The search for Vance Luther Boelter, the FBI-wanted man who is suspected of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses at their residences in the early hours of Saturday morning, has entered its second day.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension reports that Boelter was last seen on Saturday morning in Minneapolis, after the shootings, wearing a light-colored cowboy hat, a dark long-sleeve shirt, and light pants while carrying a dark cross-body bag.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in an attack at their residence in Brooklyn Park in the early hours of Saturday morning. A short while before, state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, had been targeted at their home in nearby Champlin. They were shot multiple times, but survived the attack. They have since received surgeries and are recovering in hospital.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz referred to the attacks of the Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses as acts of “targeted political violence.”
Per the FBI, the suspect was impersonating a police officer when he carried out the assaults. Additional reports suggest he may have been wearing a realistic-looking latex mask.
“We would ask the public, if you do locate [Boelter], to call 911. Do not approach him. You should consider him armed and dangerous,” superintendent Drew Evans said in a press conference on Saturday evening.
The FBI has placed Boelter on its Most Wanted List, attaching a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
When officers searched a fake police vehicle, believed to have been used by the suspect, on site near Hortman’s residence, they found a “manifesto,” which named a number of local lawmakers and organizations (including Hoffman and Hortman). This has led to fears the suspect may have additional targets in mind.
Read More: FBI Offers $50k Reward in Hunt for Man Suspected of Killing Minnesota Lawmaker and Her Husband
Here is what we know about Boelter as the manhunt continues.
The FBI has released biographical information to aid in the manhunt for Boelter.
Boelter was born on July 23, 1967, making him 57 years old. He’s described as having gray hair and brown eyes. He stands at 6 ft. 1 in. and weighs about 220 lb.
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat and friend of Hortman, has said the authorities believe that Boelter is still in the “vicinity” of the Midwest.
“He may be [in Minnesota]. They’ve also put an alert out in South Dakota,” Klobuchar said on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday. “When I [say] vicinity, I mean in the Midwest.”
Authorities have said that border patrol, TSA, and other transportation authorities remain on high alert about Boelter, in case he attempts to flee.
Boelter and Hoffman worked together in some capacity on the Governor’s Workforce Development Board. In a press conference, superintendent Evans was asked about the nature of the relationship between Boelter and Hoffman.
“There’s certainly some overlap with some public meetings with Sen. Hoffman and the individual, but we don’t know the nature of the relationship or if they actually knew each other,” Evans said.
It’s unclear if the suspect had previously crossed paths with state Rep. Hortman or her husband.
When officers arrived on the scene at Hortman’s residence, they spotted a fake police vehicle. When law enforcement eventually searched the SUV, they found a “manifesto” marked with 70 names of lawmakers and organizations. Hoffman and Hortman were named.
The list reportedly included several different lawmakers across Minnesota, the Midwest, and the Capitol, as well as locations for Planned Parenthood.
Superintendent Evans has said it would be “premature” to comment with any certainty on the motivation of the attacks based on the writing alone.
The authorities have sent extra security to those that they believe are in harm’s way with the suspect still at-large.
On Meet the Press, Klobuchar said that more security had been added to her team.
“It was politically-motivated, and there clearly was some through line with abortion because of the groups that were on the list, and other things that I’ve heard were in this manifesto,” Klobuchar said.
In an interview with NPR, Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith, a Democrat, said she was on the manifesto list and that she is currently working closely with Capitol Police and local law enforcement.
There was also “No Kings” flyers, in reference to the protests that took place across the U.S. on Saturday. As a result, police urged the public not to attend the Minnesota “No Kings” demonstration. Despite the organizers canceling the event, large crowds still showed up.
Boelter’s known address was a home in Minneapolis, of which Brooklyn Park and Champlin—the locations of the attacks—are suburbs. The Police conducted a search of the home on Saturday.
David Carlson, a friend of Boelter, is quoted as telling CNN affiliate KARE that Boelter texted his friends in the lead-up to the shootings.
“I just wanna let you know that I love you guys and I wish it hadn’t gone this way. I don’t wanna say anything more and implicate you in any way because you guys don’t know anything about this, but I love you guys and I’m sorry for all the trouble this has caused,” the text reportedly said.
A LinkedIn page that seemingly belongs to Boelter states he has a doctorate in educational leadership and a master’s of science in management from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee. The prefix “Dr.” is used across his online profiles.
That LinkedIn profile puts Boelter as the CEO of the Red Lion Group, a self-described security services company.
Boelter also appears to be listed as “director of security patrols” for Praetorian Guard Security Services, which is described on the company’s website as a security firm that provides residential security patrols, event security services, and uniformed security. The company also describes how it “drives the same make and model of vehicles that many police departments use in the U.S.”
Boelter appears to be an Evangelical Christian, who has delivered testimonials in Africa.
In one video reviewed by TIME, a man that resembles a strong likeness to Boelter can be seen criticizing the LGBTQ+ community, saying: “There’s people, especially in America, they don’t know what sex they are, they don’t know their sexual orientation, they’re confused. The enemy has gotten so far into their mind and their soul.”
Six years ago, a post on the LinkedIn profile believed to belong to Boelter urged people to vote, though it did not specify who people should vote for.
Around 700 Marines are deploying to the Los Angeles area to protect federal buildings and law enforcement in the wake of protests over the Trump Administration’s immigration raids.
The troops will join the thousands of National Guard members who were already activated by President Donald Trump over the weekend without the consent of California’s governor Gavin Newsom.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]“If I didn’t ‘SEND IN THE TROOPS’ to Los Angeles the last three nights, that once beautiful and great City would be burning to the ground right now, much like 25,000 houses burned to the ground in L.A. due to an incompetent Governor and Mayor,” Trump posted on Truth Social Tuesday morning, referring to the January wildfires that were caused by dry conditions and strong winds.
Read more: Inside Donald Trump’s Mass-Deportation Operation
The deployment of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines—based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif.—marks the first time in over three decades that Marines have been mobilized inside the United States to respond to civil unrest. Their presence represents a striking escalation of federal involvement in what began as local protests over immigration enforcement.
Asked if he would invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely used 1792 statute allowing the president to use the military to suppress domestic unrest, Trump told reporters Tuesday that “if there’s an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it. We’ll see. But I can tell you, last night was terrible. The night before that was terrible.”
Trump has not invoked the Insurrection Act. Instead, he is relying on a broader presidential authority to protect federal property. Legal experts say that distinction may ultimately determine whether the deployments are deemed lawful. The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 prohibits the use of the military for domestic law enforcement without specific legal authorization—a principle the Trump Administration insists it is not violating, since the Marines will not be arresting or directly interacting with protesters.
“There were certain areas of Los Angeles” on Monday night that “you could have called it an insurrection,” Trump said. “It was terrible.”
The estimated cost of deploying the National Guard and the Marines to the Los Angeles area is $134 million, according to Bryn MacDonnell, a top Pentagon official testifying before the House on Tuesday.
While the Marines are expected to avoid direct engagement with demonstrators, the symbolism of active-duty troops patrolling the streets of Los Angeles has reignited deep political tensions and legal debates over the limits of federal power. The Marines are tasked with protecting federal facilities and personnel, according to a statement from U.S. Northern Command, and will operate under Task Force 51—a contingency unit created to coordinate military support for domestic emergencies.
Read more: Can the President Activate a State’s National Guard?
“We believe ICE agents should be allowed to be safe in doing their operations, and we have deployed National Guard and the Marines to protect them in the execution of their duties,” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a hearing in Congress on Tuesday when asked about the deployment of Marines and National Guard troops to Los Angeles.
Newsom, who has publicly condemned the federal response as both unlawful and inflammatory, described the Marine deployment as “unprecedented” and “completely unwarranted.”
“They shouldn’t be deployed on American soil facing their own countrymen to fulfill the deranged fantasy of a dictatorial President,” Newsom said on X. His office filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to block the deployment, arguing that Trump had “trampled” the state’s sovereignty by bypassing both the governor and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
The protests began Friday after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents carried out coordinated raids across Los Angeles, detaining dozens of workers at warehouses and other worksites. The arrests sparked immediate backlash, with demonstrators converging outside federal buildings, blocking freeways, and in some cases clashing with police.
Read more: Why Waymo’s Self-Driving Cars Became a Target of Protesters in Los Angeles
By Sunday, as images of burning self-driving cars and confrontations near the downtown federal detention center spread across social media, Trump issued a presidential order deploying 2,000 National Guard troops. A second order followed Monday night, calling for an additional 2,000 troops. Pentagon officials confirmed that about 1,700 Guard members were already active in the greater Los Angeles area by late Monday, and the Marines would be joining them in a “support” capacity.
The deployments have touched a raw nerve in California, where Democratic leaders say Trump is overstepping his constitutional authority in pursuit of political spectacle. The governor’s office said that only a fraction of the initially deployed Guard members had been given orders, and many remained inside federal facilities awaiting direction.
“This isn’t about public safety,” Newsom said on X. “It’s about stroking a dangerous President’s ego.”
Mayor Bass echoed those sentiments, calling the influx of troops “a deliberate attempt to create disorder and chaos in our city.” She urged the federal government to halt the raids and allow local authorities to manage the situation.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell also expressed frustration with the federal operation, warning that the sudden arrival of troops presented “significant logistical and operational challenges.” In a statement, McDonnell emphasized the need for clear communication between agencies, noting that the LAPD had successfully handled large-scale protests in the past.
Sheheryar Kaoosji, the executive director at Warehouse Workers Resource Center, a nonprofit that seeks to improve working conditions in the warehouse industry, warns that both the immigration raids and the Administration’s response to the protests could deal a blow to businesses in the area—and the broader economy.
“Between the actual ICE activity and then the escalation by the Administration to suppress protest, it’s not just affecting people going to work, but there’s not gonna be tourism in L.A.,” he says. “It’s going to kill the economy of not just California but the country.”
The federal government has framed the move as a necessary precaution amid what it says are credible threats to federal personnel and infrastructure, claiming the military’s presence was meant to deter violence and protect immigration officers working in increasingly volatile conditions.
The last time Marines were deployed to the streets of Los Angeles was in 1992, following days of rioting after the acquittal of officers in the beating of Rodney King. In that case, President George H.W. Bush acted at the request of then-Gov. Pete Wilson and invoked the Insurrection Act.
Read more: The Most Memorable Photos of Protests Erupting in Los Angeles Over Immigration Raids
Despite the dramatic federal presence, most of Monday’s demonstrations remained peaceful. Thousands gathered at City Hall for a union-led rally demanding an end to immigration raids. Outside the federal detention center, protesters held hands and chanted, “Free them all!” and “National Guard, go away.”
Still, by evening, confrontations had resumed. Police began using tear gas and flash-bang grenades to disperse crowds near the Little Tokyo neighborhood, where at least a dozen people were detained. In nearby Paramount, where more arrests had occurred during earlier raids, family members of detainees held a press conference demanding information about their loved ones.
Additional protests against immigration raids have continued in several other cities, including San Francisco and Dallas.
Andrew Chow contributed reporting.
In an escalation of Elon Musk’s fractured relationship with President Donald Trump and his Republican allies, the Tesla CEO has floated the idea of starting a new political party to rival the two-party system.
Musk conducted a poll via his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), asking his 220 million followers: “Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle?” The public results show that around 80% of respondents voted yes.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]“The people have spoken. A new political party is needed in America to represent the 80% in the middle!” Musk said, reacting to the results of his Thursday, June 5, poll. “And exactly 80% of people agree…This is Fate.”
On Friday, Musk shared a potential name: “The America Party.” The moniker echoes that of his super political action committee (PAC), America PAC, which was founded in 2024 to support Trump’s efforts to return to the White House. The super PAC reportedly spent around $200 million to help elect Trump. Musk’s donations made him Trump’s largest, and most prominent, donor in the 2024 election.
Read More: 5 Things To Watch As the Trump-Musk Meltdown Proceeds
During the 2022 midterm elections, Musk said he intended to vote Republican, and that later developed into him becoming Trump’s close ally, which was cemented when the President positioned him as lead of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a role he held until recently.
However, Trump and Musk have now had an explosive fall-out, which has played out in the public arena via social media over the past few days. It started with Musk’s disapproval over Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which he called an “abomination” and told his social media followers to “call your Senator, call your Congressman… kill the bill.”
On Thursday, the back-and-forth between the two influential men escalated, with Musk alleging that Trump is listed in the files related to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “That is the real reason they have not been made public,” Musk said. He did not provide evidence pertaining to this and, as of early Saturday morning, the post has been deleted.
Musk also, in another since-deleted X post, endorsed a message that said: “Trump should be impeached” and that Vance “should replace him.”
Trump has argued on his own social media platform, Truth Social, that “Elon was wearing thin” and that he asked the Tesla CEO to leave the White House.
Read More: Musk’s Major Allegation Against Trump Disappears From Social Media: ‘That Post Has Been Deleted’
Meanwhile, when talking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday night, Trump said he didn’t have any plans to speak with Musk.
But some lawmakers are convinced that the feud between Trump and Musk will soon thaw, and that the latter’s idea for a new political party won’t come to fruition.
On Friday, Republican Rep. Jimmy Patronis of Florida told NewsNation’s Blake Burman: “Elon Musk is not gonna create a new political party… Trump knows that sometimes you’re going to have [a] falling out with those that you trust, you like, that you’re friends with. It happens with us in D.C. all the time. Mark my words, about a month from now, these guys will be hanging around again.”
Call Coco Gauff the queen of clay.
The American phenom, just 21 years old, won the second Grand Slam championship of her career on Saturday, outlasting world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 at the French Open final in Paris. She’s the first American to win the French since Serena Williams did so in 2015: no American man has won a singles title on Roland Garros clay since Andre Agassi in 1999.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]Gauff’s effort was remarkably resilient. She trailed in the first set 4-1, with Sabalenka on serve and up 40-0. Viewers could be forgiven for looking ahead to the second set. Or wondering if Gauff’s experience at the 2022 French Open final, where she lost to Iga Świątek in straight sets, was haunting her. Gauff said she had anxiety attacks before that match, and was never really in it.
On Saturday, however, Gauff countered by winning twelve straight points. As the 2023 U.S. Open champion, Gauff is now a more experienced competitor than she was three years ago. And an improved player. The windy conditions in Paris seemed to bother Sabalenka’s serve more than it did Gauff’s. They played a grinding first set, featuring a few long games and impressive rallies. Serving for the set at 5-4, Sabalenka couldn’t finish off Gauff, who saved two set points and finally broke Sabalenka on her fifth chance. Later, a Gauff backhand winner, on the run, sent the set into a tiebreaker, where Sabalenka did prevail.
But Sabalenka couldn’t carry the momentum over to the second set. Gauff’s love break put her up 5-2 in the set, and she held serve at love to finish it out. Sabalenka could only shake her head in dismay.
Read More: Coco Gauff Is Playing for Herself Now
In the third set, Sabalanka double faulted to give Gauff a break, allowing the American to go up 2-1. Sabalenka charged on Gauff a short ball, but smashed it into the net to give Gauff a 3-1 advantage. Sabalenka fought back to tie the set up at 3-3, but while on serve she double-faulted and shouted at her coaching box. Gauff won the game to go up 4-3.
Both players held the next two games. With Gauff serving for the title at 5-4, she got down to business. Collected all match long while Sabalenka seemed to lose her cool at times, her serve was on point. Sabalenka kept battling, but on Gauff’s second championship point, she sent a cross-court shot wide, ending the match. Gauff’s back fell to the Roland Garros clay.
She went up into the stands to hug her mom Candi, dad Corey—who doesn’t sit in the courtside box during matches, his nerves too frayed—her coach and others.
The match took two hours and 38 minutes. Sabalenka committed 70 unforced errors, to Gauff’s 30.
“You’re a fighter,” said Sabalenka to Gauff after the match.
The next major tournament for Gauff is Wimbledon, where she first burst onto the global stage a half dozen years ago, when she beat Venus Williams and reached the fourth round, aged just 15. Then the U.S. Open in New York City, to try to regain that throne.
Sabalenka seemed minutes away from running away from that first set, and perhaps the match; a win would have given her two of the last three Grand Slam titles, and made her the unquestioned dominant player in tennis. Not so fast. Gauff’s just too fast—and right now, the best—on clay. And she’s all set for a monster summer.
Getting enough fiber is crucial for optimal health, yet more than 90% of Americans don’t. Federal dietary guidelines recommend 25–34 grams of fiber per day for adults, depending on age and gender—but the average American adult eats only about 8 grams a day, “which is far below recommended intake regardless of age or sex,” says Dr. Michelle Hughes, medical chief of quality and safety for digestive health at Yale New Haven Health and Smilow Cancer Hospital.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]Should people seek to fill that gap with fiber supplements? Here’s what experts say you should know about supplementing this essential nutrient.
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that your body can’t digest. It’s found in plant foods, and “instead of being broken down and absorbed like other carbs, fiber moves through the digestive system, adding bulk to stool, feeding beneficial gut bacteria, and slowing the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream,” says Bree Phillips, a registered dietitian at University of California, San Francisco Health.
Read More: Is Beef Tallow Actually Good for You?
Eating too little can slow down the colon, says Dr. Omar Khokhar, gastroenterologist at OSF HealthCare, based in Illinois and Michigan. That may lead to diverticulosis and hemorrhoids. A low-fiber diet can also contribute to constipation, weight gain, obesity, bloating, and gas, and an increased risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and colorectal cancer.
It’s best to get fiber from your diet. “Whole-food sources of fiber are ideal because they provide additional nutrients,” says Phillips. Whole foods also tend to contain a combination of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber, like the kind found in fruit and vegetables, dissolves in water to form a gel, while insoluble fiber—which comes from sources like grains—doesn’t dissolve.
But experts agree that some people who struggle to meet their daily fiber needs through food may benefit from supplementation. “This may help with GI function, and also with health benefits outside the GI tract, such as lowered cholesterol and regulation of blood sugar levels,” Khokhar says. Psyllium husk, found in powdered products such as Metamucil, and methylcellulose, found in Citrucel and its generic counterparts, generally have the most data supporting them, he adds.
Read More: Why Your Breakfast Should Start With a Vegetable
Some fiber supplements, such as psyllium husk and beta-glucans, have been shown to support health by improving cholesterol, digestion, and blood sugar levels, says Phillips. But the source and dose both matter. “Not all fiber supplements, even if they contain the same type of fiber, are created equal,” cautions Phillips. “Some may not contain the effective amount shown in research, and added ingredients like sugars or artificial sweeteners can impact tolerance and effectiveness.”
For instance, taking supplemental inulin—a type of soluble fiber found in plants—has been shown to cause gastrointestinal distress in some people and did “not consistently demonstrate protective effects” against colorectal cancer, says Hughes. Consult with a health care provider to choose the best supplement for you and to ensure it doesn’t interact with any medications you take.
From gummies to powders, there’s a dizzying array of fiber supplements—in part, because there is no one “perfect” fiber supplement, says Dr. Anne Mongiu, co-director of the colorectal cancer program at Yale School of Medicine’s department of surgery. Considerations include taste, texture preferences, and tolerance, she says.
If a doctor advises you to take a fiber supplement, they can likely recommend an exact type and brand. In general, here’s how to pick the right fiber supplement, Mongiu says—and what to avoid.
Many experts lean toward the powder form. “Fiber powders tend to be more versatile since they can be mixed into water, smoothies, or food, making it easier to consume a larger amount at once,” says Phillips. “They also often contain soluble fiber, which helps regulate digestion and support gut health.” Fiber pills can be more convenient for some but may contain smaller amounts of the nutrient per dose, meaning multiple pills may be needed to reach the same benefit as a scoop of powder.
Powdered formulations also allow for flexible dosing, so you can control exactly how much you’re getting and if you’re consuming it in one or more doses, Mongiu says. Above all, “I tell my patients that the best fiber supplement is the one that they are willing to take.”
Various chemicals, from those in plastics to food additives, have made headlines lately for their potential roles in triggering diseases. Pesticides are unique among chemicals, though, says Melissa Perry, an environmental epidemiologist and dean of George Mason’s College of Public Health. “They’re deliberately manufactured to kill things.”
By poisoning weeds, pesticides clear the way for farmers’ crops to thrive. But their deadly design may undermine human health, too. A recent report by a new federal advisory board, the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission chaired by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., calls for further investigation of pesticides’ effects to determine if their use should be limited.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]Some evidence does suggest that long-term exposure could lead to cancer and several other serious health problems. More research is needed to better understand these risks, but in the meantime, experts recommend simple, practical steps to reduce intake.
Here’s what we know about the risks of pesticides and how to lower your exposure.
The MAHA report assesses “root causes” of poor health in U.S. children. It describes pesticides as one of eight types of chemicals giving rise to chronic diseases.
The report specifically takes issue with two weed killers, glyphosate and atrazine. They’re the most commonly used pesticides by American farmers, and research has focused on them in lab experiments on animals, with several concerning findings.
Other studies have drawn links between glyphosate exposure—mainly by consuming trace amounts in food—and health problems, including earlier death. In 2019, a large research review identified a “compelling link” between glyphosate intake and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in humans, though in 2024 a federal judge criticized this study’s design and approach.
Additional research points to a range of diseases potentially related to glyphosate, but a recent review by Italian researchers on glyphosate was inconclusive and called for further research.
Read More: Seed Oils Don’t Deserve Their Bad Reputation
Based on the evidence, the World Health Organization (WHO) has described glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans,” whereas the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found “no evidence that glyphosate causes cancer in humans,” citing a dataset the agency considered more thorough than WHO’s.
The second widespread pesticide highlighted by the MAHA report is atrazine. Like glyphosate, it’s been used by farmers since the 1960s, but research on animals in the 1990s began to show it could disrupt reproductive health and hormone regulation. Tyrone B. Hayes, a biologist at the University of California, Berkeley, found that atrazine interfered with the sexual development of frogs. Subsequent studies showed similar effects, as well as weight gain, in mice.
Researchers have also observed that women in certain agricultural communities experience higher rates of abnormal menstrual cycles, compared to places with fewer farms. Other human studies show increases in several kinds of birth defects. Still more research links atrazine to breast cancer, but researchers at the National Institutes of Health have concluded “no evidence of an association” with cancer.
The EPA estimated that atrazine adversely affects 54% of all species and 50% of all critical habitats. “I don’t know how an Environmental Protection Agency can make a statement like that and then re-register the chemical,” Hayes says.
In 2023, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data showed that 99% of food samples tested below the EPA’s safety limit for pesticides. However, U.S. limits are considerably higher than what’s allowed in the European Union, where atrazine has been effectively banned.
Read More: The Best Longevity Habit You’re Not Thinking About
Pesticides called organophosphates have been studied by the EPA and others for links to neurological disorders such as ADHD. “Research clearly shows that children exposed to higher levels did have more neurobehavioral problems,” says Jason Richardson, professor of physiology and pharmacology at the University of Georgia’s Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research.
Overall, uncertainty and debate about pesticides continues partly due to research challenges. People are typically exposed to multiple types of chemicals, so it’s “hard to attribute disease to one pesticide or pinpoint the definitive dose or exposure time” that makes people sick, Perry says.
“Just because a chemical is present doesn’t mean it’s doing anything bad, but in combination with other chemicals, it may be,” Richardson says. “Efforts are underway to measure these combinations.”
“The country’s agricultural policy follows science, not fear, speculation, and fringe narratives,” says Becky Langer-Curry, director of innovation at the National Corn Growers Association. The Corn Growers were “perplexed” by the MAHA report, she adds. “We need faith in the EPA’s regulatory system to review the science. They’re ensuring our food is safe, well below human risk.”
In an email to TIME.com, EPA spokesperson Mike Bastasch said the EPA“typically regulates pesticides at least 100 times lower than where no adverse effects are seen in safety studies.” The agency is “confident that the fruits and vegetables our children are eating are safer than ever,” Bastasch wrote. However, he added that the EPA is updating its evaluation of glyphosate’s cancer-causing potential, and it’s currently working on an Updated Mitigation Proposal for atrazine.
In the meantime, researchers including Perry, Richardson, and Hayes think pesticides are dangerous enough that people should take precautions—but especially young kids, people who are pregnant, those who live close to farms, agricultural workers, and seniors.
The first step is to become aware of pesticides in your environment. They’re more common than people think, Perry says. “Exposures happen routinely for most members of the American public.”
Experts recommend contacting the environmental office of your county or city to learn whether you’re close to a food production facility that uses pesticides. In 2017, kids and teachers at a Hawaii middle school reported unusual throat irritation and dizziness. They suspected the symptoms were caused by pesticides applied in nearby fields, and researchers found residues in the school’s indoor and outdoor air samples.
Read More: What to Do If Fluoride Is Removed From Your Water
The detected levels were deemed below concerning thresholds. Bastasch says that, for communities near farms, the EPA studies potential exposure through the air and other pathways to make sure safety levels are based on sound science.
Still, Hayes worries about the long-term effects of pesticide contact and absorption. “For someone living in a farming community that’s constantly exposed to estrogen mimics like atrazine, you’re more likely to develop adverse effects,” he says.
People take in atrazine mainly through their drinking water, after farm runoff carries the pesticide into local water systems. But some utilities are more effective than others at removing pesticide residues. The Environmental Working Group rates local water utilities. For people on well water, the federal government provides guidelines for testing it.
Pesticide use is widespread enough—and disperses at such distances—that everyone should probably use a high-quality water filter, experts say. Atrazine can travel as far as 600 miles, Hayes says. As far back as 1999, USGS noticed that pesticides, including atrazine, were detected in places where farmers hadn’t applied them.
Even for residents of areas where a water treatment plant removes the chemicals, buying a filter certified to the NSF/ANSI Standards 42 and 53 provides some additional assurance of water safety. Look for filters in refrigerators and water pitchers that meet this certification.
Eating organic foods can also help to reduce intake of pesticides, especially glyphosate. About 90% of pregnant women have detectable amounts of glyphosate in their bodies, according to one study. “But when you put people on organic diets, you start to see that they no longer have pesticides in their urine,” Perry says.
Research in 2020 found that eating an organic diet dropped glyphosate levels by 70% in children and their parents. In 2023, researchers put pregnant women on an organic diet for one week. Those who went all-organic decreased glyphosate in their urine by 43%. A 2019 study found a 95% reduction in organophosphates.
Richardson calls these studies on organic foods “intriguing” while noting that natural compounds used in organic farming may also be toxic beyond certain thresholds. Even when eating organic, “make sure you wash your fruits and vegetables very well,” he says.
Read More: Dermatologists Have a Dirty Little Secret
One study found that soaking apples in baking soda mixed with water for 12-15 minutes eliminated more residue than water alone. However, according to another study, washing produce with running water is superior to baking soda, sitting water, and vinegar. Other research shows a gentle rubbing action during washing is effective. Aim for 20-30 seconds or longer if you have time.
Peeling the skin and outer pulp will get rid of additional residue that penetrates into some produce. There’s a major downside, though: you lose a portion of the beneficial nutrients and compounds, like fiber and vitamins, that help protect against pesticide toxicity.
Some research suggests that replacing processed foods with diverse whole foods can reduce how many pesticides you ingest (but some research suggests there may be fewer benefits if they’re not organic).
Aside from nutrition, other lifestyle behaviors such as exercise, stress management, and good sleep may build a baseline of health that helps thwart the cumulative effects of pesticides and other pollutants. Overall, they influence how someone’s body responds to their “exposome,” Richardson explains—your total environmental exposures and how they interact with lifestyle behaviors and risk factors like age and genetics.
Bastasch says the EPA assesses the combined risks of groups of pesticides that affect the body in similar ways, adding that the agency is continuing to advance research in this area.
The exposome probably matters more than any one chemical type, but “we’re really just breaking the surface of understanding these interactions,” Richardson says.
Until more definitive science emerges, maintain smart practices like scrubbing produce and striving for a healthy lifestyle.
President Donald Trump spoke with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday morning about their ongoing trade war, with Trump saying the two leaders agreed to have their teams resume talks “shortly.”
Trump wrote on Truth Social that the call lasted about 90 minutes and focused “almost entirely on trade,” after representatives from the two largest economies met in Geneva last month and agreed to temporarily reduce tariffs. He said the call “resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries” and that the export of rare earth minerals, which are critical to the U.S. automotive industry, had been addressed during the conversation.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]China’s official Xinhua News Agency said the call took place at Trump’s request. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump said that upcoming talks will include Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. He added that Xi invited him to visit China and that he reciprocated the offer. “President Xi graciously invited the First Lady and me to visit China, and I reciprocated. As Presidents of two Great Nations, this is something that we both look forward to doing.”
The call was likely the first time the two leaders spoke since Trump took office in January. However, in an April interview with TIME, Trump claimed that Xi had already called him—which Chinese officials disputed.
The talks came one day after Trump said it was difficult to reach a deal with Xi: “I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday.
Trade negotiations between the two leaders had stalled after both countries agreed on May 12 to temporarily lower tariffs, with Trump dropping his 145% tariffs on Chinese goods to 30% for 90 days, and Xi easing its levies from 125% to 10%. But the Trump Administration has accused China of reneging on the terms by curbing exports of rare earth minerals used by American manufacturers. China has rejected that charge, saying its export controls apply globally and are not targeted at the United States. In response, the Trump Administration has proposed revoking visas for some Chinese students and issuing new export controls on advanced technologies such as jet engine components and A.I. chips.
“China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US,” Trump wrote on Truth Social last week. “So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!”
Following the call with Xi, Trump said “there should no longer be any questions respecting the complexity of Rare Earth products.”
Trump has made reducing America’s dependency on Chinese manufacturing a cornerstone of his second-term agenda. Xi, facing a sluggish post-COVID economy and persistent pressures from a real estate slowdown, is pushing to secure China’s dominance in future technologies like electric vehicles and artificial intelligence.
The United States ran a $295 billion trade deficit with China in 2024, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, a figure Trump frequently cites as evidence of unfair trade practices. His Administration maintains that only top-level talks can break the current deadlock. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently said that a leader-to-leader exchange was essential to restart negotiations in earnest.
Saudi Arabia has announced drastic changes for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage that begins today, including new rules prohibiting children from accompanying pilgrims, and prioritizing pilgrims traveling for the first time. The changes represent the most significant transformation of pilgrimage access in modern history.
The Hajj, one of the five pillars, or obligations, of Islam, draws about two million Muslims annually to Saudi Arabia to complete the spiritual journey that every mature, able-bodied Muslim is required to undertake at least once in their lifetime. Once a desert journey guided by revelation, the Hajj has become a logistical marvel, and the new policies mark some of the most significant shifts in its 1,400-year history.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]The pilgrimage involves a series of rituals over several days, including circling the Ka’ba in Mecca, standing in prayer at Mount Arafat, and acts of devotion that trace the footsteps of the Prophet Abraham and his family. “ Hajj represents a profound spiritual journey for Muslims,” says Shaykh Waleed Basyouni, the President of AlMaghrib Institute, which hosts its own Hajj program. “It’s a time for reflection, repentance, and a renewal of faith.”
The most controversial change prohibits children from accompanying their guardians on the pilgrimage. “ People were surprised, shocked,” says Basyouni, who has made the pilgrimage multiple times.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah cited safety for the decision. In 2024, more than 1,300 people died during the pilgrimage, primarily from extreme heat and overcrowding. But the new policy breaks with centuries of tradition where families often traveled together to fulfill a religious duty.
The minimum age for attendance was unclear, however. Some sources cite 12 years as the cutoff, while others indicate Saudi Arabia has set 15 years as the minimum age. The confusion may be rooted in the variables of personal development: in Muslim legislation anyone who has not reached puberty is considered a child.
Another variable is the weather. Once again this year, the desert pilgrimage coincides with intense summer heat. But because the Islamic calendar shifts about 10 days earlier each year, Hajj will be in the winter from 2034 to 2041 in a natural progression through the seasons over a 33-year cycle.
“ They might put restrictions on children in the summer where Hajj comes during the high season when it’s very hot,” Basyouni says. “But they might change that later on when the weather is much better, because Hajj comes in the lunar calendar.”
In another major shift, the host kingdom has instituted a system favoring Muslims who have never completed the Hajj. The change addresses long-standing equity concerns within the global Muslim community, where repeat pilgrims from wealthier nations could more easily secure spots than first-time pilgrims from developing countries. Hajj travel packages range from $10,000 to $15,000 per person.
“ I hope that this is an issue that can be solved,” says Basyouni. “It’s one of the pillars of [our] religion. It’s very hard. I don’t know of any ritual in the world for any religion that costs that much money.”
Watching over this year’s Hajj will be a network of AI-powered drones, with thermal imaging technology that enables authorities to monitor millions of pilgrims in real-time and respond swiftly to potential safety threats. For the first time, the Saudi Civil Defense has introduced the AI-powered “Saqr” ( Falcon) drone, which can identify and intercept unauthorized pilgrims, supporting the kingdom’s “No Hajj Without a Permit” campaign.
In the Grand Mosque, the world’s largest cooling system, with a capacity of 155,000 tons of refrigeration, represents the Saudis’ response to increasingly extreme heat conditions during Hajj. A year ago temperatures soared to 125 degrees Fahrenheit during the annual rites. Other heat mitigation measures for 2025 include expanding shaded areas by 50,000 square meters, deploying over 400 cooling units, and placing thousands of additional medics on standby.
“It gets very hot, so I think [the change] is wonderful,” says Abdul-Malik Merchant, an Imam for the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) in Virginia. Merchant has gone for Hajj seven times, both as a guide and a traveller. He was there in 2015 when a stampede ended the lives of 2,400 travellers, a catastrophic death toll even in a setting with a history of mass casualty events.
Saudi Arabia had also changed its visa policy, limiting travellers from 14 countries—including Pakistan, Iraq and Morocco—to only a single-entry visa. In past years, people with multiple-entry visas would enter the country during the Hajj season and attend without a permit. The duration of a Hajj visa has also been standardized, expiring on the 10th of Muharram, which is July 6th, 2025. Entry to the holy cities has likewise been tightened. Since late April, only holders of those official Hajj visas, valid residency, or authorized personnel were allowed into Makkah. So far this year, 269,000 people stopped from entering the city for a lack of correct permits.
“ Muslim jurists say it is allowed for the government to put restrictions on some religious rituals,” Basyouni says. During COVID-19, for instance, the Saudi government required that people be vaccinated before performing Hajj during the height of the pandemic in order to protect travellers. The guidelines for any new rule, Basyouni says, is that it must have a clear benefit.
President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he plans to double the tariffs on steel and aluminum imports—increasing the charge from 25% to 50%.
The tariff escalation comes at a precarious time, as Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs are immersed in legal trouble at the court level and many U.S. businesses are struggling to contend with the back-and-forth nature of the levies.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]Trump’s announcement also coincides with the “blockbuster” agreement between U.S. Steel and Japanese steel company Nippon, a deal which he promised will include no layoffs and the steelmaker will be “controlled by the USA.”
The steepened tariffs could potentially further escalate tensions between the U.S. and its top steel partners, which include Canada, Brazil, and Mexico. As the U.S.’ number one steel importer, Canada—with whom the U.S. has already escalated tensions due to Trump’s other tariffs—stands to feel the pressure of this latest move.
Here’s what to know about Trump’s doubled tariffs and what experts have to say about it.
Trump announced his decision during a rally at U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works–Irvin Plant near Pittsburgh in West Mifflin, Penn., surrounded by hardhat-donned steel workers.
“We’re going to bring it from 25% percent to 50%—the tariffs on steel into the United States of America—which will even further secure the steel industry in the United States,” Trump told the crowd, offering his reasoning that the increased charges will ultimately help the domestic industry. “Nobody’s going to get around that.”
He later posted about his decision on social media, revealing that the tariffs would also be raised for aluminum.“Our steel and aluminum industries are coming back like never before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This will be yet another BIG jolt of great news for our wonderful steel and aluminum workers.”
But Wayne Winegarden, a senior fellow at the Pacific Research Institute, argues that the Trump Administration has yet to fully explain the exact math behind the number for the steel and aluminum tariffs.
“They’ve never given any justification why 25% is the right number, let alone why 50% is,” Winegarden says. “It was just doubled.”
Read More: Meet the Five Small Businesses That Helped Knock Down Trump’s Tariffs
In Trump’s announcement post on Truth Social, he said that the doubled tariffs would come into effect on Wednesday, June 4. Although it’s worth noting that other tariff threats—such as the proposed 50% charge on the E.U. and the majority of Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs that he announced on April 2—have been temporarily paused to allow time for negotiations. It remains to be seen if an extension will be granted for this new June 4 date.
The back-and-forth on tariff dates and rates has left many businesses in limbo, though Felix Tintelnot, professor of economics at Duke University, says that with steel and aluminum, the Administration has generally followed through on the timings they’ve announced.
The question, he says, is how long the 50% will stand, as he’s seen the rates “flip-flopping all the time.” Tintelnot argues that the resulting uncertainty is causing real harm to U.S. businesses and thus, in turn, impacting workers, despite Trump’s claims that the tariffs will bring large amounts of money to the U.S. steel industry.
“We’re talking about expansion of capacity of heavy industry that comes with significant upfront investments, and no business leader should take heavy upfront investments if they don’t believe that the same policy [will be] there two, three, or four years from now,” Tintelnot says. “Regardless of whether you’re in favor [of] or against these tariffs, you don’t want the President to just set tax rates arbitrarily, sort of by Executive Order all the time.”
Read More: Trump Agrees to Extend Deadline After Threatening E.U. With 50% Tariff
Though Tintelnot says that the escalated tariffs should help the domestic steel industry, he argues it will be coinciding with struggles in other U.S. industries as a result of the increase.
“So, this is expected to raise the price of aluminum, which is important in inputs for downstream industries like the automotive industry, as well as construction, so there’s sort of a distributional conflict here,” Tintelnot warns. “Yes, it does help the domestic steel sector, but [it’s] hurting these other sectors of the economy, and they are already hard hit by other tariffs.”
Winegarden agrees, arguing that the tariffs are “working against themselves” and that consumers can expect prices to increase.
“[Trump is] making it more expensive for domestic auto manufacturers to produce here,” he says. “It’s an economically inconsistent, illiterate policy that seems to be hiding under the national security justifications.”
The USW (Unity and Strength for Workers, most commonly referred to as United Steelworkers)—a trade union of steelworkers across North America— said in a statement that the increase will have a negative impact on Canada’s industries and jobs.
“This isn’t trade policy—it’s a direct attack on Canadian industries and workers,” said Marty Warren, United Steelworkers national director for Canada. “Thousands of Canadian jobs are on the line and communities that rely on steel and aluminum are being put at risk. Canada needs to respond immediately and decisively to defend workers.”
Meanwhile, Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, said that the plan to double tariffs is a “direct attack on Canadian workers and a reckless move” and warned that it “could shut Canadian steel and aluminum out of the U.S. market entirely and put thousands of good union jobs at risk.”
Speaking about the tariffs overall, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Friday that he intends to jumpstart and fast track national building projects throughout the country to respond to Trump’s trade war, “ensuring that the Canadian government becomes a catalyst for, not an impediment to, nation-building projects that will supercharge growth in communities, both large and small.”
Other international lawmakers, meanwhile, have voiced their disapproval of Trump’s tariffs escalations.
Australia’s Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell, said that Trump’s doubled charges were “unjustified and not the act of a friend.”
Elon Musk has announced that his time as the leader of President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is reaching its end.
“As my scheduled time as a special government employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President [Trump] for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” Musk said on X. “The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]Tesla CEO Musk has implemented a slew of far-reaching changes in his bid to eliminate waste within the government. His cuts at federal agencies and the termination of billions of dollars of government contracts—many of which have reportedly since been revived—prompted much criticism.
And Musk has personally taken a hit, too. His Tesla showrooms have been the subject of arson attacks and people have boycotted both him and his businesses in protest.
Read More: Inside Elon Musk’s War on Washington
Here’s a look back at Musk’s most controversial moments during his time as a “special government employee.”
In February, Musk’s leadership was questioned over an email sent to various government departments, requesting that employees respond within a certain time frame and summarize their work for the week.
The email—which boasted the subject line “What did you do last week?”—was sent from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to workers in several government departments. Musk added via social media that “failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.” However, there was no mention of resignation in the email sent to employees.
The email—and Musk’s accompanying social media warning—garnered ire from several unions and prominent voices.
Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), referred to the directive as “cruel and disrespectful,” and called Musk an “out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire.”
Some department heads initially instructed their employees to focus on their own internal performance review process, as opposed to responding to the email. FBI Director Kash Patel told employees in an email that they should “pause any responses.”
Earlier this week, it was reported that the Pentagon had ended the initiative with its civilian employees, who will no longer be required to send an email specifying what they did the previous week.
Musk has garnered much controversy during his time leading DOGE, specifically for his massive cuts at the federal level which, alongside actions from the Trump Administration, contributed to mass layoffs, the termination of government contracts, and efforts to close entire agencies. DOGE claims to have saved an estimated $175 billion for the federal government, a number which has been brought into question during various verification attempts.
Musk’s goal to cut $2 trillion dollars has resulted in a multi-state lawsuit against Musk and DOGE, amid allegations that they violated the Constitution by accessing government data systems, canceling contracts of federal agencies, and terminating federal employees.
At a celebratory rally after Trump’s inauguration, Musk’s White House career got off to a contentious start when he seemingly offered a straight-arm salute at the Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C., as he excitedly told the crowd: “My heart goes out to you.”
The motion immediately garnered controversy, with some people, including history professors who study fascism and U.S. Representatives, expressing concern that the action was similar to a Nazi salute.
Some, including the Anti-Defamation League, came to Musk’s defense, arguing that he was seemingly making an “awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm.”
Musk addressed the controversy himself, saying: “The radical leftists are really upset that they had to take time out of their busy day praising Hamas to call me a Nazi.”
Several civil service employees resigned from DOGE, citing their refusal to use their expertise to “dismantle critical public services,” according to a joint resignation letter sent to the White House chief of staff Susie Wiles on Feb. 25, that was obtained by the Associated Press.
The employees had worked for the United States Digital Service, but said their duties had been integrated into DOGE.
Musk directly responded to the AP article, calling it “fake news from Associated Propaganda.”
“These were Dem political holdovers who refused to return to the office,” Musk said of the employees. “They would have been fired had they not resigned.”
There have also been mass resignations from top-ranking government officials since Trump returned to the White House and set up DOGE.
David Lebryk, the highest-ranking Treasury Department career official, retired on Jan. 31 after clashing with Musk’s team over access to government payment systems, the Washington Post reported.
Shortly before announcing that his DOGE role was coming to its scheduled end, Musk criticized Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” in a public forum. During an interview with CBS, he agreed that the spending bill—which is now heading to the Senate—undermines the spending cuts brought about by DOGE.
“I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit,” Musk said. “I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful, but I don’t know if it can be both, [that’s] my personal opinion.”
It isn’t the first time that Musk has openly critiqued movements or people from the White House. He previously called out Peter Navarro—the senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, and the architect of Trump’s tariffs—calling him “dumber than a sack of bricks.”
