What's Happening

Politics

When Everything's an Emergency, Anything Goes

What's going on: The thing about fire alarms is: pulling them when there’s no smoke can be a real problem… just ask former Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY). But some legal experts warn that, metaphorically, that’s exactly what President Donald Trump’s been doing. In his first few months in office, he declared eight national emergencies — using them to justify tariffs, ramp up border security, and roll back energy regulations. Analysts say all these “emergencies” are unprecedented — and, in some cases, unnecessary. Most recently, Trump federalized the National Guard and the Marines in response to immigration protests in Los Angeles, even though local and state officials said they had the situation under control. Trump, on the other hand, argued that LA “would have been completely obliterated” if he hadn’t acted, and he’s still weighing whether to invoke the Insurrection Act. In an address to California on Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) described Trump as “a president who wants to be bound by no law or constitution,” and warned, “Other states are next.”

What it means: Legal analysts say Trump’s emergency declarations let him sidestep traditional political and legal channels, effectively expanding presidential powers. Experts also point out that broadcasting chaos allows Trump to cast himself as a “savior,” protecting the public from threats — real or imagined — at home and abroad. It’s a move that plays into a broader political theory that conservatives tend to see the world as a struggle between order and chaos, while liberals tend to focus on oppression. So far, Republican lawmakers have stood by the president’s actions, with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) making this strongly worded comment. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also backed the $134 million deployment to LA and suggested the use of domestic troops could grow. Trump’s pattern now raises a larger question, with more demonstrations in the works: Will future protests be met not with negotiation or policing, but with force under the banner of emergency powers?

Related: Trump Warns Protesters Not To Mess With His Birthday Parade… (NYT Gift Link)

Health

Medically Assisted Suicide Could Soon Be an Option in New York

What's going on: Nearly a decade after New York first considered legalizing medically assisted suicide, the state legislature has passed a bill along party lines and sent it to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D-NY) desk. The bill contains strict guidelines: Terminally ill adults with less than six months to live can request the option, at least two doctors must confirm the prognosis, and two witnesses (not named in the patient’s will) must be present when the request is made. Despite strong support from advocates and patients, Hochul’s office said the governor still needs to review the bill and hasn’t committed to signing it.

What it means: If the bill becomes law, New York would join eleven other states and DC in allowing medical aid in dying.Although Hochul could still veto it, lawmakers and advocates have debated the issue for decades. State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D) said: “It isn’t about ending a person’s life, but shortening their death.” Critics say the state should focus on improving end-of-life care instead, while others have religious objections. Some lawmakers also fear future efforts could expand eligibility beyond the bill’s current limits.

Related: More Millennials and Gen X Are Getting Diagnosed with a Rare Cancer (NYT Gift Link)

Tech

Big Tech Wants To Major in Campus AI

What's going on: Before they master the art of communal showers in cheap flip-flops, college freshmen may be onboarding with their chatbot. If OpenAI has its way, their system will run through every corner of college life — a vision it’s calling “AI-native universities.” Think personal study bots (which could’ve really helped in statistics), recruiter chatbots for job interviews, and assistants that stick with students from orientation through graduation. Some schools are already diving in: Cal State and Duke have built AI into daily student life. Ohio State will require all students to use AI tools. That’s a rapid shift from 2022, when ChatGPT’s essay-writing skills first sparked campus cheating panics.

What it means: Tech giants are locked in an arms race to embed their chatbots as the default infrastructure of higher ed, and they have a captive audience. With job markets tightening and recent grads unprepared for AI-reshaped fields, universities hope chatbot skills will boost career prospects. Critics say colleges chasing AI deals are skipping over deeper risks, from labor exploitation to privacy and environmental fallout. Some educators warn that too much AI use could dull critical thinking (as if students aren’t already scrolling TikTok mid-lecture). Then again, math teachers once chided that nobody would have calculators in their pocket, and now we’ve got iPhones, so…

Related: Zuckerberg Luring AI Superteam With Nine-Figure Salaries (Axios)