The Headlines - Trump’s Defiant Victory Lap, and the Dept. of Education’s ‘Final Mission’

Episode Date: March 5, 2025

Plus, the sky-high cost of concert tickets. On Today’s Episode:6 Takeaways From Trump’s Address to Congress, by Tyler PagerWarning That Trump Will ‘Make You Pay,’ Slotkin Gives Democratic Response, by Annie KarniRepublican House Members Told to Stop Holding In-Person Town Halls, by Catie EdmondsonZelensky Offers Terms to Stop Fighting, Assuring U.S. That Ukraine Wants Peace, by Marc SantoraTrump’s Trade War Could Be His Biggest Economic Gamble, by Alan Rappeport and Ana Swanson‘Final Mission’ for Education Dept. Begins Now, McMahon Says, by Michael C. Bender7 Tesla Charging Stations Torched Near Boston, by Sara RubergConcert Ticket Prices Are Soaring, and Busting Gen Z’s Budgets, by Melissa RohmanTune 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]. 

From the New York Times, it's the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today is Wednesday, March 5th. Here's what we're covering. My fellow citizens, America is back. Last night, President Trump delivered a one-hour and 40-minute televised address to Congress. It was the longest speech of its kind in modern presidential history, and it was a defiant victory lap for Trump, who defended the growing list of drastic changes he's made to domestic

and foreign policy during his first weeks back in office. My colleague Jonathan Swan was covering the speech. It was contentious from the very beginning. We won the popular vote by big numbers and won counties in our country. Early in the speech, Democratic Representative Al Green of Texas stood up and started heckling Trump. He was waving his cane in the air. Mr. Green, take your seat. Take your seat, sir.

And after multiple warnings from the speaker to be quiet, to respect the quorum, he just refused to sit down. He continued yelling. And he was escorted out. Trump seemed to almost be energized by the democratic opposition. And once again, I look at the Democrats in front of me and I realize there is absolutely nothing I can say to make them happy or to make them stand or smile or applaud. Nothing I can do. And he goaded Democrats throughout the night.

For just this one night, why not join us in celebrating so many incredible wins for America? When he got to the substance of the speech, it was really similar to what we've heard him talk about thematically for really the last nine years. He focused on illegal immigration and his efforts to crack down on the border. He leaned into cultural issues like transgender issues and talks about law and order. The other thing that Trump really sort of called out in the speech was Doge. Perhaps you've heard of it. Perhaps. And Elon Musk, who stood and received applause. Thank you, Elon. He's working very hard.

He didn't need this. He didn't need this. Trump spent a lot of time reciting different line items that they claim they have stopped and payments in the budget that he says are fraudulent and praised Elon Musk's work. Every single day we will stand up and we will fight, fight, fight for the country our citizens believe in and for the country our people deserve. The impression you got from watching the speech was this is a president who, despite everything so far, all of the protests, the market, stock market reaction to what he's doing with tariffs, the outrage from federal workers and from Democrats. This is a president who is not taking any steps

backwards. He is barreling forward with his agenda. He's doing it unapologetically, and he shows no sign so far of retreating from any of these very aggressive moves that he's taken so far. So I promise to be a lot shorter than what you just watched. After President Trump spoke, Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan delivered the traditional rebuttal speech from the opposing party. She tried to make her case to both Democrats and Republicans. We need a more efficient government. You want to cut waste, I'll help you do it. But change doesn't need to be chaotic or make us less safe.

Slotkin specifically narrowed in on economics, arguing that the president's agenda will make life more expensive for Americans, affecting everything from grocery prices to retirement benefits. She said, quote, he's going to make you pay in every part of your life. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers got a warning

from the party's leadership about how to handle growing pushback to Trump's policies. The chairman of the House Republicans campaign arm told them to stop having in-person town halls. The directive came after Republicans meetings with their constituents across the country have turned into shouting matches, with attendees confronting representatives

about government spending cuts and mass firing sprees. The chairman said Democratic activists were taking over the town halls and encouraged Republicans to hold online events instead. and encouraged Republicans to hold online events instead. Here are two other quick updates on the Trump administration. So I think he's going to work something out with them. It's not going to be a pause under that pause stuff, but I think he's going to figure out, you do more,

and I'll meet you in the middle some way. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested that the US could soon reach some kind of agreement with Canada and Mexico over Trump's drastic new tariffs. The 25% surcharges went into effect yesterday. The stock market plunged in response. Lutnick said on Fox Business that he'd been speaking with representatives from Canada and Mexico and that there could be an announcement as soon as today. But it didn't say what concessions, if any, the countries would have to make to get the tariffs rolled back.

And at the Department of Education, Secretary Linda McMahon sent out her first email to staff after being confirmed, and it seemed to signal what could be an end to the department altogether. Trump has repeatedly said he wants to shut the Department of Education down. And the subject line of McMahon's email was, Our department's final mission. She promised she would work to, quote, restore oversight of education to the state level and said that would mean significant changes

for the department's staff, budget, and operations. In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky outlined what he said could be the first steps toward peace if Russia is on board. He said he's prepared to release prisoners of war, stop long-range strikes, and declare a truce at sea immediately if Russia does the same. He made the offer after President Trump froze all U.S. military aid to Ukraine, following their clash at the White House. Trump has said he didn't think Zelensky was thankful enough to the U.S. or serious about a peace deal. Zelensky delivered his plan in conciliatory language. He wrote quote, my team and I stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.

This week seven Tesla charging stations were set on fire at a shopping center outside Boston. It's the latest in a series of attacks against the electric car company since its owner Elon Musk started advising President Trump and carrying out his cost-cutting agenda. Tesla showrooms and dealerships across the country have been targeted with protests and vandalism. This week, federal prosecutors charged a woman in Colorado with planting an incendiary device near a Tesla. And in Europe Tesla sales are dropping. In February they were down more than 40% in Norway, Denmark and Sweden from the same time last year.

Some of the decline may be explained by customers waiting for Tesla to release an updated model, which is coming out soon. But that factor alone likely doesn't cover it. Notably, data out this morning shows Tesla sales plunged in Germany, where Musk's recent support of the country's far-right party may have alienated buyers. And finally, do you think what you paid for the ticket is worth it? Um, I mean, it's Beyonce. Yeah, fair. The price of concert tickets has been soaring, especially for big name artists like Beyonce.

The Times has been looking at how that's hitting young people particularly hard. Gen Z, so those roughly in their mid teens to mid twenties now, are paying much more for tickets than previous generations did at their age. Almost 30 years ago in 1996, when people might've been clamoring to see the Backstreet Boys or the Warped Tour, the average ticket price was about $25,

so $50 with inflation. But last year in 2024, average ticket prices were nearly three times that, at $135. The average ticket for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour was $1,000. That hasn't necessarily stopped people from going to concerts, though. A survey by one marketing agency found that Gen Z is breaking their budgets to make it work. 86% of respondents admitted that they had overspent on concerts. A top reason?

FOMO, fear of missing out. For anyone keeping track, apparently you could see Bruce Springsteen in the 1970s for $8. Those are the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. We'll be back tomorrow.