Politics and views in the United States

Speaker Johnson praises Trump for helping USS Lincoln sailors. Environmentalists decry an administration plan to end national forest protections. And, a new survey shows what people want from their government.

Transcript

Welcome to 2026 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

We respect our servicemen and women.

We've got to make sure that they're cared for properly, and I'm comforted with Commander-in-Chief, Secretary of Exeth, and everybody, Hong Kong, who is the Secretary of the Navy, that they have all hands on deck, and they're making sure that's taken care of.

Speaker Mike Johnson is praising President Donald Trump and the Defense Department for their handling of problems on the USS Abraham Lincoln.

Families of sailors say the crew is dealing with food shortages, broken showers and toilets, and declining mental health after a near record-long Middle East deployment.

When asked, Trump said the deployment was, quote, not nearly long enough and called reports of the crew's deteriorating morale a, quote, CNN fake report.

The USS George Washington is taking over the Lincolns' role in the Iran war, but that leaves the West Pacific without the aircraft carrier normally stationed there.

Trump is also ordering the Pentagon to scale back normal military exercises with South Korea.

He says that nation refused to help with the Iran conflict and needs to pay more of the cost for military protections.

So we were getting paid.

We would have been getting paid a lot more, but we can't go around and protect all of these countries, especially when they're not there to help us.

Environmental groups are protesting a new administration plan to repeal a Clinton-era roadless rule and open up 44 million acres of national forests to new roads, commercial logging, and mining.

The White House argues new roads would allow for more thinning of trees to reduce fire risk, but David Morick with American River says the plan does the opposite.

The science shows that more roads equals more fire, and there are already exceptions in active management allowed on roadless areas, including for wildfire treatment.

Morick says intact forests provide important wildlife habitat as well as storing and filtering water.

He says if the administration were really worried about fire, it would reverse funding cuts to the agencies that manage America's wilderness.

In the lead up to the midterms, Public News Service is highlighting important polls.

A new Partnership for Public Service survey finds most Americans want an active government, one that understands and responds to average needs and serves the public good over money, corporations, or special interests.

Lindsay LaFerriere with the partnership says it's interesting and important how widespread those feelings are.

It was really encouraging to me how much common ground there was and the types of priorities.

Now the work is how do we make sure government is living up to these principles and priorities, and how do we build that broad coalition of people to make sure you're holding leaders accountable for delivering this type of government.

The survey says a majority don't think interacting with the government works or lack trust in elected leaders, but it also found a strong willingness to make change by voting or protesting.

In the Florida primary, a scandal played Congressman Corey Mills' out after losing to conservative news anchor Ryan Elijah, Progressive Representative Angie Nixon upset retired Lieutenant Colonel Alex Vindman for the Democratic Senate nomination, and Governor Ron DeSantis' hand-picked successor, Representative Byron Donalds, will face off against former Congressman and former Republican David Jolly in the governor's race.

I'm Edwin J. Viera for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.