Friday, August 29th, 2025 - RFK Jr.’s CDC mess; Trump’s railroad takeover; “De minimis” loophole shut; "Sandwich Thrower” charged with misdemeanor
Description
Today’s Headlines: Newly confirmed CDC director, Susan Monarez, was “officially removed” by HHS Secretary RFK Jr.—even though she insisted only the president can fire her, making The CDC mess even messier. Meanwhile, RFK Jr’s ally Jim O’Neill has been tapped as acting director, prompting dozens of CDC staff in Atlanta to walk out in protest. Over at the Surface Transportation Board, Trump is trying to oust a Democratic member just as the board weighs a huge merger between Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific that could essentially create one mega-railroad controlling freight across the U.S. At the same time, Trump is also closing the “de minimis” loophole, meaning imported packages under $800 will now get slapped with tariffs ranging from 10–50%—and several countries, including Japan, Germany, and Mexico, say they’ll stop sending packages here altogether. In Minneapolis, police gave more details about the horrific school shooting that killed two children and injured 18 others. Officials say the gunman plastered his weapons with over 100 hate slogans and had been openly posting about his plans for weeks, though law enforcement somehow missed it. And in DC, the infamous “sandwich thrower” who hurled lunch at a federal agent during Trump’s new troop patrols has been charged only with a misdemeanor after prosecutors couldn’t get a felony indictment. Truly, the first time a ham sandwich wasn’t indicted.
Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:
The Guardian: CDC in crisis: who are the top officials resigning or being forced out? | Trump administration
Axios: Massive CDC walkout erupts amid internal chaos
Bloomberg: Trump Moves To Fire Rail Regulator
WIRED: The Duty-Free Loophole Is Closing. What That Means for You—and Your Packages
AP News: DC man seen throwing sandwich at agent charged with misdemeanor after grand jury declines indictment
Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson
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