Personal/unofficial account of VOA's chief national correspondent. Author: ‘Behind the White House Curtain.’ Board member: National Press Club,
@juristnews.bsky.social; 2022 Kiplinger Fellow; W7VOA on ham radio. Adjunct asst. professor, Shenandoah Univ.
Absence of wire service reporters from today's Air Force One flight overseas"breaks with decades of precedent and limits access to critical information about the president's actions abroad." - National Press Club President Mike Balsamo https://www.press.org/newsroom/press-club-statement-air-force-on
Press Club Statement on Air Force One Flying Without Wire Services
WASHINGTON, May 12 – National Press Club President Mike Balsamo issued the following statement today after President Trump’s first overseas trip without wire service reporters aboard Air Force One.
“Wire service reporters are central to a free and independent press—providing fast, fact-based reporting that millions of people around the world rely on every day.
Their absence from Air Force One today breaks with decades of precedent and limits access to critical information about the president’s actions abroad.
Democracy depends on transparency. The National Press Club joins the White House Correspondents’ Association in urging a swift return to full access for wire reporters.”
About the National Press Club
Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 2,500 members representing nearly every major journalism organization. The Club and its Center for Press Freedom are leading voices for press freedom matters in the U.S. and worldwide.
Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534, media@press.org for the National Press Club Center for Press Freedom
SCOTUS Chief Justice John Roberts describes the rule of law as "endangered" and warns against "trashing the justices.
politico.com/news/2025/05/12/chi… Rule of law is ‘endangered,’ chief justice says
Speaking at Georgetown Law, Chief Justice John Roberts denounced “ad hominem” criticism of the justices.
DHS revoking temporary protections for the 11,000 Afghans in the US with this status.
www.dhs.gov/news/2025/05...
DHS Terminating Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan | Homeland Security
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan.
The executive order President Trump signed this morning sets a 30-day deadline for pharmaceutical companies to lower drug prices in the US. There’s no enforcement outlined but the president told reporters if prices don’t come down, his administration will investigate the drugmakers “if necessary.”
ABC News - In what may be the most valuable gift ever extended to the US from a foreign government, the Trump administration is preparing to accept a super luxury Boeing 747-8 from the royal family of Qatar for use as the new Air Force One. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-administration-poised
Trump administration poised to accept 'palace in the sky' as a gift for Trump from Qatar: Sources
President Trump poised to accept "palace in the sky" as a gift from Qatar: Sources
Salt Lake Tribune- Utah students make a film about WWII incarceration at Topaz, and find a link to Trump's deportation policy.
sltrib.com/amplify-utah/2025/0… 
Utah students make a film about WWII incarceration at Topaz, and find a link to Trump’s deportation policy
University of Utah students learned a link to the Trump administration's deportation policies while making a film about the Japanese Americans incarcerated at the Topaz Internment Camp.
An average of 10 of my Voice of America colleagues per day in the past week have been receiving letters informing them that their contracts will be terminated"for convenience." As of today more than 50 of these outstanding VOA journalists on personal service contracts have been fired.
#SaveVOADHS threatening to arrest several House Democrats.
axios.com/2025/05/10/trump-ic…
Trump administration threatens to arrest House Democrats over ICE facility incident
"There will likely be more arrests coming," a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said.
The new pontiff's maternal grandparents lived in New Orleans and in the 1900 census were described as Black.
www.nola.com/news/first-a...
Pope Leo XIV has roots in New Orleans' 7th Ward. See his family lineage and history.
In prior interviews, Pope Leo XIV said he was open to a vocation to the priesthood because neighborhood priests were always in and out of his childhood, as his mother often fed them.
"Now we know wh...
"VOA is not to be the voice of left America nor the voice of right America," said Steve Herman, chief national correspondent for VOA. "USAGM cannot dictate [that] VOA run OAN content. It would be a violation of our fire wall and our charter, which are laws." https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/medi
Voice of America will carry One America News programming
Staffers at the government-funded broadcaster condemned the announcement from Kari Lake, given OAN’s right-wing slant and support of President Donald Trump.
