Am I a propagandist?

A truth teller.

An influencer?

There's probably no more contested profession in the world today than mine, journalism.

I'm Brian Reed, and on my show, Question Everything,

we dive head first into the conflicts we're all facing over truth and who gets to tell it.

Listen now to Question Everything, part of the NPR Podcast Network.

Thank you. tell it. Listen now to question everything. Part of the NPR podcast network. In 1970, the public pressure to address unchecked pollution across the U.S. reached President

Richard Nixon. An Ohio River burst into flames, smog was stifling

cities, and smelly contaminated water rose from the Potomac River. The unavoidable reality was the reason

for the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. Now the Trump administration is making

deep cuts to the department. Trump's EPA administrator, Lee Zeldon, says he wants to cut 65% of the agency's budget.

In 2024, EPA awarded and spent over $63 billion.

In 2025, we're going to massively reduce that.

To accomplish our core mission and power the great American

comeback, it actually only requires less than 35% of that total. We don't want the extra money,

and we don't need it. The EPA has already slashed jobs at the Environmental Justice Office,

which addresses disproportionate environmental and health

effects on minority and low-income populations. The agency is now bracing for more cuts with news

of the scientific research team, soon hitting the chopping block. The administration has already

rolled back regulations, frozen funds, and made larger climate policy changes like pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement.

So what's next for environmental policy in the U.S.? We get to it after the break. I'm Jen White.

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