News Wrap: National Capital Planning Commission approves Trump's ballroom project

[0:00] AMNA NAWAZ In the day's other headlines, President Trump's White House ballroom project [0:03] got final approval today from the agency overseeing all construction on federal [0:08] property in Washington, D.C. The 12-member National Capital Planning Commission, [0:13] which is led by Trump appointees, voted overwhelmingly to allow the project to proceed. [0:20] It addresses a real operational need while contributing a building that is dignified, [0:24] harmonious with its surroundings, and worthy of the White House campus and the American people. [0:29] And for those reasons, I support moving forward with it. [0:33] Despite today's approval, the plan still faces legal hurdles. A judge earlier this week ordered [0:38] construction to stop, but allowed two weeks for the administration to appeal. That ruling said [0:43] President Trump is, quote, steward and not owner of the White House, and that Congress must also [0:49] approve the project. The president argues none of that should be necessary. The Army's chief of [0:54] staff, General Randy George, is stepping down effective immediately. The NewsHour has confirmed [1:00] that defense... [1:00] Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked that he agree to take early retirement. [1:05] George's ouster is just the latest of more than a dozen high-level dismissals of top generals and [1:10] admirals by Hegseth since he took over the Pentagon last year. George will be replaced [1:15] on an acting basis by General Christopher Leneve, who until February was Hegseth's [1:20] senior military advisor. Democratic Party leaders are suing to block President Trump's [1:26] executive order targeting mail-in voting. The lawsuit was filed by Senate [1:31] Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, along with other party [1:35] groups. It argues that, quote, President Trump possesses no such authority to order such a [1:41] sweeping change to American elections. Trump's order calls for the creation of a federal list [1:46] of those eligible to vote by mail. It also threatens to withhold federal funds from states [1:51] that don't comply. Responding to the lawsuit, a White House spokesperson criticized Democrats for [1:57] being, quote, upset about lawful efforts to secure American elections. The White House's spokesperson, [2:00] Hakeem Jeffries, said in a statement, quote, [2:01] In Colorado, an appeals court today ordered former county clerk and election denier Tina Peters to be [2:09] resentenced. She's been serving a nine-year prison term related to her efforts to find fraud in the [2:15] 2020 election, which Joe Biden won. The judges today said that her continued promotion of [2:20] election conspiracies should not have been a factor in her sentencing in 2024, saying it [2:26] violated her free speech. But they also rejected President Trump's attempt to [2:31] pardon Peters since she remains convicted of state crimes. In Northern California, [2:37] a 4.6-magnitude earthquake struck early this morning, rattling millions as they slept. The [2:43] quake struck near the small mountain town of Boulder Creek, but was felt up to 100 miles away, [2:48] including around San Francisco. There have been no reports of serious damage. In the meantime, [2:53] a more serious quake struck clear across the globe today in Indonesia. [2:57] The kids were shouting, [3:02] Mom, come down quick. So we went downstairs, found the emergency stairwell, and hid in the storage [3:08] room. The 7.4-magnitude quake sent this hospital patient and her family scrambling for safety. [3:14] Many more fled their homes and public spaces as dozens of aftershocks followed. The quake toppled [3:20] parts of buildings into streets and caved in roofs and ceilings. At least one person was killed. The [3:27] earthquake originated underwater, generating a small tsunami, but authorities say that danger [3:32] has now passed. The Trump administration said today it will impose a 100 percent tariff on [3:39] some imported pharmaceuticals. But companies can avoid the new levies by agreeing to lower prices [3:44] or by establishing new factories to serve the U.S. market. That's one of two executive orders [3:50] signed by President Trump today, with the other focusing on metals. The U.S. is revamping the way [3:56] it assesses tariffs on foreign steel, copper, and aluminum, with the stated aim of simplifying the [4:01] system for U.S. companies. [4:03] Today's steps are the administration's first such moves since the Supreme Court ruled in February [4:08] that the president's sweeping global tariffs were illegal. They also come exactly one year to the [4:14] day since President Trump rolled out those worldwide tariffs on what he called Liberation [4:19] Day. That included tariffs on many of America's closest trading partners. Despite largely being [4:25] struck down, their broader economic and political impacts are still playing out. In the meantime, [4:30] on Wall Street today, it was Iran, not tariffs, [4:33] that was top of mind for investors. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped about 60 points on the [4:38] day. The Nasdaq shook off early losses to post a modest gain of nearly 40 points. The S&P 500 also [4:45] closed a touch higher. And the world's oldest land animal, Jonathan the tortoise, is alive and well, [4:52] after reports of his death spread on social media yesterday. Officials from his home island of St [4:57] Helena in the South Atlantic posted a proof of life photo with images of today's headlines in the [5:03] newsroom. Condolences had poured in yesterday after an ex-post claiming to be from Jonathan's [5:09] veterinarian announced he had died. It was viewed more than two million times. His real vet later [5:15] clarified that it was a hoax aimed at soliciting crypto donations. Jonathan is believed to be 193 [5:22] years old. This photo is from the 1880s. That means he was born about five years before Queen [5:28] Victoria's coronation and nearly five decades before the invention of the light bulb. [5:33] Still to come on the NewsHour, Iran continues attacks across the region despite the president's [5:40] claims that the war is winding down. Astronauts progress on their voyage around the moon and [5:46] deeper into space than any human has gone. And Judy Woodruff explores how the No Kings [5:52] protests fit into America's history of protest. This is the PBS NewsHour from the David M. [6:02] Rubenstein Studio at WETA in Washington, headquarters of PBS News. [6:06] Support journalism you trust. Support PBS News. [6:14] Donate now or even better, start a monthly contribution today.