AMNA NAWAZ: Good evening.

I'm Amna Nawaz.

GEOFF BENNETT: And I'm Geoff Bennett.

On the "News Hour" tonight: Pope# Francis pass.. leaving behind a legacy of change# and a reshaped Catholic Church.

AMNA NAWAZ: The secretary of defense faces# mounting calls to resign after new reports## of his sending attack details# on a commercial messaging app.

GEOFF BENNETT: And the U.S. Supreme Court# hears a challenge to the Affordable Care Act's## requirement that private insurance# companies cover preventive care.

AMY HOWE, SCOTUSblog.com: If you# take away this no-cost access,## the people are much less likely to get# these screenings and to take this medicine.

(BREAK) GEOFF BENNETT: Welcome to the "News Hour."

The world is mourning the death of Pope Francis,## who passed away at his residence this# Easter Monday.

Throughout his papacy,## he was often hailed and sometimes criticized# for his efforts to reshape the Catholic Church.

AMNA NAWAZ: His death comes one day after# the pope greeted crowds and delivered a## short message on Easter Sunday.

The Vatican# said his death was caused by a cerebral stroke## that led to a coma and irreversible# heart failure.

He was 88 years old.

Across the globe, reactions have# poured in remembering Pope Francis.

(BELLS RINGING) AMNA NAWAZ: Bells rang in St. Peter's Square today## and mourners quickly gathered to# mark the death of Pope Francis.

JAMIL BEROUD, Dutch Citizen: He was not# only a pope for the religious people,## but also for the nonbelievers and for the poor,## he was important and he was open-minded and had# attention for the environment and for cultures.

MARIA SILVIA TARSIA, Rome Resident (through# translator): It's a great disappointment,## a great loss, a man who has innovated the# church and a man who has left a great mark.

AMNA NAWAZ: Catholic Churches held services in# honor of Francis, the first Jesuit pope and the## first from Latin America.

Many praised his efforts# to steer the church in a more inclusive direction.

FATHER CAMILLE ESIKA, Rector of Notre Dame du# Congo Parish (through translator): It's truly## a feeling of sadness..

He was truly a pope we had the# chance to meet, to approach.

AMNA NAWAZ: Flags were lowered in# many countries, including the U.S.,## where President Trump spoke during the# annual Easter egg roll at the White House.

DONALD TRUMP, President of the United# States: I just signed an executive order## putting the flags of our country, all of# them, all federal flags and state flags,## at half-mast in honor of Pope Francis.

So, he# was a good man, worked hard.

He loved the world.

AMNA NAWAZ: In Brazil and in# Argentina, where the pope was born,## a week of mourning began.

Leaders# around the world paid tribute.

EMMANUEL MACRON, French President (through# translator): Throughout his pontificate, he stood## alongside the most vulnerable, the most fragile,# with great humility and a very special sense in## these times of war and brutality, a very special# sense of the other and of the most fragile.

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, Mexican President (through# translator): Pope Francis was a humanist,## a man who was always close to the humblest,# to the poor, so it is a painful loss.

AMNA NAWAZ: Many religious leaders spoke# of his compassion and his outreach.

The## archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy# Dolan, said the timing was striking.

CARDINAL TIMOTHY DOLAN, Archbishop of New York:# You couldn't choreograph it any better than what## happened, the last time we saw him, Easter# Sunday, the last words of blessed Easter,## as he gave us his blessing.

The way he lived# and the way he died, he was a great teacher.

AMNA NAWAZ: Francis' 12-year-long papacy was in# many ways a remarkable one, working in service## to the church until the very day before# he died.

Pope Francis sought to focus more## explicitly on social justice, on climate change,# and addressing the most marginalized in society.

GEOFF BENNETT: But he also faced pressure# for actions that some say fell short of his## public remarks, undercut commitments,# or went too far for some Catholics.

Stephanie Sy has a look back at his life and work.

STEPHANIE SY: He was a symbol of change# and hope for the Catholic Church.

(CHANTING) STEPHANIE SY:#In March of 2013, Bishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio of#Argentina was elected pontiff at the age of 76.

POPE FRANCIS, Leader of Catholic Church# (through translator): Thank you so much## for your welcome.

Please pray for me.

STEPHANIE SY: He was a disrupter from the outset,# the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere,## the first Jesuit pope, and the first# to choose the papal named Francis,## after the saint who renounced# his privilege to follow God.

It was fitting for a man who, even as archbishop# of Buenos Aires, lived in a modest apartment and## rode the bus.

Francis followed the late Pope# Benedict XVI, the first pope to resign in## 600 years.

Unlike his scholarly predecessor,# Francis was known for his pastoral approach,## says Natalia Imperatori-Lee, who runs the# Religious Studies Department at Manhattan College.

NATALIA IMPERATORI-LEE, Manhattan College:## He is committed to what is# known as the signs of the times.

And Francis, with his papal priorities, the# climate, migration, has really sort of looked at## the world as it is, right, the grief of the world,# the hope of the world, the joys of the world,## and the anxieties of the world, and thought,# how can the church bring attention to this?

STEPHANIE SY: Early in his pontificate,## Francis made the first of what would# become regular impromptu comments during## back-of-plane news conferences that would spark# headlines, this remark about homosexuality.

POPE FRANCIS (through translator):##If someone is ... searches for the#lord and has goodwill, who am I to judge?

STEPHANIE SY: He maintained homosexual# acts were sinful, but, for queer Catholics,## Francis signaled positive change and# he went farther than other popes,## formally allowing priests# to bless same-sex couples.

DAVID GIBSON, Fordham University Center# on Religion and Culture: In the end,## Pope Francis didn't really change.. but he said that we are all sinners.# He put everybody on the same level.

STEPHANIE SY: David Gibson, the director# of the Center on Religion and Culture at## Fordham University, says, when it# came to calling for urgent action,## climate change Francis called# the planet our common home.

DAVID GIBSON: That, if anything,# was his social justice priority,## because he believed so strongly in# a culture of life, but a culture of## all life.

He redefined pro-life as life# from moon to tomb, but around the planet.

STEPHANIE SY: Francis opened and expanded dialogue# on whether divorced and remarried Catholics## could partake in communion, on the morality of# contraception and on the role of women in church## leadership.

He ultimately dismissed the idea# of women becoming priests or deacons, but under## him the most recent church synod, traditionally a# summit of bishops, included laypeople and women.

That led in part to this thinly veiled# criticism by American Cardinal Raymond Burke.

CARDINAL RAYMOND BURKE, Former Vatican Official# (through translator): Today's bishops and## cardinals need a great deal of# courage to.. errors that come from within the church itself.

STEPHANIE SY: Francis sidelined# Burke and other dissenters.

DAVID GIBSON: Towards the end of his papacy,# Pope Francis was getting a bit fed up with the## conservative critics, especially those# based in the United States.

I mean,## they weren't just criticizing him.# They were saying he was an apostate,## saying he was a heretic.

They were setting# themselves up almost as anti-popes.

STEPHANIE SY: Francis inherited the sexual# abuse epidemic infecting the church, and,## like his predecessors, he fumbled his way# through it.

In early 2018, Francis visited Chile## to apologize for the sexual abuse of dozens of# minors over decades by Father Fernando Karadima.

POPE FRANCIS (through translator): I# cannot but manifest the pain and the## shame, shame that I feel for the irreparable# damage done to children by church ministers.

STEPHANIE SY: But his apology was overshadowed# by his defense of Bishop Juan Barros,## who had been accused of covering up the# abuse.

Francis told accusers they needed## to provide proof.

On the plane home,# he apologized, but the damage was real.

NATALIA IMPERATORI-LEE: His words really# hurt survivors in real ways.

It caused## material harm to them to not be believed# again at the highest levels of the church.

STEPHANIE SY: During his papacy,## he expanded rules for internal policing# and prosecuting sex abus.. Francis was welcomed by leaders near and far# on his papal missions.

On a trip to Canada,## he apologized for the Catholic Church's role# in the cultural genocide of indigenous tribes.## And, in 2015, he came to the U.S., where he# became the first pope to address Congress,## with a soaring vision of an# America united in compassion.

POPE FRANCIS: We must move forward together as one# in a renewed spirit of fraternity and solidarity,## cooperating generously for the common good.

STEPHANIE SY: He sought to elevate# the church's influence on moral## issues until the very end.

In an# open letter to American bishops,## he recently called the Trump administration's# mass deportation policy -- quote -- "a major## crisis that damages the dignity of many# men and women and of entire families."

The issue wasn't reported to have come up during# U.S. Vice President J.D.

Vance's brief meeting## with him on Sunday.

Vance, a Catholic, is the# last known world leader to have met with the pope.

After the meeting, Pope Francis spent# his final full day among the masses,## gathered at St. Peter's Square for Easter.# Whether Francis' approach and his efforts## to shift the church on some key issues will# continue to have impact is an open question.

DAVID GIBSON: Was Pope Francis a success?# The only way we can tell is who walks out## on the balcony as the next pope.

Will it be# somebody who continues that legacy, who walks## through the door that Pope Francis opened, or# is it somebody who's going to close that door?

STEPHANIE SY: Pope Francis died at the age of 88.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Stephanie Sy.

GEOFF BENNETT: The death of a pope and the# election of a new pontiff is adorned with## high ritual and elaborate ceremony, as these# passings and renewals have for centuries.

For more on how the church will celebrate# and mourn Francis and what comes next,## we're joined by special correspondent Malcolm# Brabant, who is in Rome for us tonight.

And so, Malcolm, how are people there# remembering and mourning Pope Francis tonight?

MALCOLM BRABANT:#Well, the -- it's midnight here in Rome# tonight, and so the atmosphere is rather serene.

Throughout the course of the day, thousands# of people have been traipsing into the Vatican## to pay their respects to a man who was# both a colossus and also a very humble,## kind of parish priest, even though he held# the highest office in the Catholic Church,## leading 1.4 billion Catholics around the world.

So there's a great sense of sorrow# that a great man has passed away,## and there's also a sense of admiration# for the courage that he has displayed## as he fought the illness over the past few# months, and the fact that he managed to eke## out his life to the most important date in the# Christian calendar, Easter, before giving that## blessing in St. Peter's just behind me yesterday,# saying that -- wishing people happy Easter.

And people felt very much that he# was saying goodbye to them.

And## so there's a great sense of loss, but not shock.

GEOFF BENNETT: Walk us through what comes next,## the timeline for the funeral and the# burial, and the church picking a successor.

MALCOLM BRABANT: What's going to happen# tomorrow is that cardinals from all## around the world are going to gather# to decide on the date of the funeral.

And that has to take place between up to six# days after his death was announced.

So we're## looking at possibly Friday, Saturday or Sunday.# The decision will be made tomorrow.

And then,## on Wednesday, the pope will be lying in# state until his funeral in the magnificent## cathedral behind me.

And millions# of people will -- are expected to## come and attend his funeral, as they# did at the last great funeral here.

And -- but there's absolutely no# guarantee, though, that his final## wishes will be respected.

He has said in# his will that he wishes to be buried in a## very simple grave in a church called Saint# Mary Maggiore, which is a basilica outside## of the Vatican.

He wants to be buried in a very# simple tomb just with -- just Franciscus on it.

And this is a very special place.

It's# a place that possesses a piece of wood## from Jesus' manger in Bethlehem.

So it's# a very -- it's a very sort of relatively## humble place compared to the Vatican behind# me, where so many more popes are buried.

GEOFF BENNETT: Malcolm Brabant# in Rome for us tonight.

Malcolm, thank you.

AMNA NAWAZ: And for some more perspective# on the life and legacy of Pope Francis,## we turn now to Reverend Thomas Reese, senior# analyst for Religion News Service and author## of "Inside the Vatican: The Politics and# Organization of the Catholic Church."

Father Reese, welcome back to the# "News Hour."

Thanks for joining us.

REV.

THOMAS REESE, Religion News# Service: Good to be with you.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, Francis was a lot of firsts,# as we .. the first Latin American pope, the# first non-European pope and more## than a millennium.

How did all of those firsts# translate into his world view and how he led,## what he sought to do with his time in the papacy?

REV.

THOMAS REESE: Well, I think his background# really helped shape his papacy.

Coming from the## Global South, of course, he was very interested# in issues of justice and peace.

He was really## concerned about the impact of globalization poor# people around the world.

He was concerned about## migrants and refugees that had to flee from# war zones and poverty in the Global South.

And he was very concerned about how# they were treated when they came north.## So these are the kinds of things# that had an impact on him that## came from his personal background of# coming from the Global South itself.

AMNA NAWAZ: He was seen by many# as progressive to some degree,## but it's fair to say that even many liberals were# disappointed that he didn't break from previous## stances of the church on things like abortion# and birth control or women joining the clergy.

In a column today, though, you called him# revolutionary in every other way.

How so?

REV.

THOMAS REESE: Well, I think that's true.# He didn't change any doctrine, but he certainly## changed the culture of the church.

He hated# clericalism.

He told bishops and priests not## to act like princes, but to get down with their# people and listen to them and care for them.

He also was very happy with having debate# and discussion in the church.

That may have## come from his Jesuit background,# because, in the previous papacies,## if you didn't agree with the pope, you# were silenced.

You could lose your job## teaching in a seminary.

But he welcomed# discussion.

He was not afraid of having## that kind of open discussion, because he# felt that that was the way the church grew.

AMNA NAWAZ: He also stepped into the role just# as the Vatican was in a bit of disarray after## Pope Benedict had stepped down, who was the real# standard-bearer of Roman Catholic conservatism.

And Pope Francis really sought to steer the# church in a completely different direction.## How did that resonate with the rank and# file, with Catholics around the world?

REV.

THOMAS REESE: Well, Pope Francis# and Pope Benedict were very different## people.

Pope Benedict, of course,# was an academic.

He was a scholar,## a writer of books and a very complex theology.

Pope Francis was a pastor.

He liked to be# with the people.

He liked to communicate in## words that people could understand, not just# scholars.

He was able to reach out and touch## people in a way that I think had not been done for# a long time.

And that kind of pastoral approach,## that compassionate approach was something# that people found very attractive in him.

AMNA NAWAZ: When it comes to, of course,# the sexual abuse scandal that the church## was dealing with as well, after he had some early# missteps, Pope Francis really took bigger swings,## looking for accountability and trying to build# back some of that trust that had been lost.

In your view, how did he do on that# front?

Was he able to build that back?

REV.

THOMAS REESE: Nobody in the# church has been perfect on dealing## with the sex abuse crisis.

There was a lot# of ignorance.

There was a lot of stupidity.

And -- but I think Pope Francis# learned during his papacy.

For example,## he went to Chile and just blew it.# I mean, he just did not get it.

He## didn't believe the accusations that# were being made.

It's like somebody## makes accusations against your brother or# your uncle.

You find it incomprehensible.

But then, when he found out it was true,# boy, did he get mad.

And he made all of## the bishops in Chile submit their resignations.# He didn't accept them all, but he accepted some## of them.

And he started going after bishops and# saying, you protect your children or you're out.

And so that became a new tone in the Catholic# Church, which I think was very helpful.

AMNA NAWAZ: He did have his conservative critics,## and he demoted many of them in Vatican leadership# and restricted the use of the old Latin mass.

Are those conservative forces now pushing# for a return to that more traditional view?

REV.

THOMAS REESE: Yes, there are conservative# factions within the church that are pushing to## go back to before the Second Vatican# Council, to go back to the old church.

They're a small minority.

They're -- some of the# elites, conservative elites, are very vocal and## very loud in their criticism of Pope Francis.# But if you look at the public opinion polls,## 75 percent of Catholics have a favorable view# of Pope Francis.

Even Republican Catholics,## almost two-thirds of them have a# favorable view of Pope Francis.

I think that this is a minority# view and his legacy will endure.

AMNA NAWAZ: Well, the demographics of the# church have certainly changed quite a bit.## There are nearly 1.5 billion Catholics in the# world.

Roughly 80 percent of them are outside## of Europe, about half in the America's,# 20 percent in Africa, 10 percent in Asia.

What does that mean for the future of the# church and for what the next pope will inherit?

REV.

THOMAS REESE: Well, the word Catholic itself# means universal.

We are a big tent church.

We have## people from all cultures, all languages, all# areas of the world where there are Catholics.

So this means that we have to learn how to speak# and how to live together.

The Catholic Church## should be a model for the rest of society of how# people can come together, how they can discern## and pray and talk and have conversation and not# scream at each other, let alone kill each other.

The great thing that Pope Francis tried# to do with other religious leaders was## make religion a force for reconciliation# and peace in the world.

And I think we can## do that because the Catholic Church# is present everywhere in the world.

AMNA NAWAZ: That is the Reverend Thomas Reese# of Religion News Service joining us tonight.

Father Reese, always a pleasure to# speak with you.

Thank you so much.

REV.

THOMAS REESE: You're welcome.

Thank you.

GEOFF BENNETT: In the day's other headlines: Russian#President Vladimir Putin says fighting## has resumed in its war against Ukraine# after a 30-hour Easter truce ended.

Both## sides accused the other of violating# that cease-fire through the weekend.

In Kyiv, amid Easter gatherings, residents# expressed skepticism about the truce,## which Putin unilaterally declared.# For his part, President Putin,## who has been under pressure from the Trump# administration to show more willingness to## make peace with Ukraine, indicated Moscow# could be open to another longer cease-fire.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, Russian President (through# translator): As we have always said,## we look positively to any peace initiatives.# We hope that the represent.. regime will also feel the same way.

Overall,# still, there has been a reduction in activity.## We welcome that, and we are# ready to look at the future.

GEOFF BENNETT: This all comes# ahead of another round of talks## on Wednesday in London among U.S.,# Ukrainian, and European officials.

In the Middle East, U.S. airstrikes overnight in# Yemen's capital city killed at least 12 people and## wounded 30 more.

It is the latest in a monthlong# campaign of strikes against Houthi rebels for## their attacks on ships in the Red Sea and against# Israel.

The Houthis, who are affiliated with Iran,## say at least 200 people have been killed since# U.S. strikes in Yemen intensified in mid-March.

The strikes occur against the backdrop of# continuing U.S. talks with Iran over its## nuclear program.

The latest dialogue# on Saturday made very good progress,## according to the Trump administration.

Four House Democrats are in El Salvador# to advocate for Kilmar Abrego Garcia,## the Maryland man whom the Trump administration# acknowledges it deported there by mistake.## Progressive Caucus members Yassamin Ansari, Maxine# Dexter, Maxwell Frost, and Robert Garcia all## urged El Salvador to let Abrego Garcia# return.

Their trip was not taxpayer-funded.

On social media, Congresswoman Ansari## said the case has implications# beyond Abrego Garcia himself.

REP. YASSAMIN ANSARI (D-AZ): If# there's not due process for Kilmar,## there will be no due process for anyone.

We# want to make sure that the United States does## what it's supposed to do, follow the Supreme# Court of the United States, and release him.

GEOFF BENNETT: Last week, Maryland Senator# Chris Van Hollen also went to El Salvador## and unsuccessfully lobbied for Abrego Garcia's# release.

The White House has called the trips## by Democratic lawmakers an apology tour.

The# Trump administration has not complied with the## unanimous Supreme Court ruling ordering# it to facilitate Abrego Garcia's return.

Harvard this afternoon sued the Trump# administration over its recent decision## to freeze $2.2 billion of the university's# research funding.

That funding was halted## last week after Harvard became the first# major U.S. university to reject a list of## White House demands, including federal# audits of its programs and screening of## international students.

The administration has# also threatened Harvard's tax-exempt status.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed# to multiple news outlets that she had her purse## stolen while dining at a popular restaurant last# night in Washington, D.C.

Her bag contained $3,000## cash, as well as several forms of I.D., like her# driver's license, DHS access badge and passport.

The U.S. Secret Service, which# provides security for Noem,## says it reviewed security camera footage from# the night and has launched an investigation.

Scattered thunderstorms are rumbling across the# country tonight from Western New York all the way## to the Gulf Coast.

That's after severe storms this# Easter weekend brought tornadoes and flash floods## that killed at least three people in Oklahoma.# Across that state and in neighboring Missouri,## Arkansas and Texas, heavy winds tore# off roofs and toppled power lines.

Two to four inches of rain fell# in parts of Oklahoma this weekend## and more heavy rain is expected across# parts of the Central Plains this week.

In Orlando, Florida, all passengers and crew# aboard a Delta Air Lines flight are safe and## accounted for after one of the plane's engines# caught fire on the tarmac.

Cell phone video showed## flames spewing from the Atlanta-bound Airbus# shortly after it pushed away from the gate for## departure.

The nearly 300 passengers were forced# to evacuate using the emergency inflatable slides.

It's the latest in a string of incidents that# have raised questions about U.S. aviation safety.## Both Delta and the FAA say they are# investigating the cause of the fire.

And, on Wall Street, stocks were in freefall# today over investor concerns about President## Trump's tariffs and his recent threats to# fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.## The Dow dropped by nearly 1,000 points.# Both government bonds and the value of## the U.S. dollar were in retreat too.

The# Nasdaq plummeted by more than 400 points## and the S&P fell nearly 125, as all three# major indices lost more than 2 percent.

Still to come on the "NewsHour": Tamara Keith# and Amy Walter break down the latest political## headlines; and the Trump administration's# latest efforts to dismantle climate protections.

After a weekend of new revelations and headlines,## the White House today faced more questions# about Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

And## at least one Republican lawmaker# is now calling on him to resign.

Some of this is related to Hegseth's# use of the Signal messaging app to## text operational details of military action.

But our Lisa Desjardins joins us now to# report that is not the only issue here.

So, Lisa, that sets us up well.

Take us# through what has transpired in recent days.

LISA DESJARDINS: A lot to say, so I want to# be very clear.

Let's start with last Friday.

Now, on that day, that is when four top Pentagon# staffers in Hegseth's inner circle were suddenly## out.

That includes the top staffer, his chief# of staff there, who resigned from that job,## as Politico reported, and three others who# were just below that chief of staff level.## All have known him a long time, all accused# in the media of leaking and were fired.

Next, Sunday, The New York Times reported and# PBS has confirmed that Hegseth used a second## Signal chat in which he messaged sensitive# information about that Yemen attack.

And,## per our source, he included# in that chat his wife.

That## includes obviously a major breach# of security and secrecy protocols.

Then, also yesterday, Hegseth's# former top communications person,## his chief spokesperson, John Ullyot, wrote an# op-ed in Politico saying he needed to go.

Now,## if you read that op-ed, you# saw that Ullyot wrote that:## "The Pentagon is no longer focused on war# fighting, but on endless drama and chaos."

Ullyot is a Marine veteran, but# he's also a D.C. communications,## so him writing that op-ed is# highly unusual and significant.

GEOFF BENNETT: What are the White House and# Hegseth saying today in response to all of this?

LISA DESJARDINS: They are strongly# defending their defense chief.

They have said that -- in# fact, Hegseth himself spoke## this morning at the White House Easter egg roll.

PETE HEGSETH, U.S. Defense Secretary:# This is what the media does.

They take## anonymous sources from disgruntled# former employees, and then they## try to slash and burn people and ruin their# reputations.

It's not going to work with me,## because we're changing the Defense Department,# putting the Pentagon back in the hands of war## fighters.

And anonymous smears from disgruntled# former employees on old news doesn't matter.

LISA DESJARDINS: But it was not# anonymous, as we just reported.

His## former own communications chief and three# others have raised questions about this.

President Trump, however, said firmly today that# he has great confidence.

And I also want to point## out this from the White House press secretary,# who made this statement about Hegseth today: KAROLINE LEAVITT, White House# Press Secretary: The president## stands strongly behind Secre.. Pentagon.

And this is what happens when# the entire Pentagon is working against## you and working against the monumental# change that you are trying to implement.

LISA DESJARDINS: The entire Pentagon working# against you, obviously, that's hyperbole in one## sense, but it also is an incredible statement# from the White House about where they see the## problem and potentially who they see the# enemy is.

They're standing behind Hegseth,## but they're pointing out as the problem# being the entire rest of the Pentagon.

GEOFF BENNETT: And what's the impact of# all of this, based on your reporting?

LISA DESJARDINS: Right, a lot of# impact.

First, there's the job itself.

Scores of Democrats are calling for Hegseth to# resign, and that one Republican is Congressman## Don Bacon of Nebraska, who says it's time for him# to go.

Behind the scenes, I am told by those at## the Capitol with knowledge that they think the# next 24 to 48 hours are the critical zone here.

Now, of course, President Trump is in the driver's# seat here, regardless.

But those in the national## security sector say there are much greater# impacts potentially, that this is a signal to## our adversaries that perhaps it's an opportunity# for them to ramp up counterintelligence,## that there's problems here in the U.S. military# sector that they could take advantage of.

And, also, there's another issue here# that it sends a message potentially to## this military -- the military, where command and# conduct are everything.

We spoke to one expert## who's worked in the Defense Department, Kori# Schake from the American Enterprise Institute.

KORI SCHAKE, Former National Security Council# Staff Director: If anybody wearing an American## military uniform did what Secretary Hegseth has# done, they would be drummed out of the service.## They'd be lucky if they weren't court-martialed# and sent to prison for it.

And so the lack of## respect for the rules of the institution and# the culture of the institution is corrosive.

LISA DESJARDINS: There's a debate over whether# the Signal chat was worthy of a court-martial,## but everyone I spoke to today said, yes,## there would be severe consequences# by anyone else in the military.

Now, Schake also said, no agency responds# more quickly to political directives than the## Pentagon.

So, blaming the Pentagon for being# unresponsive does not really click with her.## One more thing for the staff turnover, one# former U.S. defense official that I spoke## with told me that, when there's uncertainty# at the top of the Pentagon, it could cascade.

So the issue now for Hegseth is whether# he can quell all of this uncertainty,## all of this seeming kind of turmoil# around him in time to save his job## and also to make sure there's# no problems at the Pentagon.

GEOFF BENNETT: Lisa Desjardins, thank you so# much for this reporting.

We appreciate it.

LISA DESJARDINS: You're welcome.

AMNA NAWAZ:#The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments today in#the latest challenge to the Affordable Care Act## that could upend a key provision, at issue, the# constitutionality of a task force that recommends## what preventive care treatments should be covered# by private insurance with no cost to patients.

And it could have wide-ranging# impacts on everything from cancer## screening to HIV prevention medicine# to counseling for expectant mothers.

Following it all is Amy Howe,# co-founder of SCOTUSblog.

Good to see you again, Amy.

AMY HOWE, SCOTUSblog.com: Thanks for having me.

AMNA NAWAZ: So before we jump# into the details of th.. just remind us who's behind this case and# how did it end up before the Supreme Court?

AMY HOWE: So the plaintiffs in this case# are a couple of individuals and a couple## of businesses who object to the requirement# that health insurers provide coverage at no## cost for what's known as PrEP, pre-exposure# prophylaxis medicine, which are medicines## that can help prevent the spread of HIV# and are highly effective at doing so.

They have religious objections because they say## that these medicines encourage same-sex# relationships and intravenous drug use.## So they went to federal court challenging the# requirements, arguing, among other things,## that the structure of this task force violates the# Constitution's Appointments Clause, which requires## officers of the United States to be nominated# by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

And the lower courts agreed with them.# So the Biden administration came to## the Supreme Court asking the justices# to weigh in.

The justices heard oral## arguments today.

The Trump administration is# now defending the structure of the task force.

AMNA NAWAZ: So I want to underline that# point here.

The Trump administration is## now defending part of the Affordable# Care Act, also known as Obamacare,## after working to undo it for# years.

What is their argument?

AMY HOWE: So their argument is that# these are what we call inferior## officers who don't need to be appointed by# the president and confirmed by the Senate,## because the secretary of health and human# services right now, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,## can remove these task force members at# any time and exercise control over the## task force's recommendations, so that they don't# become binding essentially without his saying so.

AMNA NAWAZ: So they're fighting for him to keep## the authority to be able to# do that with the task force?

And what is at stake# here when it comes to this ruling?

AMY HOWE: Yes.

So, it's -- public health groups are on the same#side as the Trump administration in this case,## and they say that having these different kinds of# medicines and screenings available at no cost has## been really important in helping to spread -- stop# the spread of all kinds of diseases and promote## public health, because they say# having these available at no## cost really encourages people to get them,# that if you take away this no-cost access,## the people are much less likely to get# these screenings and to take this medicine.

AMNA NAWAZ: And some 150 million Americans have# private health insurance in the country too.

So, as you're listening to today's arguments,## what stood out to you?

Did you get a sense of# which way the justices are leaning on this?

AMY HOWE: It's always difficult.

You want# to take these things with a grain of salt## to predict based on the oral argument, but it did# seem like there was a majority of the justices,## including some of the conservative justices# like Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett,## who seemed inclined to say that these# task force members don't have to be## nominated by the president and confirmed by# the Senate, to leave the task force as it is.

There may be some questions that go back to# the lower courts about exactly whether -- some## statutory questions and then some questions about# what happens to some of the recommendations that## the task force made between 2010, when# the Obamacare was enacted, and 2023.

And those are not insignificant# questions, but the justices right## now seemed inclined to rule for the Trump# administration and not for the challengers.

AMNA NAWAZ: And we will wait and see, of course.

While we have you, I want to ask you about# big issue before the court... administration's deportation flights.

There# was a ruling on Saturday from the court that## essentially pauses those flights for now.# But one of the two justices who dissented,## that's Justice Samuel Alito, said that the# ruling was hastily and prematurely granted.

How do you look at that?

Why# did they rule on this now?

AMY HOWE: Well, we don't know for sure,# because the justices didn't provide any## reasoning for their order.

And that# was another thing that Justice Alito## sort of lamented in his dissent# that came out on Saturday night.

But it seemed like they were concerned# about the prospect that detainees## could be removed from this Northern# District of Texas, and in particular,## this Bluebonnet detention facility in Anson,# Texas, to El Salvador, or somewhere else,## out of the country without the detainees having# the kind of notice and opportunity to challenge## their removal that the Supreme Court said in# an order on April 7 that they were entitled to.

And the detainees' lawyers filed a reply# brief today.

And in that reply brief,## which was filed around 5:30 this morning, they# said, this was not a false alarm.

There is a## video and it had been reports that there were,# in fact, buses heading towards the airport## that turned around after we made# our filing in the Supreme Court.

AMNA NAWAZ: Two big cases we know you will# keep track of and come back to update us.

That is Amy Howe, co-founder of# SCOTUSblog, joining us tonight.

Thank you.

AMY HOWE: Thank you.

AMNA NAWAZ:#The Trump administration's deportation# agenda is causing some fractures among## Democrats as they consider if and how to respond.

For analysis of that and the other headlines,# we turn now to our Politics Monday team.

That## is Amy Walter of The Cook Political Report# With Amy Walter and Tamara Keith of NPR.

Great to see you both.

AMY WALTER, The Cook Political# Repo.. AMNA NAWAZ: So when we.. Van Hollen last week.

It was right# before he was allowed to meet with## the Maryland man who was deported to# El Salvador, Kilmar Abrego Garcia.## He was mistakenly deported by the Trump# administration, by their own admission.

And, as you both see, how Democrats handle this# issue, whether they even touch it has divided## some in the party.

Here's how California# Governor Gavin Newsom framed it recently.

GOV.

GAVIN NEWSOM (D-CA): This is the distraction# of the day.

This is the debate they want.## This is their 80/20 issue, as they have described# it, you know, those that believe in the rule of## law defending it.

But it's a tough case, because# people, really, are they defending MS-13?

AMNA NAWAZ: And here now is how Senator Van# Hollen responded on Sunday's "Meet the Press."

SEN. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D-MD): I don't# think it's ever wrong to stand up for## the Constitution.

And this is not about one# man.

I think Americans are tired of elected## officials or politicians who are all finger# to the wind.

And anybody who can't stand up## for the Constitution and the right of# view process doesn't deserve to lead.

AMNA NAWAZ: Amy, what does all of this say# to you about where Democrats are right now?

AMY WALTER: Right.

Well, where Senator Van Ho.. are sitting today, which is they# are frustrated with what they see## is ineffective and inadequate response to Donald# Trump and many of the actions that he's taken.

When you hear from Gavin Newsom, what he's# saying, the governor of California, is,## look, just talk about the economy.# That's where we're winning.

Donald## Trump's numbers are really bad on the# economy.

They're good on immigration.

But the whole issue is really how you ask the# question on immigration and where the fight## ultimately -- what the fight ultimately# ends up being about.

If you ask voters,## do you think Donald Trump's doing a good# job on the economy (sic), generally, yes,## he gets positive marks there, much higher# than he is getting right now in the economy.

But when you ask specifically about some of# the things either that he's doing or saying## that he's doing, including one that# asks the question, do you think that## he should be able to deport people if# a court order tells him to stop it,## overwhelming majority say, no, he# shouldn't be allowed to do that.

So the question now is where this fight is# happening.

Is it happening about the rule of law,## where Democrats would like it to be?

Or is it# where Donald Trump thinks he is the strongest,## believes he has a mandate, which# is it's going to be about being## able to deport criminals, and in# the election in 2020 -- or 2024,## this was the issue that constantly# brought me back into contention.

AMNA NAWAZ: Tam, how do you see it?

TAMARA KEITH, National Public Radio:# Ye.. nuanced case that is being fought# in an environment without nuance.

And so you have the Trump White House very happily# having this fight.

The RNC earlier today sent out## a thing calling, DEMS-13 or whatever, saying that# Democrats support gang members, and the Trump## White House has labeled them terrorists.

They# aren't just gang members.

They're terrorists.

And so that is ground that the White House is# happy to have a fight on.

And they argue that## Abrego Garcia is not a perfect person.

And,# in fact, Democrats, I think, would concede## that often the people that get deserved due# process aren't necessarily perfect people.

And so Democrats, though, are in a place# where they are having to make an argument## about due process and the Constitution# when, as Amy says, the last election,## lots of people made arguments about# the Constitution.

But those arguments## ultimately were not as salient as# arguments about be very worried## about the state of your country and be very# worried about the state of your pocketbook.

AMNA NAWAZ: Yes, on the related# issue here that Tam raises, Amy,## the Supreme Court did have to step in on a related# case about immigration.

It is temporarily blocking## deportations President Trump is carrying# out under that wartime Alien Enemies Act,## which feeds this bigger question around# President Trump versus the courts,## the question of, is he abiding, will# he continue to comply by court orders?

We hear a lot about this# from constitutional law experts and from## Democrats.

Is that the kind of thing# Americans are paying attention to?

AMY WALTER: Well, no, because not even# constitutional law experts can agree on## what exactly the line is between a constitutional# crisis and a constitutional challenge, right?

Are we at a boiling point?

Are we sort# of simmering?

Is the pot now completely## blowing up?

Where I think it comes down# to voters, that the question really,## as I said, is at what point do# these stories tend to break through?

And this is where this is something of a gamble# that Trump is taking, which is he believes that## because this person who was sent to El Salvador# shouldn't have been sent there by the law,## he's not a perfect person, voters are going# to side with him, and that all the people who## are getting deported are going to -- or many# of the people getting deported may fall into## similar categories, where it's going to be hard# to make the case that these are perfect people.

But if you start to see more# and more, and we're seeing it,## conservative legal scholars and# others and judges come out and say,## this is a rule of law issue, that may change# perceptions of Trump on this very issue.

In 2017, he wasn't that popular# on immigration.

He's more popular today on it.

TAMARA KEITH: Yes, in a sense, he has# moved public opinion on immigration,## as he has on some other things.

But one issue -- and# I think this overlaps with some of## the other things -- is, this was sort of sloppy.

They admitted they made a mistake.

AMNA NAWAZ: In the deportation.

TAMARA KEITH: In the deportation.

And# th.. there are other instances of people who# are in that prison in El Salvador where## their lawyers are saying, hey,# wait, this wasn't a gang member.

AMY WALTER: Right.

TAMARA KEITH: So, in.. but could they be a little less sloppy# about it, are they carrying out their policy## in a way that's effective, if the narrative# becomes more about chaos than about efficient## implementation of the law, then that could# also become a problem for the White House.

AMNA NAWAZ: And, Tam, speaking of chaos, this# reported chaos, according to some people,## I want to pick up where Lisa's earlier reporting# left off, which is the scrutiny and the questions## around the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, now# that it's been revealed he used that unsecure## messaging app, a commercial messaging app, to# again share sensitive military information.

You now have a Republican member of Congress, Don# Bacon, stepping in, saying -- suggesting at least## that Mr. Hegseth should step down, calling him an# amateur.

What do you expect to see happen next?

TAMARA KEITH: I think we could hear from other# Republicans in Congress.

We could also have a## rallying around Mr. Hegseth.

At this point, the# White House is, at least publicly, digging in,## though the caveat I will deliver that I have# delivered many times before is that people have## President Trump's full and total support until# they don't.

And that can happen very quickly.

And if he becomes more of# a problem than it's worth,## then the president could easily change his mind.

AMNA NAWAZ: This is another one of those stories,## very nuanced in its details# in a nuanced environment.

Is this the kind of# thing resonating with people?

AMY WALTER: Well, I do think it goes# back to that issue of chaos, right?

Does it look like the administration's is# tackling things deliberately, decisively,## or it looks sort of haphazard?

I think the# other difference between this case and,## say, other times in Trump's first# administration where there were personnel## challenges is that this is coming# basically from inside the house, right?

It's loyalist on loyalist versus sort of# the never-Trump faction or the establishment## faction against the Trump loyalists.

So this# makes it, I think, even a little harder for## Hegseth to hold on because many of the people# coming out against him and arguing that he## should be let go are those who are also loyal# to Trump and had supported Hegseth in the past.

AMNA NAWAZ: We will see where it goes next.

Amy Walter, Tamara Keith, always# great to see you both.

Thank you.

TAMARA KEITH: Good to see you.

AMY WALTER: You're welcome.

GEOFF BENNETT:#Earth Day is tomorrow, one of the key# events in the environmental movement.

It comes as a federal judge has# temporarily blocked the EPA from## canceling $14 billion in climate grants# approved by the Biden administration,## marking a setback to President Trump's agenda to# freeze climate spending across the government.

As part of our Tipping Point series, William# Brangham spoke recently with a leading## environmentalist about the opposition# to Mr. Trump's plan for the climate.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: 2024 was# the hottest year on record,## capping a decade where almost every year# broke the previous year's record high.

Carbon emissions, which help drive that# warming, are also at record levels.## President Trump and his administration argue# that this is not a problem and that trying to## address it only hurts the economy and puts the# U.S. at a competitive disadvantage.

On his first## day in office, president trump withdrew# the U.S. from the Paris climate accord.

He's tried to freeze billions in funding for clean# energy projects, wants to boost coal production## and declared a -- quote -- "national energy# emergency" to increase domestic fossil fuels.

While Trump's actions face legal challenges,# environmentalists are sounding the alarm.## And among them is Bill McKibben.

He's the# author of several books on climate change,## the founder of the grassroots# climate campaign called 350.org,## and Third Act, which organizes older# Americans to work on climate justice.

Bill McKibben, great to have you on the program.

What are some of your greatest immediate# concerns about the Trump administration?

BILL MCKIBBEN, Environmentalist: Well, William,## we're seeing an incredible rollback pretty much of# all environmental regulation dati.. We're coming up on the 55th# anniversary of Earth Day,## and it was in the immediate aftermath of that# we started basically regulating pollution,## and now we're deregulating pollution of# all kinds.

The most serious consequences## are what's happening around climate and# energy, and they're serious for two reasons.

One, as you say, the planet is getting# hotter and hotter and hotter all the## time.

March was the hottest March we have# ever measured on this planet.

And, two,## we're making a series of extremely# foolish choices about energy.## We're the only place in the world that's decided# that somehow coal is the future of the planet.

And we're going to have our lunch# eaten by the rest of the world,## which has quite rightly figured out that sun# and wind and the batteries to store their## power when the sun goes down or the wind# drops are the cheapest, cleanest, easiest,## fastest way forward.

So, on both counts,# we're making just the most savage mistakes.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: It also seems the# administration is defunding a lot of the## scientific investigation into climate change# and how it might play out into the future.

BILL MCKIBBEN: Yes, we have -- look, the U.S.# was the place where we first understood what## was happening.

We were the first people to# measure carbon in the atmosphere.

The people## that built the computer models that helped us# gave us the warnings about what was coming.

And those are precisely the programs that are# now being chopped off.

Even the programs where## we measure the amount of carbon in the atmosphere# or the temperature of the Earth are under assault,## as if, by not measuring it, it might go# away.

But that's not how physics works.

There are a series of questions, a series# of issues where people can differ in their## opinions.

And I'm at odds with the Trump# administration about many issues.

But this## isn't a question of opinions.

This is# a question of physics and of chemistry,## well-understood physics and chemistry.

And# willfully blinding ourselves to it is -- has## to rank high on the list of dumbest# things that governments have ever done.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: What about the argument that# this administration makes that the concerns about## climate change and the impacts it will have on our# world are, they argue, exaggerated or overblown## or so far in the distance that to exert energy# and money to address them is an enormous cost?

BILL MCKIBBEN: Tell that, first of all,# to the good people of Los Angeles, say,## who watched large parts of their city burn# after the hottest, driest weather on record.

But then also go talk to the people in# the insurance industry who are canceling## policies up and down, East and West# across this country because climate## change has so scrambled their ability to# predict what's going to happen that they## can no longer figure out how to make# a going business of writing insurance.

If you don't think that's an economic drag on us# going forward, you haven't paid much attention to## how capitalism works.

Insurance is an absolutely# key part of where we are.

The real bottom line,## though, is that we could be making huge positive# steps right now.

We live on a planet where, as of## three or four years ago, the cheapest way to make# power is to point a sheet of glass at the sun.

The solar cell, an American invention at Bell# Labs in 1954 is the most important piece of## technology on the planet.

But right at the# moment, we're ceding all that to the Chinese,## who are building something like two-thirds# of all the clean energy on planet Earth.## They're going to own the future and# we're going to have some coal mines.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: The administration's argues# that all of the talk about the harms that climate## change is causing and will cause into the future# is exaggerated and that that is what is driving## this climate anxiety documented among the young# people of this world.

What do you say to that?

BILL MCKIBBEN: I spend a lot of time with# young people.

And what I find makes them## anxious is the fact that nobody in# authority now is doing anything to## address what's an obvious -- obviously# the biggest danger facing their future.

They're not stupid.

You can't wish this away.# They have been studying physics and chemistry## in school.

What they want is people in leadership# to stand up and show them that they take seriously## what scientists are saying.

We got a warning from# science.

We got it in time to act.

So far, we have## ignored that warning.

And that is truly,# truly sad, and it should make us anxious.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: All right, that is# Bill McKibben of 350.org and Third Act.

Always great to talk to you.

Thank you so much.

BILL MCKIBBEN: William, a great pleasure.

AMNA NAWAZ: And that is the "News# Hour" for tonight.

I'm Amna Nawaz.

GEOFF BENNETT: And I'm Geoff Bennett.

For all of us here at the "PBS News..