PBS News Hour, full episode, May 25, 2026
YouTube · T4d-AR2BzKA
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖U.S. and Iranian officials are negotiating a three-phase deal to end the war, involving opening the Strait of Hormuz, ending conflict in Lebanon, and Iran limiting its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
- ❖President Trump's public statements on the Iran deal have been inconsistent, shifting from 'close to a deal' to 'no rush,' drawing criticism from allies.
- ❖Pope Leo XIV's encyclical calls for AI to be 'disarmed,' advocating for strong legal frameworks and independent oversight to mitigate risks of war and economic dislocation.
- ❖The Pope views the use of AI in war as a 'sin' and a 'betrayal of the just war doctrine,' emphasizing human decision-making in conflict.
- ❖Supporters of the 'Make America Healthy Again' (MAHA) movement are disillusioned by the Trump administration's executive order to increase glyphosate production and its support for Bayer against lawsuits.
- ❖MAHA voters, including 'MAHA moms,' are considered 'kingmakers' in electoral politics due to their movable nature and focus on issues like pesticide regulation.
- ❖President Trump continues to exert significant influence in Republican primaries, successfully ousting incumbents who opposed him.
- ❖Swing voters are primarily concerned with economic issues like gas and grocery prices, not the president's 'retribution campaigns.'
- ❖The Democratic National Committee (DNC) faces significant financial struggles, being 'outraised by multiples' by the RNC, impacting its ability to fund campaigns.
- ❖Ohio volunteers are undertaking a statewide project to identify and document the graves of an estimated 7,000 Revolutionary War veterans, creating a permanent online record.
- ❖The 250th anniversary commissions for the U.S. are focusing on grassroots, local efforts, learning from the turbulent national planning of the 1976 bicentennial.
- ❖The Scripps National Spelling Bee is being revamped to have a 'big game feel,' treating spellers as 'elite competitors' and highlighting their preparation and problem-solving skills.
Insights
1US-Iran Deal Negotiations Face Significant Obstacles and Shifting Rhetoric
Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran for a peace deal are progressing in phases, but a final agreement is not imminent. The proposed deal involves Iran opening the Strait of Hormuz, an end to the war (including in Lebanon), Iran limiting its nuclear program, and the U.S. lifting sanctions. However, President Trump's public statements have been inconsistent, shifting from optimism to caution, while Israel publicly criticized the deal as 'bad' and pushed for the removal of all enriched uranium. Iran's Foreign Ministry acknowledged progress but blamed 'institutionalized instability' in American policymaking for holdups.
Nick Schifrin detailed the three-phase deal outline () and President Trump's shifting TRUTH Social posts (, ). He also reported on Israeli criticism () and Iran's official statements () blaming U.S. instability.
2Pope Leo XIV Calls for 'Disarming' AI and Robust Regulation
Pope Leo XIV issued a sweeping encyclical advocating for strong regulation of artificial intelligence, calling for AI to be 'disarmed' to protect humanity from potential dangers like war and economic dislocation. He framed the use of AI in warfare as a 'sin' and a betrayal of the just war doctrine, emphasizing the necessity of human decision-making. The Pope stressed that 'robust legal frameworks, independent oversight, informed users, and a political system that does not abdicate its responsibility' are required, not just abstract ethics or morality determined by a few.
Pope Leo XIV's quote 'Artificial intelligence needs to be disarmed' () and his detailed call for regulation (, ) were highlighted. Christopher Hale explained the Pope's concern about AI in war (, ) and economic dislocation ().
3MAHA Movement Expresses Disillusionment with Trump Administration's Health Policies
The 'Make America Healthy Again' (MAHA) movement, a significant base of support for President Trump, is experiencing disillusionment over the administration's policies, particularly an executive order to increase domestic glyphosate production. Despite RFK Jr.'s endorsement of Trump and his attempt to provide political cover for the glyphosate order, MAHA supporters, including 'MAHA moms,' feel betrayed, viewing it as a concession to 'big ag and big chemical.' This sentiment indicates that MAHA voters are 'movable' and could be decisive in future elections if their core health-related concerns are not addressed.
Nancy Fuller expressed fury over RFK Jr.'s statement on glyphosate (). Alex Clark, host of 'Culture Apothecary,' noted that 'pesticides' could 'make or break the MAHA coalition' () and that MAHA voters 'want fight, fight, fight Trump. They don't want ballroom Trump' (). Elizabeth Frost stated, 'We're very much more aligned with MAHA values than anything that we're seeing coming out of the White House currently' ().
4Republican Primaries Dominated by Trump's Influence, While Democrats Face Internal Financial and Structural Challenges
President Trump maintains significant power in Republican primaries, successfully backing candidates to unseat incumbents who opposed him. However, this focus on 'retribution campaigns' and issues like the 'anti-weaponization fund' is not resonating with swing voters, who are more concerned with economic issues. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party is struggling with fundraising, being significantly outraised by the RNC. An 'autopsy report' on the 2024 election loss, lacking a clear conclusion, highlights internal dissatisfaction and distrust within the DNC regarding its ability to set rules and guide the party effectively for future elections.
Tamara Keith stated Trump is 'never more powerful than he is in Republican primaries' (). Amy Walter noted Trump's actions make 'life harder for his own party' () and the DNC has 'so much trouble raising money' (). Tamara Keith's swing voters were concerned about 'gas prices' and 'grocery prices,' not 'retribution campaigns' ().
Bottom Line
The Pope's encyclical on AI, particularly its focus on 'disarming' AI in warfare and linking it to human dignity, could catalyze a global ethical framework for AI development that extends beyond secular regulatory bodies. This moral authority could influence international policy and corporate responsibility in ways traditional governance struggles to achieve.
This could lead to increased pressure on tech companies and governments to adopt stricter ethical guidelines and accountability measures for AI, especially in military applications. It may also foster a broader public discourse on AI's societal impact, potentially shaping consumer and investor behavior towards more ethically aligned AI products and services.
Entrepreneurs and organizations focused on 'ethical AI' or 'AI for good' could find new momentum and funding, as the moral imperative gains wider recognition. There's an opportunity to develop AI solutions that prioritize human well-being, privacy, and non-military applications, potentially creating new markets for 'disarmed' or ethically certified AI technologies.
The disillusionment of the 'Make America Healthy Again' (MAHA) voter bloc with the Trump administration over glyphosate policy reveals a significant vulnerability for political coalitions built on specific issue promises. These voters are 'movable' and prioritize health and environmental concerns over party loyalty, even when their endorsed candidate provides political cover.
This suggests that future political campaigns, particularly in midterms, must genuinely address the specific concerns of these 'movable' blocs rather than relying solely on candidate endorsements or broad party platforms. Ignoring these core issues risks alienating a decisive segment of the electorate, potentially shifting outcomes in closely contested races.
Candidates willing to challenge established party lines on health and environmental issues, like pesticide regulation, could attract significant support from these disillusioned voters. This creates an opportunity for a new political alignment or the rise of 'issue-first' candidates who can bridge traditional partisan divides by focusing on tangible health outcomes.
Key Concepts
Grassroots Historical Preservation
The Ohio Revolutionary War Veterans Graves Project exemplifies how local, volunteer-driven initiatives can effectively document and preserve historical sites, especially for large-scale anniversaries. This model emphasizes community participation and bottom-up engagement over centralized, top-down planning, drawing lessons from past national celebrations.
Voter Bloc Disillusionment Cycle
The 'Make America Healthy Again' (MAHA) movement illustrates how a specific voter bloc, initially galvanized by a candidate's promises (e.g., health policy), can become disillusioned when those promises are not met or are contradicted by administrative actions. This cycle highlights the fragility of political alliances and the potential for 'movable voters' to shift allegiance based on core issue alignment, impacting future elections.
Lessons
- Monitor U.S.-Iran negotiations closely, paying attention to official statements from both sides and international reactions, as the situation remains fluid despite reported progress.
- Engage with discussions around AI ethics and regulation, particularly the Pope's call for 'disarming' AI, to understand the evolving moral and legal landscape of artificial intelligence.
- Observe the 'Make America Healthy Again' (MAHA) movement's response to political decisions, as their disillusionment could indicate shifts in voter behavior and influence future election strategies.
Notable Moments
Christopher Olah, co-founder of Anthropic, an AI company, was invited to speak at the Vatican despite the Pope's pointed critiques of AI companies. Olah highlighted the unsolved problem of ensuring AI gains are shared globally.
This demonstrates the Church's pragmatic approach to AI, seeking engagement with 'good actors' in the industry rather than outright rejection, while still pushing for ethical considerations and global equity in AI development.
The Pope made an historic apology for the Vatican's role in legitimizing slavery, calling it a 'wound in the Christian memory.'
This significant apology from the first U.S.-born pontiff connects historical injustices to contemporary concerns about human dignity, suggesting a broader theme of addressing systemic affronts to humanity, potentially including those exacerbated by AI.
Quotes
"It will only be a great deal for all or no deal at all, back to the battlefront and shooting but bigger and stronger than ever before, and nobody wants that."
"I am mandatorily requesting that all countries immediately sign the Abraham Accords."
"Artificial intelligence needs to be disarmed. The word is strong, I know, but deliberately chosen because this moment needs words capable of attracting attention, awakening consciences, and indicating paths forward for humanity."
"It's not enough to invoke ethics in the abstract. Robust legal frameworks, independent oversight, informed users, and a political system that does not abdicate its responsibility are required. A more moral A.I. is not enough if that morality is determined by a few."
"A.I. development is concentrated in a handful of wealthy nations. How will we ensure that the gains of A.I. are shared globally? We do not have a mechanism for this. It is an unsolved problem. And it is the kind of problem the church has historically refused to let the world ignore."
"The American people are definitely getting a theology lesson, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine coming up again and again."
"The worst thing about this cemetery and others is, as you can see, stones are just piled up. So I actually went through every headstone I could find, hoping to find that stone. When I didn't, then I did the rest of the research, because I don't want to mark somebody here, unless I'm 100 percent positive that they're here."
"These are elite competitors. They deserve to be treated as such and celebrated. And that's what I really hope to do with all of this."
Q&A
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