Morning Wire
NPR, PBS Heads Testify & Trump’s Voter ID EO | Afternoon Update | 3.26.25
Wed, 26 Mar 2025
The Atlantic publishes more so-called Signal chat “War plans,” Trump moves to rein in federal election law, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott gets the final word. Developing stories you need to know just in time for your drive home. Get the facts first on Morning Wire. Balance of Nature: Go to https://balanceofnature.com and use promo code WIRE for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer PLUS get a free bottle of Fiber and Spice.Fast Growing Trees: Get 15% off your first purchase when using the code WIRE at checkout or by visiting https://fastgrowingtrees.com/wire
Chapter 1: What are the key topics covered in this episode?
The Atlantic publishes more so-called signal chat war plans. Trump moves to rein in federal election law. And Texas Governor Greg Abbott gets the final word. I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley. It's Wednesday, March 26th, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.
Chapter 2: How is the White House responding to The Atlantic's publication?
The White House is pushing back against The Atlantic after the magazine published more signal messages regarding airstrikes in Yemen. Daily Wire deputy managing editor Tim Rice has the latest.
The new message appears to show timing and targets for the strikes. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insists no classified material was shared. The White House backed up that claim today while accusing the outlet of sensationalizing the leak. Vice President J.D. Vance and other officials maintained the information was already known to allies and not a threat to national security.
Still, many on the left are calling for heads to roll, demanding that Hegseth and other officials step down. Meanwhile, US intelligence officials, including the heads of the FBI and CIA, testified today on Capitol Hill. Here's Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
The President and National Security Advisor Walz held a press conference yesterday with a clear message. It was a mistake that a reporter was inadvertently added to a signal chat with high-level national security principals having a policy discussion about imminent strikes against the Houthis and the effects of the strike. The National Security Advisor has taken full responsibility for this.
Sparks flew today during a Delivering on Government Efficiency subcommittee hearing regarding federal funding for public broadcast. NPR CEO Catherine Marr and PBS President Paula Kerger both testified. The subcommittee chair, Marjorie Taylor Greene, argues that these outlets are supposed to be for all Americans, but no longer are.
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Chapter 3: What are the concerns about NPR's editorial board?
Here's an exchange in which the NPR chief admits it's concerning that all 87 members of her editorial board are registered Democrats.
I would agree with you that that number is a concern if it is accurate. I do believe that we need to have journalists who represent the full breadth of the American society so that we can report well for all Americans.
Chapter 4: How does PBS justify its content as fair and nonpartisan?
Kerger, for her part, argues that the future of local stations is at stake if federal support is lost. She also says she believes her outlet is fair, nonpartisan, and objective. Here she is being grilled by Representative Pat Fallon on the number of times PBS used the term far-right versus far-left.
There was an analysis done on PBS's NewsHour from June to November of 2023, where they found that far right was that term was used 162 times and far left was only used six times. Do you find that troubling?
I don't know the study that you're referring to, and I'd be very interested in seeing it and understanding how they came up with those numbers.
Media Research Center did a six-month analysis, and it's not how you find it. You say far right, it's terms. They use the term far right 162 times, far left six times. That's a 96 to 4% skew.
President Trump is tightening federal voting rules, signing an executive order regarding who can vote. The order requires government-issued proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and directs that all ballots be reviewed by Election Day. It also ties federal election funding to state compliance and aims to block counting of late-arriving mail ballots.
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Chapter 5: What changes is Trump implementing with his new voter ID executive order?
Voting rights groups say the move could disenfranchise millions, but Trump says it's about protecting election integrity.
President Trump's cabinet is filling out, particularly in the area of health. Daily Wire reporter Amanda Prestigiacomo has the details.
The president's picks for both the FDA and NIH have been confirmed by the Senate. Dr. Marty McCary, a Johns Hopkins professor and former Fox News medical contributor, was confirmed last night in a 56 to 54 vote. Stanford professor Dr. Jay Bhattacharya was also confirmed last night. That was through a party line vote.
During the confirmation hearings, McCary faced questions on vaccine oversight and food safety. He criticized past decisions by the Biden administration and pledged to focus on food-related health issues like childhood obesity.
A message that's resonated with moms across the country, regardless of their politics. A smarter FDA that works for all Americans should be a goal we can all agree on. As a scientist who has spent a career evaluating medical interventions, I believe in the scientific process.
Bhattacharya told senators that he plans to promote transparency, support dissenting research, and prioritize projects that directly improve public health.
If confirmed, I will establish a culture of respect for free speech in science and scientific dissent at the NIH. Over the last few years, top NIH officials oversaw a culture of cover-up, obfuscation, and a lack of tolerance for ideas that differed from theirs.
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A Senate resolution condemning the far-left attacks on Tesla will soon reach the chamber floor. Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn told Morning Wire that this resolution says the Senate stands against those acts of violence. While many Democratic lawmakers have been silent regarding what Blackburn describes as acts of domestic terrorism, she says this will give them the opportunity to speak up.
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