News Wrap: Patel sues The Atlantic over story alleging excessive drinking and absences
PBS News Hour - Segments
PBS NewsHour
4.1 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 20 April 2026
⏱️ 6 minutes
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| 0:00.0 | In the day's other headlines, the White House says Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-Duremer is leaving her post. |
| 0:06.8 | Communications Director Stephen Chung announced her departure on social media, saying she's done, quote, a phenomenal job and that she's taking a position in the private sector. |
| 0:16.0 | Chung added that her deputy, Keith Sondreling, will take over as acting secretary. |
| 0:20.9 | Chavez-Duriemer had been under fire for months amid allegations that she abused her position. |
| 0:25.9 | That included allegations of an affair involving a subordinate and drinking alcohol on the job. |
| 0:31.2 | She's denied any wrongdoing. |
| 0:33.4 | Chavez-Durremer is the third Trump cabinet member to leave after he fired Homeland Security Secretary Christy Noem in March and ousted Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this month. |
| 0:44.8 | Cash Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit today against the Atlantic Magazine over a story published on Friday titled, |
| 0:55.7 | The FBI Director is MIA. It alleges, quote, episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences by Patel. |
| 1:02.5 | His suit calls the article, quote, a sweeping, malicious and defamatory hit piece designed to |
| 1:08.0 | destroy Director Patel's reputation and drive him from office. |
| 1:11.6 | Both the Justice Department and the White House have denied the story's claims. |
| 1:15.6 | In response, a spokesperson for the Atlantic says it stands by its reporting, calling Patel's lawsuit meritless. |
| 1:22.6 | Today, mark the first day the businesses can submit refund requests for tariffs paid before |
| 1:29.1 | the Supreme Court ruled them unconstitutional two months ago. |
| 1:33.0 | The website run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection allows the more than 330,000 importers |
| 1:39.3 | who paid about $166 billion in tariffs to file for refunds with interest. Approved refunds will take 60 to 90 days |
| 1:48.2 | to be issued. But individual consumers who paid higher prices because of tariffs do not qualify |
| 1:54.2 | to get their money back. Police in North Carolina say at least two people were shot and killed |
| 2:00.5 | this morning in |
| 2:01.3 | Winston-Salem when several juveniles agreed to meet in a park to fight. |
| 2:06.2 | A total of seven people were shot, with injuries ranging from minor to critical. |
... |
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