Today’s Big Story

More Government Layoffs?

The Supreme Court allows Trump to launch restructuring plans and fire federal workers

The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for the Trump administration to pursue mass government job cuts and the sweeping downsizing of numerous agencies, a decision that could lead to tens of thousands of layoffs while dramatically reshaping the federal bureaucracy.

The ruling stemmed from an executive order Trump issued in February ordering agencies to prepare for mass layoffs. At the president’s direction, the administration has come up with plans to reduce staff at the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, State, Treasury, Veterans Affairs and more than a dozen other agencies. The majority decision—which lifted a lower-court order that temporarily blocked plans to lay off thousands of federal workers (including at the State Department and the Social Security Administration) because the administration did not first consult with Congress— gives the White House power to resume its goal of drastically scaling back federal agencies.

As Axios points out, the justices noted in the unsigned opinion that they were not ruling on the legality of any specific layoff plans for federal agencies, just that “the Government is likely to succeed on its argument that the Executive Order and Memorandum are lawful.” Liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan joined the conservative justices in the majority ruling. “The plans themselves are not before this Court, at this stage, and we thus have no occasion to consider whether they can and will be carried out consistent with the constraints of law,” Sotomayor wrote.

Only Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who has distinguished herself this term with a series of biting dissents, noted her sharp disagreement. She warned of serious harm that could come from allowing the administration to dramatically remake the federal government before determining whether its actions are legal.

According to the Washington Post, the full impact of the Supreme Court’s order was not immediately clear. Earlier this year, Elon Musk and his U.S. DOGE Service moved to aggressively shrink staff and spending across the government. But Musk has left Washington, and there are some signs of retreat from that effort. At least, for now …

Church and State (Taxes)

IRS says churches can now endorse political candidates without losing tax-exempt status

In a break with decades of tradition, the Internal Revenue Service says it will now allow houses of worship to endorse candidates to their congregations without losing their tax-exempt status. According to Politico, the decision came as a part of a move by the agency aimed at settling a lawsuit brought by the National Religious Broadcasters association, an evangelical media group, and two Texas churches. They argued that it infringes on their First Amendment rights to the freedom of speech and the free exercise of religion.

Since 1954, a provision in the tax code called the Johnson Amendment says that churches and other nonprofit organizations could lose their tax-exempt status if they participate in, or intervene in “any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.”

NPR says that the IRS has rarely punished houses of worship for endorsements during religious services, though the agency has investigated churches over alleged Johnson Amendment violations. During President Donald Trump’s first term, he promised to “get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution.” In the court filing, the IRS didn’t go that far. Rather, the IRS compared religious institution's endorsement of candidates to a “family discussion.” The new proposal does not, however, appear to clear the way for religious organizations to spend money on more broad-based political activities like advertising campaigns.

Jump in the Seine

Paris reopens Seine River to public swimming after century-long ban

Paris has just opened three designated stretches of the Seine River for public swimming, marking a significant shift in the relationship between the French city and its central waterway. The move follows a €1.4 billion ($1.64 billion) program that combined infrastructural upgrades with environmental objectives to reestablish the river as a shared civic space.

And we can thank the Olympics for this. One way to persuade snooty Parisians to put up with all the tourists and traffic of last summer’s Games was to promise to make the Seine swimmable. While health concerns affected some training sessions and events during the Olympic Games preparations last summer, competitions proceeded as scheduled, helping to build public confidence. designboom says city officials predict that swimming in the Seine will become a popular seasonal pastime, likening the city to Copenhagen with its harbor baths.

About 1,000 swimmers a day will be allowed access to three bathing sites on the banks of the Seine for free, until the end of August. Lifeguards are present, and changing and shower facilities are also available. Water quality will be tested daily by health authorities and a flag system will indicate how safe it is to swim. Diving is not permitted due to the shallowness of the water.

McDonald’s Big Breakfast Announcement

A prime example of updating a successful product to meet changing tastes

It’s been 50 years since the Egg McMuffin was introduced by a McDonald’s franchise owner and fundamentally changed the fast food giant’s business. It hadn’t even considered breakfast before. But a lot of things have changed in the past half-century or so. For one thing, the U.S. population has grown about 62%: 210 million in 1973 compared with 340 million today. For another, American tastes and palates have evolved. Most notably, we’re more adventurous eaters in 2025, and especially, we like spicier foods.

That’s why the announcement McDonald’s made about the classic egg sandwich feels particularly well timed. “We’re turning up the heat on breakfast … add some kick to your morning routine with the sizzling debut of Spicy McMuffin breakfast sandwiches.” The new additions include the beloved Egg McMuffin with a shot of new Spicy Pepper Sauce. There’s also a new Spicy Sausage McMuffin.

Will this cause people to line up at the drive-through? Experts says it’s smart to introduce new versions of a beloved classic at a time when consumers are increasingly conscious of the prices they pay for fast food, which was once seen as a reliable, low-cost meal option. As fast food bills continue their creep upwards, many consumers have begun questioning their value.

Worth a Listen

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