Politics and views in the United States.

Advocates say Republicans' scaled back Medicaid cuts still put too much in jeopardy. President Trump defends getting a luxury jet from Qatar, and frustration grows among museum executives who say White House is trying to erase history.

TRANSCRIPT

(clock ticking)

Welcome to 2025 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

We've been working on that package for over a year.

We knew he was gonna win another term and that we would have unified government.

We cannot waste this opportunity, so there's not been a lot of rest around here.

House Speaker Mike Johnson says Republicans will have a busy week working on the budget President Donald Trump calls his big, beautiful bill.

Key to Trump's domestic agenda are almost 900 billion in Medicaid cuts to pay for extending tax cuts, mostly for the wealthy.

The Energy and Commerce Committee will consider adding work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks.

Johnson says that'll reduce waste and fraud, but Democrats warn 13 million people could lose health coverage.

Chiquita Brooks-Lasseur led the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under Biden.

So-called work requirements have only been proven to add rather than reduce wasteful spending to the program, as well as overwhelm eligible enrollees.

The deep Medicaid cuts are unpopular with swing district Republicans who could sink the bill in the nearly tied House.

GOP Missouri Senator Josh Hawley says slashing healthcare for the working class is both morally wrong and political suicide.

House leadership may try to get the bill passed by compromising on what's called the SALT deduction.

The current tax triples the limit on the state and local tax deduction to $30,000 for incomes up to $400,000.

It would also exempt some tipped income and overtime pay.

U.S. markets surged on news that tariffs on China will be paused for 90 days.

Meanwhile, Trump is confirming he'll take a luxurious 747 from the Qatari government.

Trump says it'll fill in for the long-delayed replacement Air Force One.

We have an Air Force One that's 40 years old, and if you take a look at that compared to the new plane of the equivalent stature at the time, it's not even the same ballgame.

The U.S. has accepted dozens of white South Africans as refugees, even as America's refugee program is essentially frozen.

Museum executives say the administration is trying to erase the histories of communities of color.

Dr. Noelle Trent with the Museum of African American History in Boston says they lost a half-million-dollar grant but will define executive order to remove exhibits which divide Americans by race.

We will continue to fight for the preservation, conservation, and interpretation of the contributions of people of African descent in New England.

Finally, New York Magazine reports Democratic senators are worried about John Fetterman's fitness.

The Pennsylvania Democrat has missed numerous votes, and Arizona's Ruben Gallego says Republicans are trying to get Fetterman to vote for their priorities and even change party by appealing to his pro-Israel stance.

I'm Alex Gonzalez for Pacific Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.