The Trump administration wants a baby boom, but many of its policies are making it harder for American families to expand. Vox's Rachel Cohen explains. The trial of Sean Combs, the music mogul known as Diddy, starts today. He faces federal charges including sex trafficking and racketeering. Charles Bethea, a staff writer with the New Yorker, spent several months profiling one of the lead attorneys defending him. Warren Buffet is stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway as he warns of economic hardship ahead under President Trump’s tariff agenda. The Wall Street Journal has the details of his announcement and argues there will never be another investor like him. Plus, Israel’s security cabinet approves a new ground operation that includes occupying the Gaza Strip, the president told NBC "I don’t know" when asked if he’s required to uphold the Constitution, and the Met Gala celebrates Black dandyism. Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.
Full Episode
Good morning. It's Monday, May 5th. I'm Shamita Basu. This is Apple News Today. On today's show, at 94 years old, Warren Buffett is stepping down. The Trump administration's plan to convince more Americans to have babies and a little history behind tonight's Met Gala theme. But first, the trial of Sean Combs, the music mogul known as Diddy, starts today.
He faces federal charges including sex trafficking and racketeering. Prosecutors say he ran a criminal enterprise that included kidnapping, drugging, and threatening women into sexual activity. Combs denies all the accusations against him, and last week he turned down one last chance at a plea bargain. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Recently, the New Yorker profiled one of the lawyers on his defense team, a man named Brian Steele. He first got on Combs' radar after defending the rapper Young Thug in a racketeering case. Last fall, Steele helped Young Thug secure a plea deal for probation and community service, far better than the alternative, which could have been decades in prison.
He told me that he likes to take on the most challenging cases possible.
Charles Bethea spent around four months reporting on Steele's career and courtroom style for The New Yorker.
He also doesn't seem interested in the money and the sort of toys that come with the millions of dollars he's paid to do this work. His work ethic is legendary. I mean, I talked to dozens of attorneys, including rivals, who ultimately admitted that he works harder than anyone they've ever encountered in the practice of law.
And Bethea told us Steele seems to have almost the opposite values of Combs, or at least the public's perception of Combs, who branded himself as a bad boy. Steele, meanwhile.
He's something of a Boy Scout. He won't curse, even when reading from court transcripts. He's remarkably kind and generous in the course of his daily life. I witnessed him stopping to pick up trash while jogging, offering food to homeless people outside the grocery store.
I kept trying to find skeletons in his closet during my reporting, but I didn't find anything more scandalous than a parking ticket.
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