August 13, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode

Fred Tutman is the riverkeeper of Maryland’s longest and deepest intrastate waterway. He's an advocate for the Patuxent River and one of the longest-serving waterkeepers in the Chesapeake region. Our journalism training program, PBS News Student Reporting Labs, traveled to Maryland to learn about Tutman's unique job.

A right-wing political activist who has spread conspiracy theories and used hate speech has become a central figure in the hirings and firings of Trump staffers. Laura Loomer has successfully lobbied to remove aides in several key government roles, including the National Security Council. Stephanie Sy reports on Loomer's mission to shape the Trump administration in her vision.

President Trump stunned many in the tech world after announcing a controversial deal with chipmakers Nvidia and AMD, allowing them to sell advanced artificial intelligence chips to China in exchange for giving the U.S. government a 15% cut of their revenue. Amna Nawaz discussed the legality of this deal and its implications with Scott Kennedy of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

President Trump moved to take over policing in Washington, D.C. to “rescue our nation’s capital from crime," but the data doesn’t back up many of his claims. Murder and violent crime dropped significantly across the U.S. last year, a trend that’s continued so far in 2025. The crackdown comes even as his administration cut funding for other kinds of crime prevention work. John Yang reports.

She’s the preschool teacher to millions, though most of her students have never set foot in her classroom. Rachel Accurso, known as Ms. Rachel, is the creator of the wildly popular YouTube series "Songs for Littles," a lifeline for parents and a source of joy for toddlers. She sat down with Geoff Bennett to discuss how she's using her platform to call attention to the plight of children in Gaza.