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Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Roland.
Chapter 2: Who has President Trump nominated as Attorney General?
President Trump has officially nominated Todd Blanche to serve as Attorney General. NPR's Ryan Lucas reports.
Todd Blanche previously served as President Trump's personal attorney, defending him against criminal prosecutions. After Trump returned to the White House, he tapped Blanche for the number two post at the Justice Department. Blanche then stepped into the top job on an acting basis after Trump pushed out his first Attorney General, Pam Bondi, in April.
Since Blanche took over, the Justice Department has aggressively pursued the president's agenda, including prosecutions of Trump's perceived enemies. Blanche also has signed papers that would shield Trump, his family, and companies from IRS tax audits. Blanche's recent work has won praise from Trump, but could complicate his road to confirmation in the Senate. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.
A federal judge has ruled President Trump's $100,000 fee for the H-1B visa applications is unlawful. As NPR's Sergio Martinez Beltran reports, the visas are given to highly skilled foreign workers.
Boston federal judge Leo Sorokin ruled the $100,000 fee constituted a tax, something the president has no authority to implement. Before, the cost of H-1B visa petitions ranged from $960 to about $7,500. This ruling gives relief to employers, although the White House has said it will appeal. This lawsuit was filed by 20 states, including California.
They argued the fee would impede their ability to hire teachers for their primary and secondary schools, exacerbating existing teacher shortages. They also said it would lead to a decline in medical workers.
Sergio Martinez Beltran, NPR News, Austin, Texas.
After months of praising Trump, Bankman-Fried has formally asked for a presidential pardon. A jury convicted the one-time crypto star in 2023 after prosecutors alleged he used money from his customers at the crypto exchange FTX to prop up another business and to pay for his luxury penthouse in the Bahamas.
Bankman-Fried was a Democratic mega-donor before he was sent to federal prison, but he has since changed his tune, taking jailhouse interviews with Fox News and celebrating President Trump. Trump has issued more than 1,600 pardons and clemencies in his second term, most of those tied to the January 6th Capitol rioters. Bobby Allen, NPR News.
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