Trump Kills $1.8B “Lawfare” Fund, Breaking News

本站添加: 2026-06-03

[00:00:00]Coming up in today's show, a major policy reversal from the Trump administration, a governor's race that's too close to call, and surprising new findings about what's really hurting young job seekers. But, that's not all.

[00:00:16]Russia launches one of its largest attacks on the war, and the Pentagon is tightening access for journalists. And here's the trivia question, what's the biggest time difference between two inhabited places on Earth? Don't forget to subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. It's Wednesday, June 2nd. This is the Flyover Podcast.

[00:00:41]Good morning. My name is Aila Brown, and I'm your weekday host of the Flyover Podcast. It's Wednesday, which means we're officially at the halfway point of the week. And sometimes Wednesdays can feel like the longest day on the calendar, but it's also a good reminder that progress isn't always exciting.

[00:00:58]Sometimes it's just about showing up, staying consistent, and taking the next step. So, thanks for making us part of your morning. Let's take off with the biggest headlines of the day.

[00:01:10]The Trump administration is scrapping a proposed $1.8 billion fund that would have compensated people who say they were wrongly targeted by the Justice Department. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress on Tuesday that the administration is abandoning the plan. The money would have come from the settlement of President Trump's lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns. Blanche said, quote, "We are not moving forward with the fund, period." The proposal faced criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. In fact, Senate Republicans had refused to advance the president's immigration funding bill until the issue was resolved. The fund also ran into legal trouble. Two federal judges stepped in, with one temporarily blocking the program, and and considering whether to reopen the IRS case itself. Next up, California voters went to the polls Tuesday, but the state's closely watched governor's race may not be decided for days or even weeks. That's because California continues counting mail ballots that are postmarked by election day through June 9th. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, billionaire Tom Steyer, and Republican Steve Hilton are all competing for the two spots that advance to the general election. More than 60 candidates entered the race to replace term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom. Republicans face a steep challenge. No Republican has won a statewide election in California since 2006.

[00:02:39]Another race drawing attention is the Los Angeles mayoral contest where Mayor Karen Bass faced a surprisingly strong challenge from Republican candidate and former reality star Spencer Pratt.

[00:02:51]California wasn't the only state voting on Tuesday. Voters in five other states also selected nominees, including in Iowa, where Democrats voted on who will challenge Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson this fall. And finally, a new analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is challenging one of the biggest assumptions about young workers and artificial intelligence.

[00:03:13]Researchers say the recent rise in unemployment among young college graduates appear to be driven more by remote work than by AI. Employers told researchers they're increasingly filling work-from-home positions with experienced workers rather than recent graduates because training new employees remotely can be more difficult. The numbers reflect that trend. Unemployment among college graduates under 29 has increased from 3.1% before the pandemic to 3.7% today. At the same time, unemployment among older and more experienced workers has actually declined. The report pushes back on the popular idea that artificial intelligence is already eliminating large numbers of entry-level jobs.

[00:03:55]Although researchers caution that AI's impact could grow as the technology becomes more widespread.

[00:04:03]Let's check in to see what's happening in politics. President Trump has selected Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. Pulte will replace Tulsi Gabbard, who stepped down last month. He'll continue serving as the nation's top housing regulator while also overseeing mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Next, the Trump administration has also finalized a long-awaited Medicaid work requirement.

[00:04:27]Under the new rule, most Medicaid recipients between the ages of 19 and 64 will need to demonstrate that they're working, performing community service, or participating in a job training program in order to maintain their benefits. And the White [snorts] House Correspondents Dinner is already back on the calendar. Organizers have rescheduled the annual event for July 24th after it was canceled earlier this spring following a shooting. And the Pentagon is tightening access for journalists. Officials have designated the Pentagon press office as a classified area, a move that significantly limits where reporters can go inside the building and has drawn criticism from press freedom advocates.

[00:05:09]Thank you for joining us here in an exclusive section called podcast extra, where we go just a little deeper on the next three stories. Russia launched a massive overnight missile and drone barrage targeting Kyiv and cities across Ukraine. As of this recording, at least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 injured after Russia launched a wave of missiles and drones across Ukraine overnight. Ukraine's air force says Russia fired 73 missiles and 656 drones with Kyiv serving as the primary target.

[00:05:40]Air defenses intercepted most of the attack, downing 40 missiles and 602 drones. Even so, officials say 38 sites were hit. In the city of Dnipro, a residential building was destroyed.

[00:05:52]Children were among those killed, and rescuers say others remain trapped beneath the rubble. In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said four people were killed and 58 wounded. The attacks also knocked out power for roughly 140,000 residents. Utility crews were able to restore service to about 110,000 people by Tuesday afternoon.

[00:06:13]Russia says it targeted Ukraine's military-industrial complex and used eight Zircon hypersonic missiles during the assault. An analysis by AFP found that Russia launched a record 8,150 long-range drones during the month of May, a 24% increase from April.

[00:06:31]Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is once again appealing for additional US Patriot missile defense systems, and officials say casualty numbers are still being updated. Still to come in podcast extra, a leak to CBS meeting is fueling new controversy at 60 Minutes, and hurricane forecasters are predicting something we haven't seen in more than a decade. Before we get to those two stories, a word from our sponsor, Particle for Men.

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[00:08:24]Scott Pelley is reportedly out at CBS News following an explosive confrontation over the future of 60 Minutes. The longtime correspondent, who spent nearly four decades at CBS, made headlines earlier this week after a leaked staff meeting in which he accused CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss of {quote} murdering 60 Minutes and questioned the qualifications of newly appointed executive producer Nick Bilton. The meeting came after a major shakeup at the network that included the departures of longtime executive producer Tanya Simon and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. Pelley repeatedly pressed management to explain the firings and defended the ousted staff. According to reports, CBS leadership met with Pelley following the confrontation, but failed to reach a resolution. By Tuesday evening, Bilton informed staff that Pelley and the network had parted ways. The departure marks the latest chapter in the growing turmoil surrounding 60 Minutes and CBS News as the network undergoes a sweeping overhaul under Weiss and new ownership.

[00:09:35]CBS has not publicly commented on the reports.

[00:09:39]And finally, [snorts] the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's outlook for hurricane season contains a surprising prediction. Atlantic hurricane season officially began Monday and for the first time in more than a decade, forecasters are expecting a below average year. NOAA is predicting between three and six hurricanes along with eight to 14 named tropical storms in the Atlantic basin. Forecasters say the slowdown is largely tied to a strong El Nino pattern that's expected to disrupt storm formation. NOAA says there's an 82% chance El Nino conditions arrive by July and a 96% chance they remain in place through the winter months. It's important to note that the forecast does not predict where storms will make landfall. National Weather Service Director Ken Graham pointed to Hurricane Andrew as a reminder that quieter seasons can still be devastating. Andrew struck in 1992 during what was considered a below average hurricane season and went on to become one of the costliest storms in American history. As Graham put it, quote, even in a below average season, even if you have fewer storms, they could be big ones. While the Atlantic is expected to slow down, the Pacific is forecast to become more active. NOAA is predicting between nine and 14 hurricanes in the Pacific this year.

[00:11:01]Most Pacific storms never make landfall in the United States, but they can still bring heavy rain, flooding and strong winds to Hawaii and parts of the West Coast.

[00:11:13]In finance, Amazon has announced the dates for this year's Prime Day sale.

[00:11:18]The shopping event will run June 23rd through the 26th, marking the first time since 2021 that Prime Day has been held in June instead of July. The company says the change is aimed at helping budget-conscious shoppers get deals earlier in the summer. The latest government jobs report is showing a mixed picture for the labor market. Job openings jumped to 7.6 million in April, an increase of 731,000 from March, and the highest level since May of 2024. At the same time, hiring slowed to 5.1 million, and the number of workers voluntarily quitting their jobs fell to a slowest level since 2020.

[00:11:56]And speaking of jobs, a new ranking of the highest-paying jobs for teenagers may surprise you. The top spot went to auto mechanics with a median hourly wage of nearly 24 bucks an hour. That's well above what many teens earn in a traditional retail or food service job, where that continues to be the common entry-level position for high school students. Let's take a look at how the stocks did yesterday. The Nasdaq gained 0.03%, the S&P 500 rose 0.13%, and the Dow led the major indexes climbing 0.45%.

[00:12:32]Bitcoin, on the other hand, had a rough day, falling 5.61% to just over $67,300.

[00:12:39]Gold moved higher, gaining 0.98% to $4,519 an ounce. Silver added 0.51%, finishing at $75.39 an ounce. Oil continued its recent climb, rising 1.33% to $93.39 a barrel. Your big stock move belongs to Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Shares of the company jumped nearly 20% on Tuesday after Hewlett Packard reported its strongest earning performance since 2018. The company says growing demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure and services helped drive the results.

[00:13:16]The NBA Finals tip off tonight. The San Antonio Spurs host the New York Knicks in game one on ABC. It's a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals when the Spurs defeated New York in five games to capture the first championship in franchise history. Will that happen in 2026?

[00:13:36]Next, the championship series of the Women's College World Series also begins tonight. Number two ranked Texas Longhorns softball will face number 11 Texas Tech Red Raiders at 8:00 p.m.

[00:13:47]Eastern on ESPN. The matchup is a rematch of last year's championship series.

[00:13:53]And in college golf, Preston Stout of Oklahoma State Cowboys men's golf captured the NCAA individual title.

[00:14:01]Stout birdied the final hole at La Costa to edge William Jennings of Alabama by one shot. The victory earns him automatic spots in this month's US Open and next year's Masters tournament.

[00:14:15]President Trump has signed an executive order encouraging AI companies to share their most powerful models with the federal government before they're released to the public. Under the companies would voluntarily provide access to new AI systems up to 30 days before launch so officials can evaluate potential cybersecurity risks. The administration says the reviews would not require licensing or government approval before release.

[00:14:41]Archaeologists [snorts] in Paris have uncovered nearly 2,000 years of history while excavating the square in front of Notre Dame in Paris. Researchers say they found layers of Roman, medieval, and more modern history stacked within just 13 ft of earth offering a rare look at how the city evolved over two millennia.

[00:15:01]And finally, scientists say they've solved a mystery involving one of the most unusual fish species on Earth. The Amazon molly, I don't know if you've heard of it, but it's an all-female fish that has survived for more than 100,000 years without males. Despite long-standing predictions that the species could have gone extinct or should have been.

[00:15:23]New research suggests that the fish survives by using a copy and repair process that keeps its DNA healthy over time, even though it consistently discards male genetic material during reproduction.

[00:15:38]Here's some extra headlines before we land today's episode.

[00:15:42]A collection of rare wine bottles hidden beneath a Czech castle floor for decades is headed to auction. The bottles are from the legendary Chateau de Climens. I don't know if I pronounced that right.

[00:15:55]Winery and are believed to be about 130 years old. The wine was reportedly stashed beneath the castle by a family suspected of having ties to the Nazis.

[00:16:04]After a careful restoration process, the bottles are now expected to fetch significant sums when they go up for sale.

[00:16:11]Meanwhile, officials in New York City are trying to solve a very strange mystery. Several men have been spotted prying open manhole covers and climbing into the city's sewer system before disappearing underground. There have been at least three reported sightings since early May and authorities are warning would-be copycats about the serious dangers below the streets, including toxic gases, flooding, and the risk of electrocution.

[00:16:37]And finally, more than 1,000 people dressed as Marilyn Monroe gathered in California over the weekend to set a world record. A total of 1,037 Marilyn Monroe impersonators, complete with white halter dresses and platinum blonde wigs, assembled near the city's famous Forever Marilyn statue in Palm Springs.

[00:16:56]The event was held to mark what would have been Monroe's 100th birthday and earned a new Guinness World Record.

[00:17:03]Before we get to today's poll, Father's Day is right around the corner and we have the 2026 flyover Father's Day gift guide with some awesome gifts for dad or of course yourself, so check it out in the show notes below.

[00:17:17]All right, here's the result of yesterday's poll question. Have you ever seen a ghost?

[00:17:23]>> [laughter] >> 41% said no and I never will. 28% said no, but I'm open to it. 18% said, I think so, maybe. And 13% said, yes, definitely. Thanks to everyone who shared their ghost stories with me yesterday on the YouTube comment section. I appreciate you.

[00:17:42]Here's today's poll question. Which championship are you tuning in for? NBA finals, Stanley Cup, both, or neither of them?

[00:17:53]Oh my gosh, this question actually makes me laugh because I played basketball in college. My husband played professional hockey. And now that we have two boys, everybody always asks us, so which one are they going to play? Hockey or basketball?

[00:18:09]So, to answer this poll question, I personally would watch the NBA finals if the Celtics were in it this year, but my husband is just a massive hockey fan.

[00:18:18]So, the playoff series has been on most nights in our house. So, I can't believe this, but I am voting Stanley Cup. What about you? You can vote in the show notes and I'll read your answers tomorrow.

[00:18:31]Today's trivia question is so interesting. What is the biggest time difference between two inhabited places on Earth? Well, the biggest time difference between two inhabited places on Earth is 26 hours. It exists between the Line Islands of Kiribati in the Pacific Ocean and Howland Island. Even though they're relatively close geographically, they're on opposite sides of the International Date Line, which creates a full 26-hour gap in local time.

[00:19:04]Well, that's going to do it for today's Flyover podcast. Thank you so much for spending part of your day with me. If you enjoyed the show, be sure to subscribe, maybe share it with a friend and check out the Flyover email edition for even more of the stories shaping our world. You can sign up for free at joinflyover.com.

[00:19:22]I'll be back tomorrow with another roundup of headlines that you need to know and until then have a wonderful Wednesday and thanks for flying with us.