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How does the public know what's happening in the federal government, especially when it's information the government doesn't want to share?That's where whistleblowers come in. But in 2025, the Trump administration is cracking down on these brave folks and the journalists telling their stories.In this installment of our politics series, "If You Can Keep It," we discuss weakening whistleblower protections under President Trump and what this means for those who rely on the information they share.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

New reporting in The Wall Street Journal indicates that the FBI told President Donald Trump in May that his name was mentioned in the Epstein Files. Congressional Republicans have mostly shrugged off the news. Speaker Mike Johnson shuts down the House for the summer.Meanwhile, the European Union and at least 28 governments are criticizing Israel for "drip feeding" Palestinians in Gaza, as starvation grows worse in the Strip. More than 110 people have now died from hunger.Reports indicate that Russian officials have involved teenagers as they test and deploy drones into Ukraine. Daily drone warfare has increased, as Russian president Putin inches towards a deadline imposed by President Trump to end the fighting.The Trump administration withdraws the U.S. from UNESCO, the United Nations' cultural agency, just two years after rejoining.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

President Donald Trump has nominated loyal associates to influential positions over and over. But one recent pick for the federal bench has legal experts and many lawmakers particularly up in arms. The Senate voted Tuesday to begin considering former Trump defense attorney Emil Bove for a lifetime appointment as a federal appeals judge for the Third Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals.Bove, the president's former defense attorney and now a senior Justice Department official, was the subject of a recent whistleblower complaint. According to that complaint, Bove suggested defying court orders to advance Trump's immigration agenda.Democrats and at least one Republican have vowed to do everything possible to keep him from being confirmed. We discuss who Bove is and the implications for the judiciary if his nomination goes through.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy