The Headlines - Trump Safe After ‘Attempted Assassination,’ and TikTok Heads to Court

Episode Date: September 16, 2024

Plus, a record-setting Emmy haul for “Shogun.”   Tune in every weekday morning. To get our full audio journalism and storytelling experience, download the New York Times Audio app — available to Times news subscribers on iOS — and sign up for our weekly newsletter.Tell us what you think at: [e-mail]. On Today’s Episode:Trump Safe as F.B.I. Investigates Apparent ‘Attempted Assassination,’ by Patricia Mazzei, Adam Goldman, Jonathan Swan and Maggie HabermanWill TikTok Be Banned in January? That Question Is Headed to Court, by Sapna Maheshwari‘Water Is Coming.’ Floods Devastate West and Central Africa, by Ruth Maclean and Ismail AlfaWhat a Mayor in Crisis Means for New York City, by Emma G. Fitzsimmons and Jeffery C. MaysBest and Worst Moments From the 2024 Emmys, by The New York Times

From The New York Times, it's The Headlines. I'm Traci Mumford. Today's Monday, September 16th. Here's what we're covering. The FBI says it's investigating what appears to be another assassination attempt against Donald Trump. Trump was playing golf at his club in West Palm Beach, Florida yesterday afternoon when a Secret Service agent noticed the barrel of a rifle poking through the bushes along the fence line, within shooting distance of the former president. The agent opened fire, but the suspect was able to escape. A witness who saw him leaving the bushes took a photo of his car, and he was later caught driving north on Interstate 95 and taken into custody.

It's not clear if he fired any shots while he was at the course. Trump was not hurt. A law enforcement official identified the man to The Times as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh. Times reporter Patty Mazzei is covering the incident. She says Routh spoke to The Times last year. He was actually previously interviewed for an article about Americans who were volunteering to aid the war effort in Ukraine.

He had no military experience, but said he had traveled to Ukraine after Russia's invasion in 2022. When Routh talked to The Times, he described himself as a, quote, U.S. citizen that's helping out. He had a plan to recruit Afghan soldiers to fight in Ukraine, which he seemed intent on, even if there was no real way for him to pull that plan off. Law enforcement said that yesterday when they arrested him, he was calm. Investigators said they found an AK-47-style rifle with a scope near the property line of the golf course, along with two backpacks that were hung on the fence and a video camera, which suggested to law enforcement officials that the man might have intended to film a possible shooting. The fact that an armed man was able to get so close to

the former president again will surely raise further scrutiny of the Secret Service, which is already facing a lot of criticism from the assassination attempt earlier this summer. President Biden said he's asked that the Secret Service get every resource necessary to ensure Trump's safety. Kamala Harris echoed that, saying she was deeply disturbed by the incident. Meanwhile, Trump wrote in a fundraising email that, quote, my resolve is only stronger after another attempt on my life. In a federal courtroom in Washington, D.C. today, lawyers for TikTok will try and stop

the government from banning the app, which is used by 170 million Americans. The app's been under scrutiny from lawmakers for years who've raised concerns that its connections to China pose a national security risk. This spring, Congress passed a law forcing the app's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to either sell to a non-Chinese owner or face a nationwide ban. TikTok says it's taken steps to address the concerns, like limiting how much user data is sent to China. And it's arguing that a ban would violate constitutional protections for free speech. This case has drawn a ton of interest across the board from constitutional law experts, and they're viewing this as a landmark case for technology, for foreign policy, and for First Amendment

rights in the United States. Sapna Maheshwari covers TikTok for The Times. The judges who will be hearing this case will be asking about the government's evidence for supporting this law. They will probably be asking TikTok about its structure and how the company is influenced by the Chinese government and by executives in China. But regardless of how the three judges in this case rule, all of the legal experts I've spoken with expect this to go to the Supreme Court. TikTok's role in American culture and American life is tremendous. And it's remarkable that this law is really threatening the future of this app in the United States as soon as January. I think that's something that a lot of TikTok users

probably can't fully wrap their heads around. And it says a lot about where our country is in terms of its relationship with China, our use of social media, and how we're viewing the First Amendment in the digital age. What I have seen is really heartbreaking. Homes, infrastructure, roads, schools, hospitals submerged by water. Humanitarian agencies say that heavy rains and flooding have left more than a thousand people dead across West and Central Africa in the last few days. And more than a million people have been forced to flee.

Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Mali have all reported devastating flooding. The Times spoke with one survivor in a town in Nigeria that's half underwater, who said the bodies of humans and animals were seen floating in the floodwaters. Even more extreme flooding is forecast for later this year. Research shows climate change is making flooding worse in some parts of Africa. Experts say that overall, people on the continent are experiencing a disproportionate burden from climate change. The continent produces only a fraction of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. The mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, and his inner circle are in crisis as four separate federal investigations have now reached the highest levels of city government.

Prosecutors have been tight-lipped about their cases, but there's one investigation into whether his election campaign conspired to get illegal foreign donations, another one into a possible bribery scheme involving a consulting company, and also what appears to be an investigation focused on a nightclub security business owned by the former police commissioner's twin brother. The swirl of legal troubles has destabilized the administration. On Thursday, the police commissioner resigned under pressure, and two days later, the mayor's chief counsel abruptly quit. One person familiar with her thinking told the Times it's because Adams

wasn't following her advice on personnel matters. Adams himself hasn't been accused of any wrongdoing, though last fall FBI agents seized his phones and his iPad. He says he's done nothing wrong and that he's focused on serving New Yorkers. Still, the scope of the investigations into City Hall is unprecedented in New York City's modern history. Two state lawmakers have called on Adams to resign, and he's facing a hotly contested primary election next year. And finally... Welcome, everybody, to the 76th Emmy Awards. Yeah.

Also known as broadcast TV's biggest night for honoring movie stars on streaming services. The Emmy Awards were handed out last night in Los Angeles with father and son Eugene and Dan Levy of Schitt's Creek fame hosting the show. But if it goes well tonight, my name is pronounced Levy, not Levy. And if things go south, my name is pronounced Martin Short. Hanging over the Emmys was the reality that the TV industry's been contracting.

Networks and streamers have been slashing projects. The number of shows submitted this year in the drama and comedy categories plummeted. Other categories didn't even have a full slate of nominees. Still, there was the red carpet and the glitz and the glam, and a new record holder for most Emmy Awards for a single season. And the Emmy goes to Shogun. The Japanese historical epic Shogun has now rigged in a total 18 Emmys, including for Best Drama.

It's a major breakthrough for a foreign language series. 70% of the shows in Japanese. The show's co-creator, Justin Marks, thanked the studios for taking the risk. You guys greenlit a very expensive subtitled Japanese period piece whose central climax revolves around a poetry competition. I have no idea why you did that, but thank you for your faith in this incredible team. Since the pandemic, where people were holed up at home and looking for more and more shows to

devour, Americans have been showing a greater interest in TV with subtitles. Those are the headlines. Today on The Daily, how three undecided voters are narrowing in on who they think should be president. You can listen on the Times audio app or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Tracey Mumford. We'll be back tomorrow.