act to protect this space and to make sure that future generations can still learn about and experience the place where American history was made. For the PBS News Hour, I'm Ben Tracy with Climate. Central. It's been a busy week leading up to the nation's 250th anniversary with major Supreme Court decisions and more primary upsets. To discuss all this further, we turn now to the analysis of Brooks and K-Part. That's the Atlantics, David Brooks and Jonathan K-part of MS Now. Great to see you both. I am, let's begin with the Supreme Court. Closing out a term with some major decisions, a quick recap for everyone following along. Over the term, they handed the president some losses on signature

issues like tariffs, birthright citizenship, mail-in ballots, that he couldn't fire a member of the Fed board. But they also said he could fire members of independent agencies. They upheld a state ban on trans women in sports. They sided with him on immigration restrictions. David, one common thread seems to be an expansion of executive authority given to President Trump. Is that a good thing? No, but I would say have to say on the big authoritarian power grabs that Trump tried, whether it's the Fed Reserve, birthright citizenship, the tariffs, whether they could put National Guard troops in Chicago against the local officials' interests.

The court stood up to Trump and slapped him back down, and the court hates to take on a sitting president because they don't want to take on an elected official. Remember, the Roberts courts upheld Obamacare because they just didn't want to upset what democracy had brought to us. And so I'd say on the big authoritarian paragraphs, the Supreme Court did pretty good. And this is grading on a very low curve,

but it's the most effective branch of government we have right now. And so on the slaughter case, which was about the FTC and all those semi-independent agency, the firing of the commissioners, yes. It's not my preference. I like the idea that starting mostly in the 1930s, Fed Reserve was obviously earlier, that we set up some agencies that are protected from raw politics. And I think that was a good thing to do. But a significant branch of legal thinkers have thought, no,

No, the administration is elected by president. It should not be cushioned off from democracy. I think that's the wrong decision, but it's a reasonable decision. And so what the court did on this slaughter case with the FTC and all the other independent agencies was not my preference, but reasonable. And I'd have to say on the big issues of preserving our democracy, the Supreme Court did okay this year. And the slaughter case, we should also underscore overturned 100-year-old precedent as well. Jonathan, how did you look at this?

Well, I don't know if the Supreme Court did, you know, okay by democracy. I mean, David said you thought that the court didn't want to upset what democracy brought to us. Democracy brought to us the Voting Rights Act of 1965. And the Supreme Court just gutted it, decimated it. And states around the country, particularly in the South, moved quickly with the same speed, if not faster than when the court took the first whack at it and Shelby v. Holder. So I'm not as cheerful when it comes to the court in terms of, you know, standing up to the president on the big authoritarian pieces.

But the VRA and particularly Chief Justice Roberts really wanting to do something to his mind, correct it, predates President Trump. But the other thing about the Supreme Court's term is that, you know, a lot of the decisions that they made, you know, would have been. nice if Congress were functioning and had actually, you know, exercised this Article I branch powers to do some of these things. I mean, it's great that the judiciary is functioning, but it'd be really nice if the legislative branch started acting like a co-equal branch of government instead of the staffing arm of the executive. Well, let's talk a little bit about what could

happen in that legislative branch, some of those primary upsets we talked about earlier, because in the past few weeks, we have seen anti-establishment wins for Democratic. candidates in particular. First to New York, we saw the Democratic Socialist candidate there, Darya Liza Villa Chevalier, unseat, the five-term congressman, Adriano Espayat. We also saw a former New York comptroller, Brad Lander, unseat Representative Dan Goldman. Then in Colorado, we saw Democratic Socialist Milat Kiroz oust a 30-year incumbent in Diana DeGette, and we saw the state AG, Phil Weiser there, who ran to the left of Senator Michael Bennett beat him in the gubernatorial primary there. So David, you see New York and Colorado. Does two make a trend? I think so.

I think this is a big. The Colorado story is a bigger story than the New York story. New York's my hometown. I love it, but Brooklyn hipsters and Columbia University are not exactly normal America. But Colorado is Colorado. It's a semi-purplish state. Michael Bennett was elected three times the U.S. Senate statewide, and he lost. And then you had the Democratic Socialist candidate win. And what you see... It's been compared, I think, accurately to when Dave Bratt beat Eric Cantor in the Republican primary, and you saw a bunch of people said, these are my party, screw them. We're going to tear it all down.

And in that case, and I think in this case, Democrats, they're just looking around to the most furious candidate because they're furious at what's happened. And so they're doing that. And I understand the fury. My problem is the DSA, the Democratic Socialists of America, should not be where you go. The Democratic Socialist Party was started in the 1980s by Michael Harrington, a very wonderful guy, a serious intellectual, and he wanted the DSA to move us toward Denmark, a perfectly good political position. Over the last five years, that party has been hijacked and taken over by an authoritarian wing, which supported Hamas in October 7th, who supports Cuba, who supports China, who supports Maduro Venezuela, who supports pretty much every left-wing authoritarian regime in the country. So I understand wanting to register a protest against Washington. But are the Democrats really going to take a position that we're going to become left-wing

authoritarians, just as the Republicans become right-wing authoritarians? And the final thing to be said is the Democratic Party became great, not by fighting the right, but by fighting the left. It was Hubert Humphrey in 1946 who pushed the communists out of the Democratic Farber, the DFL, the Democratic Farber Labor Party. It was George Meaney who pushed the communists out of the labor movement, basically. defined who they were by pushing against the right, but also by pushing against the left. And we're going to see if the Democratic mainstream has the guts, the conviction, or even the clarity of thought

to push against what's happening. And we'll see. Jonathan. I'm not going to get outrage. I'm not going to fall into the Democratic trap of, oh my God, the Democratic Socialists are taking over the country when we're talking about, one, wins in deep blue seats in congressional districts. Two, when we're talking about what really to me is the big trend here is that the establishment, the incumbents are being thrown out. And folks are angry. They're angry because of affordability.

They're angry because the president is robbing the nation blind. They're angry because it doesn't seem like any of these elected officials are doing anything to hold the president accountable for what's happened. I mean, Diana DeGette is no conservative. She was a progressive. Congress and Dan Goldman, not a big capital P progressive, but he was left of center. Brad Lander, who another person who beat Dan Goldman, he's no socialist. He's basically a mainstream Democrat in New York City. And so to my mind, I think we need to pay attention to what voters are saying. If they're choosing the Democratic socialist candidate, then Democrats need to pay.

attention to, well, why did they choose the DSA candidate and not someone who's a little closer to the center? Could it be that their message on the economy, their message on what they're going to do is resonating? And quite honestly, you know, Mayor Mamdani, who has put his weight behind a lot of these candidates, the thing he has going for him is New York City is doing fine. A lot of people predicted that, oh, you elect a socialist and the city will go to pot. I'm not going to say it's the opposite, but the dire predictions haven't proven true. And so I think there's still time to look at other races to see whether the DSA is actually a thing and a thing in the way that the Tea Party had become for Republicans in the way back.

Lots more races ahead. We'll talk about it some more. But I'm not sure if you heard or not in the meantime, America's turning 250. Tomorrow, we've been talking about it a little bit. When we step back to see how Americans are looking at their own country right now, we have some insights from our latest PBS News NPR, Maris poll. It found 65% of people say that they're proud to be American. 83% say the country has moved away from its founding principles and ideals. And at the same time, some 53% of Americans say the country's best days are still ahead of us.

So, David, you see more reason to be concerned, and there are more reason to be hopeful. I'm hopeful. We go through this, we go through periods every few decades where people just want to burn everything down. And there was brutal to live through those periods. But we get through them. And we get through them because we're a nation of awesome vitality. We have the vitality to change and to fix things. And we've done it again and again in the 1770s, 1830s, the 1890s, the 1960s.

So we're going to do it again. And I have tremendous love for the country, but also tremendous compassion for the country. For the evils we've done, for those who've suffered from those evils. and you've got to have love for your country and compassion for the country at the same time. Jonathan, last word to you. On this, I should say, your birthday weekend. Belated, happy birthday with you.

Well, thank you very much. I consider myself to be part of the 65% who are proud of their country. You know, it's times like these when I feel most patriotic because this is when I get to say, you know what, this country's mine. This country is mine too.

My ancestors were brought here in chains and they helped build this country and to help to make it a great power. My ancestors, meaning black community writ large, marched in the streets demanding that this country live up to its ideals in the 1950s and the 1960s, which made it possible for me to sit here right now.

There's backtracking, there's regression, but I am optimistic because this is America. How could I not be optimistic when the history that allowed me to be here is going to be the history that is going to keep us going forward. Jonathan K. Hart, David Brooks. Thank you so much, David Brooks.

Happy fourth. Into you. Well, this week, PBS News launched in Pursuit of Happiness, a six-episode podcast series hosted by Judy Woodruff exploring the people, the culture, and the ideas that have shaped America. In this clip from the very first episode, presidential historian Lindsay Trevinsky takes a fresh look at President George Washington, and why he believes surrounding himself with,

competing viewpoints made him a stronger leader. Bravery was never the problem. Early on, he made decisions. So, for example, Fort Necessity. This was after the initial conflict with French and Native allies. He built a fort as a defensive mechanism, and it was very poorly situated. He took none of the knowledge from Native allies at this point in his life. And many of his troops said that this was a poor place to build a fort, and he didn't listen.

He was too stubborn and too proud to listen to that advice. Later on, he learned from that. And so he both learned how to better position his forces, but also who to listen to. And whatever lessons he learned or didn't learn in the years when he was wearing a uniform, of course, carried on to his time as president. We have a question, and we can't cover his entire president. We're not even going to try. But I do want to listen to one viewer who had a question about his case. cabinet. Hi, I'm William Hedrick. I'm from Alam Gordo, New Mexico. As a military commander and as

the chief executive, why did he allow so much unresolved conflict within his inner core, both within the revolution and once he was president, and specifically between Hamilton and Jefferson? I love this question because it actually was central to his least. leadership. So because Washington didn't have a lot of the training, didn't have a lot of schooling, he intentionally surrounded himself with people who had a lot more knowledge, a lot more experience, than he did, but also were different from one another. He wanted to have a lot of different perspectives. And he started this practice during the Revolution where he would call a council of war and he would pose a series of questions. He almost never went into a meeting with his mind

made up. So you'd pose these questions and then he would allow his officers to, to debate. And that was by design because he wanted them to poke holes in each other's arguments. He wanted them to flesh out the weaknesses of the other position because it allowed him to try and get as much information and to have as many different ideas presented to him as possible. And he and Hamilton, of course, were close and remain close until Hamilton's. They did. But the thing is, is, you know, when Jefferson and Hamilton were disagreeing with each other, Washington sided with Jefferson almost 50% of the time. So the idea that Washington was controlled by Hamilton is total Jefferson propaganda.

And instead, he was often trying to triangulate to find a middle ground between the two, a more moderate position. But if you look at the cabinet records, you can almost, it's almost as though he's counting. Because one day he's with Hamilton and the next day he's with Jefferson. And then the next day he's with Hamilton, and the next day he's with Jefferson. He was meticulous about trying to find that middle ground. And I do actually think it made him a better president. Why did he care so much about the middle ground? What was that all about?

Well, he was trying to be a president for all Americans. And they represented two distinct polls, two distinct visions of what the country could be. But they were also among the more radical perspectives of those two positions. And so by finding a middle ground, I think he believed he was best serving. the nation. And you can watch in pursuit of happiness on our YouTube page or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Meanwhile this weekend, PBS News presents Bruce Springsteen, Finding America in Song. Jeff Bennett speaks with the musician about the country's musical history and his new center for American music in New Jersey as America marks this milestone anniversary. Here's a preview.

An American music icon reflects on the role songs play in America's story. as the nation marks its 250th anniversary. I'm in the hearts and minds business. You know, you change people kind of one at a time, and I believe that culture has impact. Bruce Springsteen, finding America in song, a PBS news special. And be sure to check your local listings or watch on our YouTube page. This weekend on Horizons, William Brigham,

explore some unsung heroes of American invention and innovation. And on Compass Points, an examination of America's foreign policy legacy as the nation turns 250. You can watch both horizons and Compass Points on our YouTube channel, wherever you get your podcasts, and on your local PBS station. Check your local listings. And that is The News Hour for tonight. I'm Amna Nawaz. On behalf of the entire NewsHour team, thank you for joining us. Have a wonderful safe Fourth of July.