
News Wrap: Judge orders Trump to rehire some fired workers
Clip: 3/13/2025 | 5m 39sVideo has Closed Captions
News Wrap: Judge orders Trump administration to rehire thousands fired government workers
In our news wrap Thursday, a judge ordered the Trump administration to rehire thousands of probationary employees let go in mass firings, a group of Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit to try to stop the Department of Education's plans to cut 1300 employees and Pete Buttigieg is not running for an open Senate seat in Michigan.
Major corporate funding for the PBS News Hour is provided by BDO, BNSF, Consumer Cellular, American Cruise Lines, and Raymond James. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by...

News Wrap: Judge orders Trump to rehire some fired workers
Clip: 3/13/2025 | 5m 39sVideo has Closed Captions
In our news wrap Thursday, a judge ordered the Trump administration to rehire thousands of probationary employees let go in mass firings, a group of Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit to try to stop the Department of Education's plans to cut 1300 employees and Pete Buttigieg is not running for an open Senate seat in Michigan.
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipAMNA NAWAZ: We begin the day's other headlines with the latest on the firings of federal workers.
A judge in San Francisco ordered the Trump administration to rehire thousands of employees let go in mass firings last month.
Today's directive applies to the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Energy, Interior, Agriculture and the Treasury.
It affects probationary employees, typically those with less than one year of service.
They can usually only be fired for performance-related issues.
The judge said -- quote -- "It is sad, a sad day when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance, when they know good and well, that's a lie."
The Trump administration says it will fight the order.
That comes as a group of Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit today to try to stop the Department of Education's plans to cut 1,300 staff members.
The 20 states, plus the District of Columbia, say it amounts to an illegal dismantling of the agency.
In particular, they argue that the cuts are so severe that the department -- quote -- "can no longer function and cannot comply with its statutory requirements."
President Trump has repeatedly said he wants to shut the agency down, but doing so would require an act of Congress.
The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to allow it to move forward with restrictions on birthright citizenship.
The filing asked the justices to narrow court orders from judges in Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington that halted an executive order by President Trump nationwide.
That order would deny citizenship to anyone born after February 19 to parents in the country illegally.
Two dozen states, several individuals and a group sued, saying that the order violates the 14th Amendment.
The administration argues that states lack the standing to sue and want the order to take effect in some parts of the country.
Turning to the ongoing trade wars, today, President Trump proposed a new tariff on European alcohol.
That was in response to the E.U.
's plan for a 50 percent import tax on American whiskey.
He wrote on social media that if the E.U.
tariff is implemented, he will -- quote -- "place a 200 percent tariff on all wines, champagne and alcoholic products coming out of France and other E.U.-represented countries."
In Belgium today, a spokesperson for the European Commission said such tariffs only produce lose-lose outcomes.
OLOF GILL, Spokesperson, European Commission: We deeply regret the introduction of tariffs on steel and aluminum imports yesterday, and we would feel the very same about any future measures.
We call on the U.S. to immediately revoke the tariffs imposed yesterday, and we want to negotiate to avoid tariffs in the future.
AMNA NAWAZ: President Trump stood firm on his policy this afternoon in the Oval Office, saying he won't change his mind on the rollout of so-called reciprocal tariffs set to take effect on April 2.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says he is not running for an open Senate seat in Michigan next year.
He also won't seek the governor's office.
It's the clearest sign yet that the Democrat is eying another presidential bid in 2028.
In a blog post today, the 43-year-old alluded to his future plans, writing -- quote -- "I am simultaneously thankful to be away from Washington and yet also more motivated than ever to contribute to the future of this country."
His decision further clouds the outlook for Democrats hoping to reclaim the Senate next year.
Just yesterday, Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said she would not seek reelection in 2026.
Pope Francis marked the 12 anniversary of his papacy today from the hospital, where he's been treated for nearly a month with pneumonia in both lungs.
Supporters gathered outside to pray for his recovery.
Doctors have said his life is no longer in imminent danger.
In fact, the Vatican said today that the 88-year-old pontiff was able to participate in physiotherapy and stopped to pray in the hospital chapel.
Francis was elected as the 266th pope on this day in 2013.
He was also the first non-European pope in more than 1,200 years.
On Wall Street today, stocks tumbled once again, as investors remain concerned about President Trump's tariffs.
The Dow Jones industrial average fell more than 500 points.
The Nasdaq dropped nearly 350 points or almost 2 percent.
The S&P 500 slipped into what's known as a correction after giving back 77 points today.
And Congressman Raul Grijalva has died.
The Democrat represented southern Arizona for more than 20 years.
In a statement, his office said - - quote -- "Driven by his community values and spirit, he worked tirelessly and accomplished so much for Arizona and for the country."
That included his activism efforts on behalf of Native communities, immigrant families and the environment.
His office says he passed away this morning due to complications from cancer treatments.
Raul Grijalva was 77 years old.
Still to come on the "News Hour": the Trump administration announces an aggressive rollback of environmental protections; and why President Trump and Elon Musk want to audit U.S. gold reserves held at Fort Knox.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipMajor corporate funding for the PBS News Hour is provided by BDO, BNSF, Consumer Cellular, American Cruise Lines, and Raymond James. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by...