The Excerpt

A leaked Trump administration plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine has triggered debate among U.S. allies and sharp pushback from Kyiv. As negotiations continue in Moscow and European capitals, critics say the revised proposal still favors Kremlin demands and risks locking in territorial losses for Ukraine. USA TODAY White House correspondent Francesca Chambers explains what’s changed in the peace plan, where talks stand and whether either side is any closer to a deal.

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There have been 21 U.S. military strikes against Venezuelan vessels since September, with a total of 83 casualties, all without Congressional approval or oversight. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has recently cautioned airlines to avoid Venezuelan airspace, encouraged Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to flee and said land strikes could “start very soon.” Is all of this really about combatting the drug trade or could the primary motivation even be more simply to get rid of Maduro? USA TODAY Domestic Security Correspondent Josh Meyer joins The Excerpt to break down this fast-evolving and complex story.

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The Trump administration has begun carving up the Education Department, signing six new agreements that shift major K-12 and higher ed programs to other federal agencies. USA TODAY Congress reporter Zach Schermele explains why these moves are happening now, how they build on a Supreme Court decision that allowed an earlier transfer to the Labor Department and what’s at stake for school districts that rely on Title I funding and federal oversight. He also breaks down concerns around special education, the future of student loan services, and whether these changes could widen disparities the department was created to fix.

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After less than a year, the Department of Government Efficiency, better known as DOGE, is done. The controversial cost-cutting initiative was initially led by the equally controversial tech billionaire Elon Musk. Did DOGE succeed in what it set out to do? While much has been made of the steep cuts in the number of federal employees, there was also what Musk called a mandate from President Donald Trump to “delete the mountain” of government regulations and remake the government with AI. USA TODAY Politics Reporter Kathryn Palmer joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to dive into all things DOGE.

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Since its inception back in 2001, Wikipedia has become a trusted source for information. The online encyclopedia took hold despite initially being a punchline for late-night talk show hosts like Stephen Colbert. But nearly 25 years on, its founder has gotten the last laugh all while teaching the world about trust. The engine of the world’s largest encyclopedia runs on the work of volunteers. And at its helm is Jimmy Wales, the Wikipedia founder, who joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to share insights from his new book, “The Seven Rules of Trust,” on bookshelves now. 

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In 1960, 26-year-old Jane Goodall arrived with her mother at Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve in western Tanzania. What followed was truly a story for the ages. Her work transformed how humans interact with and understand the natural world. Dr. Jane Goodall passed away last month at the age of 91. Dr. Goodall will be remembered as an ethologist and conservationist whose life and work not only made an indelible mark on our understanding of chimpanzees and other species, but also of humankind and the environments we all share. Author Douglas Abrams, who co-wrote “The Book of Hope” with Jane Goodall, joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to discuss her legacy of hope.

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On Monday, a judge ordered that charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, both targets of President Donald Trump, be dismissed. What led to both cases being tossed, and where does the Justice Department go from here? USA TODAY National News reporter Aysha Bagchi joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to break down the charges, the dismissals and the response from the Trump administration.

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A woman told USA TODAY that nearly a year ago she walked into the OBGYN's office in Fort Hood, an Army base in Texas, because she wasn't sure what to take for her sinus infection during her pregnancy. She said that the doctor, Major Blaine McGraw, then sexually abused her. She said that when she told him to stop, he laughed. The woman is one of more than 1,400 patients of Major McGraw’s who the Army says it has contacted in a snowballing investigation alleging sexual exploitation. USA TODAY National Security Reporter Cybele Mayes-Osterman joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt for more on this disturbing story. 

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In states like Texas, California, Kansas and beyond, politicians are fighting to redraw congressional maps that could shape power in America for years to come. The question many are asking is whether 2025’s redistricting efforts are about upholding democracy or diluting representation? USA TODAY Chief Political Correspondent Phillip M. Bailey and USA TODAY Politics Reporter Kathryn Palmer join The Excerpt to hash out what the implications are for the 2026 midterm elections.

UPDATE: Late Friday, Nov. 21, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily revived Texas’ contested congressional map while it considers the state’s emergency appeal. Read more here.

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Former Vice President Dick Cheney was remembered this week at a Washington memorial as a defining figure in modern Republican politics. USA TODAY Washington bureau chief Susan Page breaks down his complicated legacy, from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to the rise of the MAGA movement. She explains Cheney’s push to expand executive power, the backlash over enhanced interrogation, and why Cheney ultimately endorsed Kamala Harris over Donald Trump.

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