Today in one sentence: The Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments over whether Trump can enforce his executive order to end birthright citizenship; a federal appeals court rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to block a judge’s order requiring it to help return Kilmar Abrego Garcia; Trump threatened to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell, saying his “termination cannot come fast enough” and adding, “If I want him out, he’ll be out of there real fast, believe me”; the House launched a civil rights investigation into Harvard; and Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski admitted that lawmakers are "afraid" to criticize Trump’s trade war, mass federal layoffs, proposed Medicaid cuts, defiance of court orders, illegal deportations, and the dismantling of key government agencies because “retaliation is real.”

1/ The Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments over whether Trump can enforce his executive order to end birthright citizenship. The justices left in place lower court rulings that halted the policy, which critics called unconstitutional and unsupported by over a century of precedent. Trump’s lawyers, however, avoided asking the court to rule on the legality of the policy itself. Instead, the administration focused on limiting the power of federal judges, arguing that “Any judge anywhere” shouldn’t be able to stop “every presidential action.” All three lower courts that reviewed the order have blocked it, with one judge calling it “blatantly unconstitutional.” The Supreme Court will hold a special oral argument on May 15. (NPR / Politico / Associated Press / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / ABC News / NBC News / CNN / Bloomberg)

2/ A federal appeals court rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to block a judge’s order requiring it to help return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man the government admits was “mistakenly” deported to El Salvador. The unanimous Fourth Circuit ruling condemned the administration’s stance, warning it “would reduce the rule of law to lawlessness.” Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson wrote that “the government is asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process.” The court dismissed the administration’s claim that it had no obligation to act because Abrego Garcia was no longer in U.S. custody. “The government has conceded that Abrego Garcia was wrongly or ‘mistakenly’ deported,” the panel wrote. “Why then should it not make what was wrong, right?” The case now heads back to the district court, where Trump officials face depositions and possible contempt for refusing to help return a man they admit was wrongly deported. (CNN / Bloomberg / The Guardian / The Hill / Associated Press / NPR / New York Times)

3/ Trump threatened to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell, saying his “termination cannot come fast enough” and adding, “If I want him out, he’ll be out of there real fast, believe me.” The outburst followed Powell’s warning that Trump’s tariffs are “highly likely” to raise inflation and slow growth. Trump has reportedly spent months privately discussing Powell’s removal with advisers and floated replacing him with former Fed governor Kevin Warsh. Powell pushed back, saying Fed independence is “a matter of law” and he is “not removable except for cause.” Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned Trump that removing Powell would “destabilize markets” and damage U.S. credibility, calling Fed independence a “jewel box” that must be protected. Behind the scenes, however, Trump’s legal team is watching a pending Supreme Court case that could roll back Humphrey’s Executor, a 1935 precedent that protects leaders of independent agencies from politically motivated firings – potentially clearing the way for Trump to fire Powell before his term ends in 2026. (Politico / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / Politico / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / CNN / Axios / NPR / The Guardian / The Hill / Reuters / Associated Press)

  • The IMF warned that Trump’s tariffs will slow global growth and raise inflation. “Trade disruptions incur costs,” said IMF head Kristalina Georgieva, who confirmed “notable markdowns” to GDP and “markups to the inflation forecasts” in next week’s outlook. A new poll showed U.S. recession risk jumped to 45%, and economists cut 2025 growth estimates by nearly a full point. (New York Times / Reuters)

4/ The House launched a civil rights investigation into Harvard, accusing the university of violating federal law by allowing transgender women to use women’s facilities and participate in women’s sports. Lawmakers also cited Harvard’s refusal to settle with the Trump administration over its handling of campus protests, hiring policies, and diversity programs. The Trump administration also froze $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard, requested that the IRS revoke the school’s tax-exempt status, and threatened to strip its ability to enroll international students. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanded the university turn over records on visa holders’ activities by April 30, warning that failure to comply would be treated as a voluntary withdrawal from the federal certification program. Harvard, meanwhile, rejected the demands and said it will not “surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.” (Bloomberg / CNN / Wall Street Journal / Politico / New York Times / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal)

5/ Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski admitted that lawmakers are “afraid” to criticize Trump’s trade war, mass federal layoffs, proposed Medicaid cuts, defiance of court orders, illegal deportations, and the dismantling of key government agencies because “retaliation is real.” Murkowski warned that Congress has failed to act as a check on executive power, saying “It’s called the checks and balances. And right now we are not balancing.” She described the pace of change under Trump’s second term as “head-spinning” and said even she feels “very anxious” to speak out, but: “We cannot be cowed into not speaking up.” (Anchorage Daily News / HuffPost / Axios / Politico / The Hill / Washington Post)

The midterm elections are in 565 days.

Two years ago today: Day 818: "A ticking time bomb."
Five years ago today: Day 1184: "Never fear."
Six years ago today: Day 818: Weakened authority.
Seven years ago today: Day 453: Crimes of violence.
Eight years ago today: Day 88: Strategic patience.