AMNA NAWAZ: Good evening.

I'm Amna Nawaz.

GEOFF BENNETT: And I'm Geoff Bennett.

On the "News Hour" tonight: Today's deadline# fo.. temporarily delayed, the latest of President# Trump's plans to be blocked by a court.

AMNA NAWAZ: How the federal funding freeze# is limiting nonprofits' ability to operate,## including community health# care and Head Start programs.

GEOFF BENNETT: And a leading democracy# advocate examines the dramatic changes## the Trump administration is# making to the U.S. government.

BARTON GELLMAN, Brennan Center for Justice:# Trump is simply doing things that are flatly,## on their face, illegal and seeing what happens.

(BREAK) GEOFF BENNETT: Welcome to the "News Hour."

It has been perhaps the most significant day of## court action for the second# Trump administration so far.

AMNA NAWAZ: Multiple judges have# temporarily blocked efforts by## President Trump to dramatically gut the federal# government, and more lawsuits are yet to come.

Laura Barron-Lopez has this report.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: A federal judge# in Washington paused a takeover by## billionaire Elon Musk and his team, blocking# their access for now from a sensitive Treasury## Department payment system.

That system holds# personal information on millions of Americans,## from Social Security numbers# to bank account details.

A group of unions argued the agency was# illegally sharing information with Musk's team,## known as the Department of Government Efficiency.# Also today, an effort to purge the federal## government of workers has been paused until# Monday by a federal judge in Massachusetts.

In an unprecedented move, Musk's team directly# e-mailed two million civilian federal workers,## urging them to take a deferred# resignation offer by midnight tonight,## promising pay through September.

But unions# representing workers who sued warned of a## dangerous one-two punch, a loss of expertise# and the rise of partisanship over truth.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt: KAROLINE LEAVITT, White House Press# Secretary: The last time I checked## in with Office of Personnel Management,#.. federal workers who had accepted the buyout# program.

We expect that number to increase.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: The court# intervention comes as Democrats## step up their fight against a sweeping power# grab by Musk, the wealthiest man in the world.

REP. GREG CASAR (D-TX): Our message# is very clear.

Elon Musk shouldn't## be allowed to steal your money.

Elon Musk# shouldn't be allowed to steal your data.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: And, today, House Democrats# led by Hakeem Jeffries announced legislation,## the Taxpayer Data Protection Act, to# safeguard Americans' personal information.

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): What we# are seeing unfold is an unlawful power## grab by an unelected and unaccountable# billionaire puppet master who's pulling## the strings of House Republicans and# apparently the Trump administration.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: An effort unlikely# to gain any Republican support.

At the National Prayer Breakfast this morning,# President Trump announced a new task force## led by Attorney General Pam Bondi to root out# so-called anti-Christian bias in the government.

DONALD TRUMP, President of the United# States: While I'm in the White House,## we will protect Christians in# our schools, in our military,## in our government, in our workplaces,# hospitals, and in our public squares.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: President Trump and# congressional Republicans are also trying to avoid## an intraparty war as they move to dramatically# cut spending in regulations, in a meeting## behind closed doors at the White House, Trump,# House Speaker Mike Johnson, and other leaders## ironing out details for how to navigate narrow GOP# majorities and meet Johnson's own April timeline.

Later tonight, the Republican-led Senate is# expected to confirm another Trump nominee,## Russell Vought as director of the# Office of Management and Budget.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): To# hear how bad Russell Vought is.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Democrats protested## his nomination on the Senate# floor throughout the night.

Vought, like Musk, is on a# mission to gut the federal## government and is a chief architect of# the controversial Project 2025 plan.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Laura Barron-Lopez.

GEOFF BENNETT: And we start today's# other headlines with college sports.

The NCAA is updating its transgender policy to# limit women's competition to athletes who were## assigned as female at birth.

The change comes# a day after President Trump signed an executive## order aimed at banning transgender athletes from# girls and women's sports.

The policy is effective## immediately, and it applies to all 500,000 NCAA# athletes across the organization's 1,200 schools.

Prior to this change, eligibility was based on## rules set by each sport's national# or international governing body.

President Trump signed an executive order this# afternoon sanctioning the International Criminal## Court.

The measure includes freezing assets of# court employees who work on ICC investigations## of U.S. citizens or allies such as Israel.

It# also blocks them from traveling to the U.S.

The move comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin# Netanyahu is visiting Washington.

Last year, the## ICC issued arrest warrants for the prime minister# and his former defense minister for alleged war## crimes in Gaza, which they deny.

Neither the# U.S. nor Israel recognize the court's authority.

Separately, it emerged today# that Netanyahu gave President## Trump a golden pager mounted on a wooden# stand during their meeting in Washington## yesterday.

It's a not-so-subtle nod to# Israel's operation in Lebanon last year,## when pagers and handheld radios were# used to attack members of Hezbollah.

In Panama, the country's president is pushing# back on U.S. claims over transit fees for the## Panama Canal.

The U.S. State Department posted# on social media last night that a deal was## reached that would allow U.S. government# vessels to pass through free of charge,## saving the federal government# millions of dollars a year.

It followed Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit# to the critical trade route earlier this week.,## But this morning, Panama's president rejected# that claim, calling it flat-out false.

JOSE RAUL MULINO, President of Panama (through# translator): I am very surprised by the statement## from the U.S. State Department.

That is# simply intolerable.

And today, Panama,## to you and to the world, expresses my# absolute rejection of continuing to## explore the path of managing the bilateral# relationship based on lies and falsehoods.

GEOFF BENNETT: Mulino also said that# waiving fees would violate both Panama's## Constitution and laws regulating the# Panama Canal Authority.

He also posted## on social media that he plans to speak with# President Trump about the issue tomorrow.

There are growing concerns over the spread of# bird flu after dairy cattle in Nevada became## infected with a new variant of the disease.# The latest strain is the second instance of## the H5N1 virus spilling from birds to cattle.# It's been linked to severe infections in humans,## including the death of a person# in Louisiana last month.

But it's## different from the type that was detected# in cattle across 16 states last year.

That's raised concerns about# the wider spread of bird flu,## though officials say the risk to# the general population remains low.

On Wall Street today, stocks ended mixed ahead# of Friday's highly anticipated jobs report.

The## Dow Jones industrial average slipped about 125# points on the day.

The Nasdaq headed higher,## though, gaining nearly 100 points.

The# S&P 500 also closed in positive territory.

And hip-hop music mogul Irv Gotti has died.# He founded the influential label Murder Inc.## with his brother in the late 1990s and went on# to produce dozens of hits.

Gotti helped launch## the careers of artists like Ja Rule and Ashanti# and worked with other stars like DMX and Jay-Z.

Murder Inc. was once investigated for# allegedly laundering drug money.

Gotti,## whose real name was Irving Lorenzo, was charged,# but eventually acquitted.

No cause of death was## given, but he battled diabetes and suffered a# stroke last year.

Irv Gotti was 54 years old.

Still to come on the "News Hour": the Trump# administration's aggressive dismantling of efforts## to fight climate change; the engineering skills# of beavers offers insights into managing water## resources; and the so-called Poet of Havana uses# his art and music to address politics and pain.

AMNA NAWAZ: A broad federal# funding freeze announced by## the Trump administration last# week and blocked by a pair of## judges is destabilizing a wide range of# programs despite the court interventions.

Over the past few days, some health# care and Head Start programs report## they have sporadically been blocked# from funding, forcing some to shut down.

Political correspondent Lisa Desjardins# has been investigating what's happening## and joins us now to share what she has found.

So, Lisa, what have you found?# Who's being affected here?

LISA DESJARDINS: Right.

"News Hour" has been in front on this.

I have been#doing three days of reporting with Ali Rogin as## well to figure out what's happening here.

And# I want to talk about two specific areas, one,## Head Start programs around the country# and also community health care centers.

Both of them are funded in large part through# the Department of Health and Human Services,## HHS.

Here's what we know.

There have# been funding problems in the last week## and day.

Head Start programs in 27 states# have felt these sporadic funding freezes,## many of them still feeling it.

Those serve# 20,000 kids and families, the affected programs.

Now, community health centers in at least# nine states over the past few days have## also been blocked from accessing and being able# to get their funding.

Now, Head Start programs,## of course, are focused on early childhood# learning and families.

Some of them have## already spent some of this money, and they# needed to recoup it as part of the program.

In Washington state, Head Start programs have had# these blocks.

They call them rolling blackouts.

JOEL RYAN, Washington State Association of# Head Start: So this created an incredible## amount of chaos and confusion across our# community.

It meant a lot of programs,## even up until yesterday, were worried about# paying their rent, paying their staff.

And, at the end of the day, what really impacts# are the kids and the families.

They're the ones## that are depending on childcare.

And if their# childcare is closed, that means they miss work.

LISA DESJARDINS: And there was a program that# had to close in Washington state because of this.

Now, I want to stress this is sporadic.

Some# programs are able to access the funds.

Some## aren't.

At the same time, I want to talk about# the other major program that we're looking at,## the community health centers across this country.

Ali Rogin has done incredible reporting# here.

She documented that it's happened## in at least nine states.

And one of them is# the state of Virginia, where one center was## closed at one point because of the problem.# The issue is the Payment Management Services,## it's called also PMS, that has these# health centers waiting for their funds.

One of -- the CEO in Virginia of# the community health centers told## us this all has been happening with no warning.

TRACY DOUGLAS, Virginia Community# Healthcare Association: But all of a sudden,## it went down with no notification,# nothing.

We ha.. centers texting me to let us know, well,# we can't get into the PMS system again.

So I say that with the asterisk that# now we are in a life of uncertainty.## And we have never, frankly,# ever been in this situation.

LISA DESJARDINS: Now, an important reminder# that community health centers in this country## serve one in 10 Americans and they serve# one in five people in rural America.

AMNA NAWAZ: This comes after the funding# freeze proposal, but that has been## blocked by the courts.

Do we know what's# behind these blocks that they're seeing?

LISA DESJARDINS: We asked HHS, because# at first it seemed like that's where all## of this was coming from.

And, in fact, for# these two groups, that's where the issue is.

So let's explain what HHS responded to# us with last night and then again today,## when we asked about community health centers,# wrote us that: "Some payment management system## users experienced technical issues last# week.

The system is back up and running now,## but users may be experiencing lags# due to the high volume of requests."

So they're saying something happened with the# system and now they're just trying to process## all the people that were backlogged.

Well,# let's think about this.

What we know is last## week that funding freeze went in place.# Trump administration folks were saying## it was not supposed to affect some of these# programs, but they did feel it temporarily.

So the switch went off, the switch went back# on.

And now there's a thinking that somehow## the system couldn't manage that.

However, we# don't know for sure that that's the case here,## because our Laura Barron-Lopez, as she's# reported in this very chair many times before,## has been asking the Trump# administration repeatedly,## are you following the court orders that# say to reinstate all of this funding?

She has not gotten a response.

So we really don't# know exactly what's happening behind the scenes.

AMNA NAWAZ: At the same time, we know the funding# freeze is affecting many of those programs who## have had funding restored.

So what about the# wider programs that have felt the same jolt?

LISA DESJARDINS: Right, it's important# to know there's a universe of programs## that are concerned here about# grants and ultimate funding.

Some of them are individual, tailored,## like Women's Infant and Children program that# helps mothers and fathers who are dealing with## low-income salaries.

And one of those we# talked to is a woman named Sarah Manasrah,## who lives in New York City.

She's got# a 2-year-old and a 6-year-old.

And she## says she really depends on the eggs and the# other healthy foods that she can get from WIC.

And last week, that funding grant pause, the# fear about it really put her in a bad situation,## really fearful, because so# much for her is at stake.

SARAH MANASRAH, WIC Recipient: Threatening# to take away literally fruits and vegetables,## eggs, milk and formula from babies is really# the worst thing I can think of and it's not## acceptable.

So it's not only about the stress.# It's also about being able to maintain our## health and it's about us being able to live and# survive.

So that's really what's at stake here.

LISA DESJARDINS: She's still funded,# but it's a climate of fear.

Trump## allies have said that's the kind of# program that they want to look at.

AMNA NAWAZ: You have also been looking at# a number of other programs in government## and out under scrutiny because of the Trump# administration's efforts to end diversity,## equity and inclusion programs.

What's the latest?

LISA DESJARDINS: It's not really# clear what's applying there.

And we know that programs around the country are# having unexplained blocks on some of these .. outside of HHS that they think may be related# to these DEI executive orders.

Now, one program## we talked to was a domestic abuse shelter.

Our# Kyle Maduro (ph) spoke to them in Pennsylvania.

And the manager there, Lauren Peterson, said, DEI# for them means that they are including everyone,## especially vulnerable populations.

They have# a DEI site on their Web site.

And she said,## it's important for us that we make sure to# include everyone.

That's a big stake item for us.

Meanwhile, we know that there are# problems in funding elsewhere,## including with some mental health programs,# some substance abuse programs, DHS, USDA,## all of these unexplained funding blocks# that we're watching very carefully.

AMNA NAWAZ: And we're going to# continue to watch those all.

Lisa Desjardins, thank you.

LISA DESJARDINS: You're welcome.

GEOFF BENNETT: While many of President# Trump's nominees have been confirmed by## the Senate at a breakneck pace, Kash# Patel, his nominee to lead the FBI,## will have to wait another week# for a key Senate committee vote.

That's because Democrats# on the Judiciary Committee## forced a delay over objections to Mr.# Patel's plans for mass firings at the FBI.

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN): The FBI director's# loyalty must be to the American people,## to the Constitution, and to the rule of# law.

But Mr. Patel has made it clear that## his loyalty is to the president.# He has threatened to come after,## those are his words, in the# past the president's critics.

GEOFF BENNETT: Even without Patel in place, acting# leadership at the bureau is moving ahead on a## plan to remove as many as 4,000 employees who# investigated the Capitol attack and President## Trump's handling of classified documents.# That effort for now is tied up in court.

For a Republican perspective, we're joined# tonight by Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt,## who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Thanks for being with us.

SEN. ERIC SCHMITT (R-MO):# Good to be with you, Geoff.

GEOFF BENNETT: So you heard Senate Democrats# again toda.. nominee Kash Patel is unqualified, they say,# that he's a partisan political actor, or,## worse, a conspiracy theorist who would turn the# FBI into a tool of Donald Trump's retribution.

What about his background, his past work,## his past public comments suggest# to you that Democrats are wrong?

SEN. ERIC SCHMITT: Well, he was a prosecutor.# He was a public defender.

He was chief of staff## at the Department of Defense.

He's held# high-level government positions before.

And I think, interestingly, he was a victim# of lawfare himself.

I think the FBI is ripe## for real reform.

It's been weaponized in# ways we have never seen before under the## Biden administration and Christopher Wray.

The# FBI went after Catholics.

The FBI went after## parents who showed up to school board meetings.# The FBI prebunked the Hunter Biden laptop story.

So I think that's why you have seen approval# ratings plummet for the FBI because of the## political nature of their leadership.

There's a# lot of great men and women who work for the FBI,## but I think Kash Patel is going to come in# there with the experience and a reform agenda## to get it back to what it should be, which# is fighting violent crime in this country.

GEOFF BENNETT: Well, in his 2023 book titled# "Government Gangsters," he included a list of## 60 perceived Trump critics that Democrats# argue functions as an enemies list.

If he's not going to be focused# on retribution, as they see it,## why the need for a list of potential targets?

SEN. ERIC SCHMITT: Well, that# was their characterization of## a footnote in his book, in the endnotes actually.

He was pretty clear in his testimony that# he's committed.

He came to this country## as an immigrant.

He believes very deeply# in the American experiment.

He believes## that people should be treated fairly# under the law.

And I think having the## perspective of the abuses that we have# seen over the last four years, again,## going after Catholics and parents and political# enemies, he wants to put a stop to that.

Pam Bondi wants to put a stop to it too.

She will# be leading and sworn in as attorney general.

So I## think there's a real opportunity to get back to# a place where our law is being applied fairly,## that we don't have two tiers of justice# that we saw under the Biden administration.

GEOFF BENNETT: I want to ask you about# the potential for mass firings at the FBI,## namely the thousands of FBI employees who worked# on the investigations into the Capitol attack.

As you well know, many of those# agents involved worked in the FBI's## Counterterrorism Division.

So these are folks# who investigate threats not only in the U.S.,## but from overseas, from groups like# ISIS, Hamas, al-Qaida.

The list goes on.

The FBI Agents Association says that just the mere# threat of these firings distracts and destabilizes## the FBI work force.

Are you worried that this# makes the country, as a result, less safe?

SEN. ERIC SCHMITT: Well, I think, honestly,# you look at what's the approval rating that's## plummeted over the FBI in the last four# years because of the weaponization of the## Biden administration, that's kept really# good people away from the FBI that might## have applied who don't want to belong to a# Stalin-like political retribution campaign.

That's what we have seen.

Those are the facts.# That's what we have seen the last four years.

What Kash Patel testified about in that# committee hearing I thought was really## refreshing.

He said that about a third of# the FBI agents are in Washington, D.C.,## right now.

Get those FBI agents across the# country to take on violent crime, to take## on human trafficking.

There's cities all across# this country that could use that sort of help.

That's what he's talked about.

So regardless# of the fearmongering that's taking place about## what's actually going to happen, that's# not what's going to happen.

Now, look,## if there are people in the Department of Justice# that had a political angle and wanted to subvert## our justice system by settling political# scores, of course they should be dismissed.

But that's not what we're talking about.# People who are doing counterterrorism,## as you mentioned in your question, those# people are going to have their jobs,## and we want to reward people for doing a good# job.

But I think we should also make sure that## we don't have political hacks executing# a political agenda in these agencies.

GEOFF BENNETT: Well, let's talk# more about these changes, because,## to your point, many of the rank and# file within the FBI do say that there## needs to be some changes made to the# structure and the management of the FBI.

So what kind of changes do you think# that Kash Patel would bring about?

SEN. ERIC SCHMITT: Well, I think, again,## about a third of all those FBI# employees work in Washington, D.C. Now, they need to -- obviously, there# need to be some people here.

But I## think it was a refreshing kind of reform idea,# which is to say, let's get those folks in St.## Louis.

Let's get those folks in Chicago.# Let's get those folks around the border,## where we see human trafficking from the cartels.# There's a lot of good things that the FBI can do.

But, sadly, I think there's# been a lot of distractions.

GEOFF BENNETT: I mean, we should say,# before you were the senator from Missouri,## you were the state's attorney general.

And I want to ask you about this moment in time,# because we have a president in Pres.. who has a highly expansive view of executive power# and a movement of conservatives who appear to be## supporting or promoting this vision of# the presidency with almost no limits.

How do you see the role of the executive,## and how do you see your role as a member# of a co-equal branch of government?

SEN. ERIC SCHMITT: Well, I think it's# an interesting question.

I wonder if you## asked any Democrats about this the last# four years, because we had Joe Biden who## bulldozed the Constitution when he tried# to forgive a half-a-trillion dollars worth## of student loan debt.

The Supreme Court# said, you don't have the ability to do it.

Joe Biden tried to do it again and again and# kept getting slapped down.

He charged OSHA,## which was created to make sure# forklifts beep when they back up,## with forcing the COVID shot on 100 million# Americans.

I know something about this.

GEOFF BENNETT: And, sir, I hear# the point you think you're making,## but Joe Biden's not the president# anymore.

I'm askin.. SEN. ERIC SCHMITT: No, no, no, no,# right, but I want to put this in context,## because the Democrats have somehow found# religion now on the separation of powers.

What I can tell you is that the executive branch,# which is all of this sort of trying to find waste,## fraud and abuse, the president,# of course, has authority to do## that within the executive branch.

USAID# was created through an executive order.

So I think it's important to reveal# the facts here.

We should absolutely be## reviewing abuse within the executive branch,# and that's what President Trump is doing.

GEOFF BENNETT: Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri,## thanks again for joining us# this evening.

We appreciate it.

SEN. ERIC SCHMITT: Good to be with you.

AMNA NAWAZ: The first two weeks alone of the Trump# administration have brought dramatic proposals## and some unprecedented changes# in our systems of government.

Tonight, we begin a new series of interviews# called On Democracy, taking a step back## to look at big questions around our laws,# institutions and norms and how they're changing.

We begin with Barton Gellman, a longtime# journalist and senior adviser at the Brennan## Center for Justice.

That's a nonpartisan think# tank at New York University's School of Law.

Bart Gellman, welcome back to the# "News Hour."

Thanks for being with us.

BARTON GELLMAN, Brennan# Center for Justice: Thank you.

AMNA NAWAZ: Bart, I want to begin with these#.. ran last May and June role-playing both a# Democratic and Republican potential presidency.

On the Republican side, you looked# at what would happen if Donald Trump## came into office and made good on a lot of# the public promises and pledges he made,## how the system of checks and balances# would work.

So how does what you have## seen over the last two weeks-plus line up# with what you saw back in those exercises?

BARTON GELLMAN: So we did five# different tabletop exercises.

Two of them were called Everything# Everywhere All at Once.

And those are## the ones that Trump is going through with,# in which he is launching attacks on multiple## fronts all over the federal government# against the government itself.

And he## is doing so baldly in defiance of the# law and in some cases the Constitution.

He is firing people he doesn't have the power# to fire.

Or he's firing people without giving## them hearings or reasons that are required by# law.

He tried to stop $3 trillion of payments## that Congress had appropriated, when it is# Congress under Article I of the Constitution## that has the power of the purse, not the# president.

He has fired inspectors general.

This resembles basically the worst# case we had in our tabletop exercises.

AMNA NAWAZ: Was there anything that# you didn't include in your exercises## that you have seen in the last couple of# weeks that's particularly concerned you?

BARTON GELLMAN: Well, we did# not anticipate that Trump would## off-load so much presidential power onto# a billionaire in the person of Elon Musk.

We did not anticipate that a private citizen# would be given access to the entire Office## of Personnel Management files and the Treasury# payment system that covers $3 trillion.

We don't## believe that's lawful, and I think it'll take a# little time for courts to come to that conclusion.

AMNA NAWAZ: That kind of access# to government and sensitive and## classified information by Elon Musk and# his team, it's been described to us,## especially with regards to what we have seen# at the USAID, as state capture.

Is that how## you see it?

And is that kind of thing# easily replicable across other agencies?

BARTON GELLMAN: Look, if Elon Musk is going to# go into any given agency and assert the power## to take control of their computer system# with system administrator privileges,## that just gives enormous power to# retrieve, create, and even alter data.

And we don't know what he's doing with that.

Some# of that data would be potentially very valuable to## Elon Musk's private interests.

Is he making copies# of it?

Some of that data represents, for example,## the questionnaires filled out by four million# people who have classified clearances, in which## they answer every kind of personal question there# is, including what could be used to blackmail you.

And that's in these files# that he has access to now.

AMNA NAWAZ: Limiting some of Musk's access,# halting the freezing of federal funds,## issuing injunctions on birthright citizenship,## and so on, are the courts here, as you# see it, sort of the most robust guardrail?

BARTON GELLMAN: Well, they are the only# coordinate branch of government right now## that is not fully under the control of# Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

So he's captured both houses of Congress.# And although he has appointed a lot of## judges in his first term, and although he has# a very friendly Supreme Court sitting on top,## the judges are still -- and this# is judges appointed by multiple## presidents -- are still trying# to enforce basic rule of law.

Trump is simply doing things that are flatly,# on their face, illegal and seeing what happens.

AMNA NAWAZ: Bart, if lawmakers, and# specifically Republican lawmakers,## aren't acting as the guardrails# you expected to see, the courts## themselves will take a while to play# out here in terms of those cases.

Are there other guardrails that you saw in your## exercises or expected to see in# real life that you haven't yet?

BARTON GELLMAN: Well, there are other# guardrails.

There are other points of leverage.

Trump really cares about public opinion and# his polling numbers.

He really cares about## the stock market.

So, when he does something that# crashes the market, he will pay a price for that.

The idea that he would pardon all the# criminals who rioted and mobbed at the## Capitol on January 6, more than 60# percent of Americans disapprove of## that.

The fact that he then goes on to try# to fire everyone in the Justice Department## who participated in prosecuting# those people also very unpopular.

And I am expecting that there will be at## some point a backlash against# these sort of lawless actions.

AMNA NAWAZ: You know, we need to underscore# here we are talking about a democratically## elected leader in our president right# now.

Half of all voters did vote for him,## not despite what he said and promised to do,# but because of what he said and promised to do.

Does this say to you that America# is in sort of a strongman era,## that all of these actions that concern# you are exactly what people wanted to see?

BARTON GELLMAN: There is some percentage# of the electorate that likes a strongman,## that likes authoritarians, that likes# the idea that let's get someone who's## going to cut through all the# nonsense and get things done.

But that's always a minority.

I# don't think it's even a majority## of MAGA.

People felt that the country# was on the wrong path.

People did not## approve of Joe Biden.

People were very# worried about things like inflation.

But Trump is not lowering the price of eggs.# Trump is firing the watchdogs whose job it is## to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse in the# federal government.

That's exactly what he## claims to be trying to prevent, is waste, fraud,# and abuse.

And I just don't believe that there's## a majority of Americans who said, yes, I want# the president to come in and break the law.

AMNA NAWAZ: Barton Gellman of# the Brennan Center for Justice.

Bart, thank you so much.# It's good to speak with you.

BARTON GELLMAN: Thank you for having me.

GEOFF BENNETT: Among the many# other big moves taken by the## Trump administration, boosting fossil# fuel development has been a priority.

In a series of actions, President Trump is# following through on his promise not just to## ramp up oil and gas production, but to sharply# curtail any effort to deal with climate change.

William Brangham has been# tracking this and joins us now.

So, William, we have already seen major# action these first two weeks on the Trump## administration's energy policy.# What are the biggest moves so far?

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: He has been going# gangbusters, as my mom used to put it,## on many fronts, myriad ways he's# been doing this.

He's been doing## this through federal government agencies# like the EPA, through his appointments,## his Cabinet secretaries at Energy and# Interior, and through executive orders.

A couple of examples.

On day one, he declared# an energy emergency, which basically tells## every federal agency to do everything they can# to ramp up oil and gas production on federal## lands.

Trump has also pulled out of the Paris# climate accord, the global treaty to bring down## emissions.

He's backed out of that again.

He's# targeted Biden's push for electric vehicles.

I mean, the list goes on and on.

There's just# been a lot of efforts to go on this front.

GEOFF BENNETT: And we know that,# with President Trump, personnel## is so often policy.

Who are the people in his# administration who are backing him up on this?

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: That's right.

The argument that hi.. Biden administration held back domestic# energy production.

And we should say,## oil and gas production in America# is at record highs right now.

And## it became so under the Biden administration.

But all of Trump's Cabinet picks argue# that Biden didn't do enough on that front,## and they promised to do differently.

So# that's Lee Zeldin at the EPA.

That is Chris## Wright at Energy.

And that includes Interior# Secretary Doug Burgum, who described during## his confirmation hearings how the Trump# administration will do things differently.

DOUG BURGUM, U.S.

Interior Secretary: When# energy production is restricted in America,## it doesn't reduce demand.

It just shifts# productions to countries like Russia and## Iran, whose autocratic leaders not only# don't care at all about the environment,## but they use their revenues from energy# sales to fund wars against us and our allies.

President Trump's energy-dominance vision# will end those wars abroad, will make life## more affordable for every family in America by# driving down inflation.

And President Trump will## achieve those goals while championing clean air,# clean water, and protecting our beautiful lands.

GEOFF BENNETT: So this raises the question,# then, William, of what does this mean for## President Biden's signature achievement# on climate, the Inflation Reduction Act?

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: President Trump,# well, one of his first actions was## to issue an executive order that dealt# specifically with terminating the Green## New Deal.

That's how he refers# to all of these kinds of efforts.

And that ordered all federal agencies to pause# any of the money that was appropriated under the## Inflation Reduction Act or the Infrastructure# Act.

They had to clarify later to say it was## really only climate-related things, but# that is still a large part of that bill.

So this order now means that a lot of those# projects that were under way all over the## country and the jobs connected to them are on# hold.

That could be things like big battery## manufacturing plants to a $5 billion loan to# clean up school buses and make them electric.

We talked to Julie McNamara.

She's an analyst at## the Union of Concerned Scientists.# Here's what she said this means.

JULIE MCNAMARA, Union of Concerned Scientists:# We have seen projects have to be stopped.

We## have seen companies starting to reconsider# whether or not they will move forward here.## That is a terrible outcome for our country# and it has these long-lasting ramifications.## And so by having this coordinated effort# to really -- to send this chill that this## is not a place that will be welcoming# new investment.

It's a deep concern.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: So there is some# uncertainty as to how effective Trump## will be at gutting that act, but this# historic effort to ramp up batteries,## wind, solar, nuclear to address climate# change all of those things are in doubt.

GEOFF BENNETT: And this is all# unfolding as we're getting more## warnings about the climate.

Last# month was the world's hottest## January on record.

Last year was the# hottest year on record.

Tell us more.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: That's right.

There's a new study out from climate scientist#Jim Hansen.

He was one of the fi... to ring this alarm bell about climate# back in the 1980s.

He has a new paper out,## which is a bit of an outlier, but he has# been vindicated very often in the past.

His paper says that warming is accelerating# faster than we anticipated, that the goal of## the Paris accords to hold warming below two# degrees Celsius compared to industrial times,## that that is virtually out of# reach, and that some of these## more serious climate tipping# points might be unavoidable.

Whether you dismiss his paper or not, his concern# is affirmed by the vast majority of scientists,## that our use of coal and oil and gas is changing# this climate to a dangerous and unpredictable way.

We talked earlier with Chris Field at Stanford# Woods Institute.

Here's how he describes it.

CHRIS FIELD, Director, Stanford Woods Institute# for the Environment: The evidence is -- for## climate change and the human role in causing# the warming that we have.. is really overwhelmingly clear.

There are# no Democratic or Republican thermometers.

Ignoring the problem doesn't make it# go away.

It just means we have a more## serious problem to deal with by the time# we finally get serious about addressing it.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Of course, President Trump# doesn't think we need to do this.

He thinks## all of these concerns about climate# change are exaggerated and overblown.

And he is directing his administration and# now the federal government to act accordingly.

GEOFF BENNETT: William Brangham,# our thanks to you, as always.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Thanks, Geoff.

GEOFF BENNETT: And now a very different# kind of story about the environment.

Beavers and the dams they build are not# always embraced in certain areas.

They## can create problems, with flooding,# crops and other damage.

But there's## a growing recognition that they're also# building a kind of natural infrastructure## that helps with water management,# wildfire mitigation and the climate.

Science correspondent Miles O'Brien went to see# the beavers at work during their busy season## and has the story for our ongoing coverage# of the environment called Tipping Points.

MILES O'BRIEN: This team of scientists is# gearing up to get waist deep on a quest## to better understand nature's hardworking# engineers and climate warriors, beavers.## They invited me along.

And I# was, well, eager to join them.

Going deep.

Going deep into# the world of beavers here.

Leading this happy band of beaver believers# is Emily Fairfax.

She's an ecohydrologist and## assistant professor of geography at the University# of Minnesota.

We met in Southern Wyoming.

EMILY FAIRFAX, University of Minnesota# Twin Cities: We're about to go into## the beaver wetlands now.

MILES O'BRIEN: We're in the Medicine Bow# National Forest, and we're going into a## beaver complex, which is like a huge beaver# neighborhood, maintained by one beaver family.

Before we began our trek, we got an advanced# peak, thanks to Emily's prowess as a drone pilot.

EMILY FAIRFAX: So, right now, I'm# flying over the corridor that the## beavers have dammed.

And we're# seeing quite a few beaver ponds.

MILES O'BRIEN: In 2020, a big wildfire ripped# through here.

There is still plenty of evidence of## that.

Dead gray trees starkly define# the edges of a lush, linear oasis.

How long does this green swathe go?

EMILY FAIRFAX: So, right now, I have flown# a half-a-kilometer away along this path,## and it's all beaver-engineered.

We think# this is just one family doing this work here.

Well, they take little pieces.

MILES O'BRIEN: One family?

EMILY FAIRFAX: One family.

MILES O'BRIEN: And for more than .. EMILY FAIRFAX: Mm-hmm.

MILES O'BRIEN: We didn't see them,# but they sur.. mate for life.

They have a litter once a# year, anywhere between one and six kits.

EMILY FAIRFAX: So in a given family# at a given time, you could expect## there to be somewhere between six# and 10 beavers, with the parents,## the -- quote, unquote -- "teenage# beavers," and then the little kits.

MILES O'BRIEN: Beavers build dams# for protection.

The water cover they## create is an effective defense against# predators for a semiaquatic rodent.

This is all about just having a protected# area to move around.

That's all it is.

EMILY FAIRFAX: Yes.

This is all about safety,# protected area.

We're in one pond right now, but## if you look at this place from above, you will see# there's probably 14, 15 beaver dams in a row.

They## can go all the way up and down this river corridor# and stay in the water 95 percent of the time,## access more food, access more building material,# and generally have a bigger area to roam.

MILES O'BRIEN: Emily and I were knee# deep in a pond that has captured her## scientific interest.

She and her team got to work.

EMILY FAIRFAX: So what's our temp here?

WOMAN: Seven-point-seven.

EMILY FAIRFAX: Depth of the sponge?

(CROSSTALK) WOMAN: Ninety-four centimeters.# .. WOMAN: Zero-point-zero.

MILES O'BRIEN: All the measuring of the sediment,## all the things you're doing here,# give us a sense of what you're after.

EMILY FAIRFAX: This is a post-fire site,# so there has been a lot of burning here## around the beaver wetlands.

The wetland is# intact.

One of the things we want to know is,## how much sediment is this pond catching?

MILES O'BRIEN: The team# often gets below the surface,## at this pond in Colorado snorkeling to see# beaver engineering and the sediment it traps.

This dampens the causes and effects of wildfires.

EMILY FAIRFAX: The most visually dramatic# is clearly the refugia or this fireproof## patch.

We have mature pine trees here.

We have# mature willows.

We have beavers.

We have the## sediment capture.

We have all sorts of different# things that are continuing to provide benefits.

MILES O'BRIEN: The streams that flow through# here are the headwaters of the Colorado,## one of the most overutilized rivers in the world.

The natural infrastructure beavers# build can really help the river.

EMILY FAIRFAX: So every one of these# wetlands is like a speed bump for the water,## delaying that water.

And especially as we see# climate change and things get warmer and we have## more rain and less snow, it's really important# to keep the water up in the headwaters longer.

MILES O'BRIEN: Scientists estimate there# were between 100 and 400 million beavers## in North America before European# migration.

For a few centuries,## beavers were trapped for their pelts and# killed as nuisances to near extinction.

Beavers can cause unwelcome flooding on property## and crops.

Videos showing their dams and# lodges being gleefully blown to smithereens## are all over social media.

But land managers# are now more likely to see them as an ally,## and they're taking some unusual steps# to try to bring back more beavers.

Scott Miller is the aquatic resources# program lead for the Federal Bureau of## Land Management.

He's at the center# of a campaign to restore streams## and rivers and the lush vegetation that# borders them, so-called riparian zones.

To do that he's thinking like a# beaver, building beaver dam analogs.

SCOTT MILLER, Bureau of Land# Management: This is just a## hand-built structure try.. We first drive the post into the ground, we put# some sod in, and then we're weaving willow and## aspen branches between the poles, and then# we're putting some more sod in.

They can## be built in anywhere from a half-hour to two# hours, depending on the size and complexity.

MILES O'BRIEN: They're building a hundred of them# here at the Muddy Creek watershed near Rawlins,## Wyoming.

Lot, Of little structures,# instead of a few big overbuilt ones.

SCOTT MILLER: This system is starting# to naturally recover.

Maybe it would## traditionally take a decade, and# we're trying to get that same amount## of improvement in three to five years# by coming in here and doing this work.

MILES O'BRIEN: Cattle rancher Tom Chant and# his father before him have been working this## patch of land along Muddy Creek for more# than 20 years.

When they first got here,## it was trampled by overgrazing sheep.

If we were standing here 22 years ago on# this day, what would it look like here?

TOM CHANT, Cattle Rancher: I remember# coming down here, and this would be## a dust cloud when the cattle come right down# this creek.

It was -- there was no vegetation.

MILES O'BRIEN: The BLM improved roads, built# fences to allow for rotational grazing,## encouraged the growth of willow trees# and built the beaver dam analogs.

So do your fellow ranchers,# are they skeptical of this?

TOM CHANT: Any of them that potentially# are on the fence, they must not like grass,## right?

Like, we're shading the creek,# cooling the water temperature.

Cows## are happier when they got a cold# drink of water at 90 degrees, right?

MILES O'BRIEN: Tom Chant has two# sons, rodeo stars in the making.## He hopes they will one day succeed him in running## the ranch.

He thinks nature's engineers# will make the succession a little easier.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Miles# O'Brien, near Rawlins, Wyoming.

AMNA NAWAZ: As Cuba stands# to become even more isolated,## many Cubans are leaving.

By one estimate,# there's already been a 10 percent drop in## population in recent years, though# actual numbers are likely higher.

Those who stay on the island are essentially# cut off from family in the United States.

Singer Carlos Varela, known as the Poet of Havana,## has spent decades putting the pain# of that political divide into song.

Here's senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown,# with his second report from Havana for our series## Canvas and Art in Action, exploring# the intersection of art and democracy.

JEFFREY BROWN:## One word says nothing, sings Carlos Varela,# but at the same time, it hides everything.

A renowned and beloved Cuban singer-songwriter,# Varela is a master of imagery and language,## singing words as in one of his best-known songs,# "Una Palabra," that have spoken loud and clear,## if often through metaphor and poetry,# to several generations of Cubans.

CARLOS VARELA, Musician (through translator):# It's a mystery.

But the power of words,## the power of a verse, the power of a song,# the power of a book, that's a blessing,## because words can transform.

They can# reach your soul and your heart.

They## can shake your bones.

They can change# your life, and that can't be lost.

JEFFREY BROWN: We recently joined Varela as he# rehearsed at his Havana home studio and talked## about his unusual life in music, a star in a# country he loves, but has often been at odds with.

CARLOS VARELA (through translator): I have# dedicated myself to know the problems of my## people, because, for me, songwriting is not# a job.

It's therapy.

If I don't write songs,## I go crazy.

So this is my way of saying all# that I feel based on what I see, read and hear.

The story has always been, like in# my generation and dissatisfied youth,## it's constantly questioning things.

JEFFREY BROWN: Born in 1963 and raised in Havana,## his first love was theater.

But, in his# 20s, he turned to music, to Nueva Trova,## a Cuban genre of folk singer-songwriters that# emerged in the 1960s and addressed social issues.

He learned from and was embraced by Cuban# stars such as Silvio Rodriguez and Pablo## Milanes.

Varela was part of a post-revolutionary# generation that experienced the full brunt of the## so-called Special Period of the 1990s, after# the dissolution of the Soviet Union and end## of the support it provided Cuba, leaving# his country in near economic collapse.

Living in a one-party communist regime# still run by the heirs of Fidel Castro,## he sung of both the country's beauty# and promise, but also its problems,## a dissent not directly political,# but there for all to hear.

CARLOS VARELA (through translator): What# really amazes me is that so many people## find their voice through my songs.

But,# to be honest, I did not write them with## that purpose.

So my songs almost always# ask questions.

No?

Why?

To when?

Why not?

JEFFREY BROWN: Do you see yourself# as a political songwriter?

CARLOS VARELA (through translator): No, I don't# like politics and I also don't like politicians.## Politicians should all be on Animal Planet.# But I do have societal concerns.

Therefore,## they are political.

And that's why for 43 years I## have written songs that make politicians# uncomfortable in Cuba and outside of it.

I agree with Bob Dylan when# he says he's not interested## in spreading one message only.

That's how I think.

JEFFREY BROWN: Through the years,# Cuban authorities have regularly## banned his music from the radio and kept# him from performing.

His last large public## concert in 2022 came after mass protests a year# earlier were quickly put down.

At the concert,## chants of "Freedom" were heard in the audience.

CARLOS VARELA (through translator): I didn't ask# them to shout, but I'm also not going to ask you## not to shout.

Be free.

And that evidently# didn't sit well with the politicians.

JEFFREY BROWN: The beauty of his# music, the power of his songwriting,## have captured younger generations, including# 26-year-old keyboard player Rodrigo Garcia.

RODRIGO GARCIA, Musician: Sometimes,# the people were just thinking,## how is he telling those things in the songs?# And the people were like, wow.

I was in a## lot of concerts of Carlos, and it was amazing,# because thousands of people knowing the songs,## but at the same time they were just# waiting to say what the songs were saying.

JEFFREY BROWN: He was expressing# what they were feeling.

RODRIGO GARCIA: Yes.

JEFFREY BROWN: Varela has been cham.. who recorded a translated version of# Varela's song "Walls and Doors."

They## performed together in Havana in 2015.

He's performed in this country sporadically,## including on PBS "Live From Lincoln Center,"# "Seasons of Cuba" with violinist Joshua Bell,## where he sang "Walls and# Doors" with Dave Matthews.

But he's also been denied visas, caught in# the middle of U.S.-Cuban political strife## and travel restrictions.

In 2009, guitar in hand,## he even lobbied on Capitol Hill for more# open relations.

Today, he says this: CARLOS VARELA (through translator): While# politicians can or can't come to an agreement,## Cuban and U.S. artists and writers can achieve# what the politicians haven't been able to in## 60-something years.

That's what "Walls and Doors"# is about.

And in my song, there's a verse that## says, "And, still, the grandparents from both# shores cast their bait, the blame, and the seed."

And we all know that in these 60-something years,# many people have profited from the industry of## hatred to make money.

The worst thing is that the# people are the ones who pay for all the blame.

JEFFREY BROWN: In his song "Foto de Familia," or# "Family Photo," Varela mourns the broken Cuban## family and individual families split by those who# left and those who remain behind.

In recent years,## migration from the island has accelerated,# driven by a teetering economy, soaring inflation,## and the loss of tourist dollars with renewed# U.S. restrictions on travel to the island.

CARLOS VARELA (through translator): I# love my country deeply, and I deeply## love the generations that lived with me in my# country.

It pains me deeply to see how so many,## so many friends leave every day, going away# searching for a possible uncertain future.

This is also what my songs talk about.

This# could be a wonderful, prosperous country simply## by opening the doors and opening the soul# and the individual freedom of all Cubans to## develop all their talent in their own land.

For# that to happen, many dinosaurs must disappear.

JEFFREY BROWN: Is the idea# or the hope of democracy## here in Cuba possible?

Is it just a dream?

CARLOS VARELA (through translator): It's# a dream, but not only is it possible.

It's## necessary.

All human beings have different# thoughts, and there's no perfect society.## But neither is the Cuban one, with# a single party, a single opinion.

If you don't think like me, then you might go# to prison.

No, a society has to develop based## on the diversity of opinion, of criteria.# Of course, democracy in Cuba is possible.## It can be.

I have faith, and I dream that# it will be, and I hope it's very soon.

JEFFREY BROWN: Carlos Varela sang for us one of# his signature songs, "Habaname," "My Havana."

"Havana, Havana, if only a song were enough to# give you back everything that time took from you."

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm# Jeffrey Brown in Havana, Cuba.

GEOFF BENNETT:#Online right now, you can see more from# Jeffrey Brown's trip to Cuba.

He spoke## with some of the nation's youngest# musicians about what music means to## them and the role it plays in their# lives.

That's on our YouTube page.

AMNA NAWAZ: And that is the "News# Hour" for tonight.

I'm Amna Nawaz.

GEOFF BENNETT: And I'm Geoff Bennett.

For all of us here at the "PBS Ne..