Supreme Court allows ban on transgender troops to take effect | The Excerpt
On Wednesday’s episode of The Excerpt podcast: There was some mixed news out of the courts Tuesday for President Donald Trump. The Supreme Court allowed his ban on transgender troops to take effect. Plus, a judge blocked him from shuttering an agency that funds museums and libraries. Paste BN National Correspondent Trevor Hughes tells us about a women's group that quilts for democracy. The Trump administration continues to suggest the Federal Emergency Management Agency could go away. Paste BN Senior Reporter Jessica Guynn talks about the waning support from brands ahead of Pride Month. The REAL ID deadline is here. A papal conclave begins.
Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com.
Hit play on the player below to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript beneath it. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text.
Podcasts: True crime, in-depth interviews and more Paste BN podcasts right here
Taylor Wilson:
Good morning. I'm Taylor Wilson, and today is Wednesday, May 7th, 2025. This is The Excerpt.
Today, Trump gets some mixed news from the courts, plus we talk about quilting for democracy, and we're seeing waning support from national brands ahead of Pride Month in June.
♦
While there was some good news and bad news from the courts yesterday for President Donald Trump, in a win for him, the Supreme Court will allow his ban on transgender people serving in the military to take effect while court challenges continue. The court's three liberal members said they would've rejected the request, and the justices who backed the decision did not identify themselves or provide an explanation. Something typical for action the court takes on emergency appeals. White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt said the decision is a massive victory, and lawyers for the transgender service members challenging the ban called it a devastating blow. Meanwhile, a federal judge yesterday blocked the Trump administration from firing workers and taking other steps to shut down federal agencies that fund museums and libraries, mediate labor disputes and support minority-owned businesses. Trump's executive order targeting the agencies was part of his broader effort to cut the federal government's size and slash spending. Tens of thousands of federal workers have been fired, placed on leave or accepted buyouts.
♦
American women have long used quilts to send messages to lawmakers, and that's true in this political moment as well. I spoke with Paste BN National Correspondent Trevor Hughes about quilting for democracy.
Hiya, Trevor.
Trevor Hughes:
Hey, good to be here.
Taylor Wilson:
Always good to have you. So just starting here, who are these quilters and I guess how did they get started?
Trevor Hughes:
This is a group of folks who feel like the political process in America has just gotten ugly and rude and dismissive and unpleasant, and they reject that. And so this is a group that was organized by Mormon Women for Ethical Government and Jewish Women and for Democracy, and their approach is, "Hey, can we listen to our better angels? Instead of being jerks, can we be nice to each other?" It's part of a broader efforts that, in fact, comes out of Utah, but is trying to spread across the country.
Taylor Wilson:
Is there anything tangible, I guess, they aim for with these projects? What's the end goal?
Trevor Hughes:
There are a number of efforts going on around the country right now, and I actually wrote about this last year during the election. It's this idea that we should be able to disagree better. That we are in a place in this country where people who disagree about the correct rate of taxation or how educational systems should be run, that we should be able to talk about those things instead of screaming at each other and assuming that every person on the other side of politics is just a horrendous, terrible, awful, no good, very bad person.
Taylor Wilson:
I know you spoke with a few folks for this piece. What did you hear from them specifically, Trevor, about really just what they get out of all this?
Trevor Hughes:
A lot of frustration. That's what I got. There are a lot of folks in this country who feel like our political system only listens to the loudest voices. But the reality is, when it comes to the voting box, every vote counts as much as the others. It's not just the loudest voice. And so this group of folks is really trying to tap into that sentiment. Folks who are disengaged from politics, frustrated by politics, frustrated by the tenor and the tone and the language that we use, and trying to say, "Hey, can we do things a little differently?" And so quilting is how they're approaching it.
Taylor Wilson:
Well, and I know there's some history around using quilting as a form of activism in the US. What can you tell us about that?
Trevor Hughes:
Right. I mean, quilting is as old as this country. Women in this country have quilted on behalf of enslaved people, the abolition movement. They quilted on behalf of themselves, the suffragettes who were trying to get the women's suffrage to vote themselves. And then more recently, who had the AIDS quilt and the trans quilt. I mean, quilting has a long history of political activism in this country, again, because it is done by small numbers of people, individuals who come together to build something bigger.
Taylor Wilson:
Great story, and folks can go find some images as well with a link in today's show notes. Trevor Hughes is a national correspondent with Paste BN. Thanks Trevor.
Trevor Hughes:
You bet.
♦
Taylor Wilson:
The Trump administration continues to suggest the Federal Emergency Management Agency could be coming to an end. Trump discussed eliminating FEMA in the wake of recent natural disasters in California and North Carolina, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told lawmakers during a hearing yesterday that the President believes the Federal Disaster Relief Agency has failed. The top Democrat on the Appropriations committee, representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut questioned Trump's plan for the embattled agency after his budget proposed to cut $644 million in FEMA grants. She said federal disaster relief should be readily available across the United States, regardless of where you live.
♦
National brands used to celebrate pride month, then came the DEI backlash. I spoke with Paste BN Senior Reporter Jessica Guynn for more. Hello, Jessica.
Jessica Guynn:
Hi, Taylor.
Taylor Wilson:
What have we previously seen really from companies supporting the nation's LGBTQ+ population?
Jessica Guynn:
Well, corporations have a long track record of supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and people. That wasn't always the case. For a long time they were indifferent or even hostile to the struggle for gay rights. But through activism from that community, national brands started to step up. They promoted LGBTQ+ equality internally with inclusive policies, and they publicly supported causes such as same-sex marriage. In recent years, we've really seen the rise of rainbow capitalism as a major market force.
Taylor Wilson:
Well, companies now appear to be downplaying Pride marketing as we speak here. What just weeks before Pride Month, Jessica, what are we seeing in this moment?
Jessica Guynn:
For years now, corporations have been loud and proud in celebrating Pride from special collections in stores, to marketing promotions. But last year with Target and Bud Light under fire from anti-trans activists, they got quieter. This year we're seeing corporations pulling support for Pride parades, shrinking marketing budgets, and associating their brands much less with Pride Month overall. According to Gravity Research about two in five corporations are decreasing their recognition of Pride.
Taylor Wilson:
In terms of why brands are doing this, Jessica, what really is the attention they're trying to avoid, and how does this current Trump era we're in factor in here?
Jessica Guynn:
Well, a couple of things have changed since last year, and they're significant. First anti-DEI activist, Robbie Starbuck has exacted concessions from corporations, and many of them are around Pride parades, celebrations, and other LGBTQ+ issues. Secondly, the second Trump administration, as you mentioned, has moved aggressively to crack down on DEI, and part of that crackdown involves transgender rights, which is even more of a culture war flashpoint than it was last year.
Taylor Wilson:
LGBTQ+ people represent strong purchasing power. How so, Jessica, and are companies willing to sacrifice some of that?
Jessica Guynn:
$1.4 trillion in annual purchasing power is the estimate for what those customers are collectively worth. At the same time that customer base is growing, almost one in 10 adults in the United States identifies as LGBTQ+, and that's double the share since 2017. At the same time, those numbers are the fastest growing among young people. Nearly one quarter of adults in Gen Z identify that way.
Taylor Wilson:
Certain corporations are actually increasing their support or leaning in, despite the current climate here ahead of Pride Month. Can you talk through some of those?
Jessica Guynn:
Well, traditionally Pride Month has been the occasion for brands to run major promotions to signal their support for LGBTQ+ people and win some of those dollars. Marketers who specialize in this demographic say those corporations that do show up for customers during Pride Month this year, despite the risks to their businesses, will be rewarded.
Taylor Wilson:
Consumers have a choice where to bring their business. How are some brand boycotts shaking out Jessica, as some choose companies that do emphasize Pride marketing and initiatives?
Jessica Guynn:
Well, unlike the DEI boycotts of Amazon and Target, we have not yet seen dedicated boycotts around pride from LGBTQ+ customers. But these customers told us they are starting to vote with their feet and their wallets. Of course, shoppers with anti-DEI views are doing the same. So in a nation polarized as ours is, marketers say corporations are wedged really between the proverbial rock and a hard place with no relief in sight.
Taylor Wilson:
Another great piece from you, Jessica. We have a link to the full version in today's show notes. Jessica Guynn is a senior reporter with Paste BN. Thank you Jessica.
Jessica Guynn:
Thank you, Taylor.
♦
Taylor Wilson:
After years of delays and deadline extensions, the real ID requirement officially takes effect today for real. Travelers flying within the United States will now need a real ID-compliant driver's license or an approved alternative like a passport to get through airport security.
♦
A conclave begins today in Vatican City. Roman Catholic Cardinals will gather to elect the next Pope following the death of Pope Francis last month. You can follow along throughout the week on usatoday.com.
♦
Soft power in the United States has taken many forms over the decades, from entertainment to education, but perhaps nowhere has it been wielded more effectively than through journalism. That power took a big hit with a recent executive order signed by President Trump to dismantle the United States Agency for Global Media.
Japhet Quitzon:
Outlets like Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, have had a mission of giving unbiased, factual news, and especially now with all the noise on social media, it's crucial that we have a voice standing apart from this.
Taylor Wilson:
That's Japhet Quitzon from the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He warns that losing the USAGM could have dire consequences for people living in countries that don't have a free press. My colleague Dana Taylor, sat down with Japhet to explore why Americans should care about losing these outlets. You can hear that conversation today, beginning at four P.M. Eastern Time, right here on this feed.
♦
Thanks for listening to The Excerpt. You can get the podcast wherever you get your audio, and if you're on a smart speaker, just ask for The Excerpt. As always, you can write us at podcasts@usatoday.com. I'm Taylor Wilson. I'll be back tomorrow with more of The Excerpt from Paste BN.