News Wrap: Hegseth threatens criminal prosecution over leaks

Amna Nawaz:

In the day's other headlines: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth threatened possible criminal prosecution against former staff he accused of leaking information. That information involved Hegseth sharing airstrike logistics in another chat over the Signal messaging app, this one including his wife and brother.

On his former FOX show this morning, Hegseth again denied sharing any classified information Signal. Instead, he honed in on the internal and recent removals of several of his top staff.

Pete Hegseth, U.S. Defense Secretary:

But we took it seriously. It led to some unfortunate places, people I have known for quite some time, but it's not my job to protect them. When that evidence is gathered sufficiently, and this has all happened very quickly, it will be handed over to DOJ, and those people will be prosecuted if necessary.

Amna Nawaz:

The Pentagon's inspector general is investigating the secretary and staff's use of the Signal app. Today, the White House again defended Hegseth as he faces mounting criticism about his job performance.

Secretary Marco Rubio instituted a sweeping reorganization of the State Department today. That includes cuts and the elimination of a key office that advances American values abroad. Some of the duties of that office will be folded into other parts of the department, but few details were provided. Rubio also announced that State plans to cut 15 percent of its U.S.-based employees.

Turning overseas now, Russia is ramping up its attacks across Ukraine after Moscow claimed to have observed a brief Easter cease-fire. Overnight, crews battled burning buildings after Russian drones hit the port city of Odesa. Hours later, Russian glide bombs struck Zaporizhzhia, killing one woman.

All this comes as both Moscow and Kyiv have signaled some openness to direct talks. A Kremlin spokesman said Russia would consider a Ukrainian cease-fire proposal on attacks to civilian infrastructure. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that a cease-fire would open the door for more dialogue.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President (through interpreter):

As for our delegation, it has a mandate for discussing an unconditional cease-fire or a partial cease-fire. We are ready for this stage. We are also ready to state that, after the cease-fire, we are prepared to sit down in any format.

Amna Nawaz:

President Trump's Ukraine envoy, General Keith Kellogg, will represent the U.S. in a new round of peace talks tomorrow in London with Ukrainian and European officials. Special envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Moscow this week for a new round of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Authorities say at least 26 people are dead after four gunmen opened fire at a popular Himalayan mountain resort in Indian-administered Kashmir, the disputed territory between India and Pakistan. It was one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in the region in recent times. In addition to the dead, three dozen others were injured, many seriously.

Police and soldiers are still searching for the attackers, and there's been no claim yet of responsibility for the massacre.

Meanwhile, on a visit to India, Vice President J.D. Vance said it's time for more collaboration between the world's two largest democracies. Speaking to business leaders, he warned of a very dark time ahead if the two countries didn't more closely align on everything from energy and defense to trade. The U.S. is India's largest trading partner.

Vance knocked back criticisms that President Trump's aggressive tariffs were threatening that relationship and causing global turmoil.

J.D. Vance, Vice President of the United States: Critics have attacked my president, President Trump, for starting a trade war in an effort to bring back the jobs of the past, but nothing could be further from the truth. He seeks to rebalance global trade so that America, with friends like India, can build a future worth having for all of our people together.

Amna Nawaz:

Vance met yesterday with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and both leaders cited significant progress toward a trade agreement. Both nations have set an ambitious goal, to try and double bilateral trade by 2030.

Today, a federal judge in Colorado extended her order blocking the Trump administration from deporting anyone in that state under the Alien Enemies Act, the rarely used wartime law passed in 1798. The ruling also said the government must give 21 days of notice before deportation to allow for contesting the removal in court.

The Justice Department recently said it would give migrants only 24 hours' notice before deporting them. The judge's order was the first to impose some due process rights for migrants, following a Supreme Court order earlier this month that migrants be given the opportunity to challenge their removals in court.

A federal jury in Manhattan today found The New York Times did not libel former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Today's verdict came in a retrial of Palin's case, where she alleged that a 2017 Times editorial damaged her reputation by implying her political action committee helped to incite the deadly mass shooting in Arizona that severely wounded former Representative Gabby Giffords.

The newspaper admitted the mistake and had issued a correction within hours.

Three more federal prosecutors who worked on the corruption case against New York Mayor Eric Adams have resigned. In a letter obtained by several media outlets, they said they were pressured to express regret to the Justice Department for refusing to drop Adams' case. They wrote — quote — "We will not confess wrongdoing when there was none. The department has decided that obedience supersedes all else."

Adams had agreed to cooperate with the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, which led to the dismissal of his criminal case. At least 10 federal prosecutors in Manhattan and Washington have now resigned over that case being dropped.

And the Trump administration announced a plan this afternoon to phase out eight artificial dyes from the U.S. food supply by the end of next year. The petroleum-based additives are found in many grocery store staples, from cereals to sports drinks. But, today, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said it's critical to get them off of shelves.

He cited some studies that found links between synthetic dyes and neurobehavioral issues in children. He called on food manufacturers to replace them with natural substitutes.

Dr. Marty Makary, FDA Commissioner:

For the last 50 years, we have been running one of the largest uncontrolled scientific experiments in the world on our nation's children without their consent. And, today, we are removing these petroleum-based chemicals from their food supply.

Amna Nawaz:

Today's announcement drew praise from advocates who say the dyes carry health risks, but serve no purpose beyond the cosmetic. The FDA has long maintained that synthetic dyes are safe for consumption.

Still to come on the "News Hour": we examine the Trump administration's claim that student activists are undercutting U.S. foreign policy; the Education Department resumes collection of student debt from borrowers in default; and a new book chronicles the life of the trailblazing South Asian actress Merle Oberon.