By Logan Andrew | FreeWire
May 4, 2025 — It was a week defined by unrest, overreach, and unresolved grief. From courtrooms to city streets to a growing war on the press, here’s what you might’ve missed while trying to live your life like the world isn’t teetering on the edge.
A Father's Breaking Point in Cincinnati
It reads like fiction, but the heartbreak is real: One day after his teenage son was shot and killed by Cincinnati police, 38-year-old Rodney Hinton allegedly got into his car and drove it straight into a sheriff’s deputy — killing him on the spot. Authorities say it was retaliation. Hinton is now charged with aggravated murder, while his son Ryan's death remains under investigation.
It’s the kind of story that forces you to ask bigger questions: What happens when justice feels like a rigged game? What do grief and powerlessness do to a man? And how many more times do we have to watch the same cycle spin — heartbreak, protest, punishment — before something changes?
Trump Declares War on Public Media
Trump made it official this week: He’s cutting off funding to NPR and PBS, calling them "state-sponsored propaganda." The executive order targets the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which helps fund local stations across the country — including in the small towns and rural areas that arguably need them most.
This isn’t about saving money — the CPB is a drop in the federal budget bucket. It’s about control. If a media outlet doesn’t toe the line, Trump wants it silenced or defunded. First it was the New York Times. Then CNN. Now it’s Big Bird. Who’s next?
Voice of America Silenced by Design
While domestic press comes under fire, America’s global voice is fading too. Over 1,000 Voice of America employees were laid off earlier this year, and a court just blocked their return. The Trump administration claims it's about restructuring. Critics say it’s another purge — this time aimed at dismantling one of the last remaining tools of U.S. soft power abroad.
If the goal was to shrink America's credibility on the world stage, mission accomplished.
May Day Protests Light Up U.S. Cities
Thousands took to the streets this week for May Day demonstrations, waving signs that read “Hands Off Our Rights,” “Defend the Press,” and “Workers Deserve Better.” From Seattle to Chicago to Brooklyn, the energy felt different — angrier, more urgent.
This wasn’t just a protest. It was a temperature check. And the country? Still running a fever.
Trump’s Budget: Guns Over Butter
The White House dropped its proposed budget, and it’s exactly what you’d expect: $1 trillion for the Pentagon, deep cuts to education, healthcare, and environmental programs, and — in what feels like performance art — a full-blown military parade in the works for Trump's 79th birthday.
The theme? “Peace Through Strength.” The subtext? “Vote or else.”
Markets Watch the Fed, Nervously
Despite a modest recovery streak, Wall Street is still twitchy from last month’s tariff blitz. With the Fed meeting next week, investors are holding their breath for signs of a rate cut. Inflation fears have cooled a bit, but confidence remains shaky — especially with D.C. lurching from press attack to press conference every other hour.
Gold is up. Tech is down. And no one knows what the hell is coming next.
Foreign Policy Grab Bag
- Mexico said “no thanks” to a U.S. troop proposal aimed at fighting cartels — a reminder that not every country wants American boots solving problems made worse by American guns.
- Ukraine inked a critical minerals deal with the U.S., giving American firms long-term access to rare resources in exchange for infrastructure investment. The agreement bypasses Congress and pulls the U.S. deeper into Ukraine’s future.
- Historians are fuming after Trump’s 250th anniversary commission released education guidelines that minimize slavery and glorify colonialism. Early drafts of textbooks reportedly feature the phrase “patriotic history” more than twenty times in a single chapter.
Quick Hits
- A mass shooting at a Houston family party leaves 1 dead, 14 injured.
- Sovereignty wins the Kentucky Derby. Journalism places second — no, really.
- SpaceX employees vote to incorporate a new Texas town called “Starbase.”
- Trump posts an AI-generated image of himself as the Pope. His base eats it up. Critics call it deranged cosplay.
Trump, in full papal regalia, points confidently toward the PayPal QR code of Bucyrus’ finest independent news outlet. “Everyone’s saying it — FreeWire’s the best. Better than the failing New York Times. Way better. Tremendous reporting.”
If you’re wondering why it all feels a bit surreal — you’re not alone. Stay grounded, stay informed, and stay loud.
