The Evening: Justices skeptical of Trump’s citizenship plan

April 1, 2026

	By Matthew Cullen

Good evening. While many are gathering tonight for Passover seders, the news is not letting up. In the next few hours, we expect NASA to launch astronauts toward the moon, and President Trump to deliver a national address on the war in Iran.

I’ll have more on all of that below. We’re also covering:

The Supreme Court arguments on birthright citizenship
A deal to end the partial government shutdown
Plus, a puppy training to save lives

The Supreme Court with a blooming tree in the foreground.

Anna Rose Layden for The New York Times

Key justices appear skeptical of limiting birthright citizenship

During arguments today at the Supreme Court, a majority of the justices appeared skeptical of President Trump’s plan to end automatic citizenship for children born on U.S. soil to undocumented immigrants and temporary foreign visitors.

Key conservative justices whose votes often swing major cases raised doubts that Trump’s effort was constitutional. Chief Justice John Roberts, for example, described one of the president’s core arguments as “very quirky.” For generations, legal experts have agreed that the Constitution guarantees birthright citizenship.

When I chatted this afternoon with our chief legal affairs correspondent, Adam Liptak, he reminded me that Trump had entered the day widely expected to lose the case. After more than two hours of tough questioning on both sides, Adam said, it was less clear.

“A loss for Trump is still the more likely outcome,” he told me. “But several of the key justices seemed to think the case presented closer questions than many observers had anticipated.”

The ruling could also have sweeping practical consequences: A Trump victory would strip citizenship from an estimated 200,000 babies born in the U.S. each year. It would also redefine our understanding of what it means to be an American.

One bit of history: Trump attended today’s argument, a first for a sitting president.

Kenny Holston/The New York Times

Watch the first crewed moon launch in more than 50 years

All four astronauts are in their seats. The giant rocket is filled with supercold propellants. And everything appears on track for NASA’s first moon mission since 1972 to launch from Kennedy Space Center at 6:24 p.m. Eastern, or within the following two hours. You can watch the liftoff here.

The mission, Artemis II, is a 10-day journey around the moon and back. The crew’s path will begin with a couple trips around the Earth. The astronauts will not actually touch the lunar surface, but they are set to see the far side of the moon while it is illuminated. They are also expected to travel farther from Earth than a human ever has before.

What to know before liftoff:

If the launch is postponed, NASA plans to try again in the coming days.
The Artemis II crew includes the first Canadian to head to the moon, as well as the first Black person and the first woman.
Our fashion critic explains why the astronauts are wearing orange.

Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times

Trump is set to address the nation about the Iran war

At 9 p.m. Eastern, the president is scheduled to deliver a speech about the Iran war that will be broadcast on the major networks (and also our site).

Trump has hinted at the possibility of winding down the U.S. war effort. He said yesterday that “we will be leaving very soon,” and added today that he was no longer concerned about Iran’s enriched uranium. But he also said today that there would be no cease-fire until the Strait of Hormuz reopened to commercial ships.

For more on the war:

U.S. intelligence agencies recently assessed that Iran is not willing to engage in substantial negotiations to end the war. However, Iran’s president released a letter today suggesting the possibility of diplomacy.
Trump threatened to pull out of NATO.
The U.S. military’s decision to place troops in Middle East hotels may violate its own law of war, experts say.
The war has driven up gas prices. Zoom in on this map to see how much a gallon costs in your area.

More top news

Washington: House and Senate Republicans reached a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security.
Business: SpaceX filed to go public, setting the stage for one of the largest public offerings ever.
Health: The F.D.A. approved a new weight-loss pill, an alternative for patients who want to avoid injections.
Greenland: The U.S. military is intensifying efforts to secure greater access to the island.
South Dakota: In the town of Castlewood, many people are feeling bad for the husband of Kristi Noem, the former homeland security secretary after a tabloid photo leak. Our White House correspondent was there to take the pulse of the place.
White House: Trump has argued that his planned ballroom is a matter of national security, in part because of a bunker being built underneath.
Broadway: Megan Thee Stallion was rushed to a hospital while performing in “Moulin Rouge! The Musical.” She was diagnosed with extreme exhaustion.
South Africa: In Cape Town, 70 percent of downtown housing is for tourists. In the video below, our correspondent commutes with workers who are priced out of the city. Click to watch.

A GIF of a reporter talking about Cape Town’s housing problem.

Click to watch the video. The New York Times

TIME TO UNWIND

Raye, in a black dress, sings into a microphone while standing in front of horn players and backup singers.

Oli Scarff/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

The next British invasion is here

Americans are no strangers to British musicians, from the Beatles to Adele. But for the first time in a couple decades, a new group of English artists are on the path to become a dominant force in pop music.

The group includes Raye, who broke through with the angsty TikTok hit “Escapism”; Olivia Dean, who won best new artist at the Grammys; PinkPantheress, the alt-pop producer; and Lola Young, the foul-mouthed hitmaker.

An illustration of a fork holding a twirl of spaghetti that becomes a DNA strand. Atop the fork are pills and a leaf.

Sara Gironi Carnevale

Everyone’s a biohacker now

A few decades ago, biohacking was a fringe movement of young, wealthy tech bros who believed they could extend their lives by conducting experiments on their bodies. They used cryogenic chambers, infrared saunas and other gadgets.

Now, the movement has gone mainstream. People of all ages and backgrounds are measuring their vitals, adding seeds to their diets and taking various powdered supplements in hopes of improving their health.

A diptych showing a photo of Chris Espinosa, a man wearing a blue button-down shirt and glasses, and a photo of his hands holding his original Apple ID.

Ian C. Bates for The New York Times

Dinner table topics

Much has changed: In 1976, at the ripe age of 14, Chris Espinosa became Apple’s eighth employee. He never left.
“A succulent Chinese meal”: Australia enshrined a con man’s rant into its national archive. Here’s why.
In our minds: The science writer Michael Pollan spent years studying consciousness. The more he learned, the weirder things got.
Gotcha: Our puzzle editor recalled some of our crossword’s best April Fools’ tricks.

WHAT TO DO TONIGHT

A slice of carrot almond cake topped with sliced almonds on an orange plate. A fork holding a small piece of the cake is also on the plate.

Julia Gartland for The New York Times

Bake this flourless carrot almond cake during Passover. It’s moist, crunchy and a bit zesty.

Start a short book and finish it by the weekend. “Room Temperature” is a good option.

Listen to excerpts from Morton Feldman’s quietly sensual yet profound works.

Approach your garden with a birder’s eye, not just a to-do list.

Wear indoor shoes.