- Ted, it's nice to see you.

The start of President Trump's second term has been jam-packed, as we've seen with executive orders as well as new policies and some confusion about what those policies mean.

Certainly, we've seen that play out here in Rhode Island.

- Yes, especially on this funding freeze.

You know, as we talk today, Michelle, there's still a lot of confusion about exactly what's going on with this partial federal funding freeze.

It's tied up in court.

But I'd say that has been the most chaotic initial move by the Trump administration at the local level.

- Let's turn to Rhode Island's senior Senator, Senator Jack Reed, who is the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee.

Also the only Democrat who was granted an in-person meeting with Pete Hegseth, the president's pick to lead the Defense Department.

Despite that meeting, Senator Reed did not change his position on Hegseth.

Let's take a listen to what he had to say during the confirmation hearing.

- The secretary is expected to be a fair, non-partisan, and responsible leader, as well as a trustworthy advocate for the men and women that he leads.

Mr. Hegseth, I do not believe that you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job.

- And as we know, Hegseth won confirmation after Vice President JD Vance came and cast the tie-breaking vote.

But Senator Reed's scathing criticism really caught the attention of the American people.

- Yes 'cause it's generally out of character for Senator Reed.

I mean, reporters always, especially Washington reporters, always called him mild-mannered, taciturn, soft-spoken.

You know, he is just not known as a partisan warrior who's always throwing bombs.

And he also has voted for every previous Defense Secretary nominee, Republican and Democratic, which also made this so unusual.

The Armed Service Committee generally known for its bipartisan traditions, and I think Reed historically has always been someone who believes in that a lot.

But I think, you know, I've covered Reed a long time, I think fundamentally, Michelle, he was saying what he thinks.

He just does not believe Pete Hegseth was qualified for this job and believes it's a very important job.

So what I'm curious about now is how that will affect Reed's ability to have a working relationship with senior leadership at the Pentagon in the next couple of years.

- And Rhode Island's other U.S. senator has also been in the news, Sheldon Whitehouse, over a confirmation hearing, this time having to do with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the president's pick to lead Health & Human Services.

And this one is interesting, especially because of Senator Whitehouse and Kennedy's personal relationship.

What is that?

- They weren't roommates, as some national outlets have suggested, Michelle, but they were good friends in law school at UVA.

I believe Sheldon Whitehouse was in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s, one of his weddings, his first one, I think.

And so because of that personal relationship, there has been concern among some Democrats in Washington that Whitehouse might decide to vote for Kennedy, you know, make it a bipartisan thing.

And then Whitehouse, because he has refused to rule that out, has certainly alarmed some Democrats who don't like that idea.

- And Senator Whitehouse was asked about that at an unrelated event by reporters.

Let's hear what he had to say.

- We haven't been in touch for a long time.

He hasn't had his hearing yet.

I have not been inclined to telegraph my votes before somebody's even had their hearing.

So I think people need to kind of chill on that for a bit.

Let him have his hearing, and then we'll go forward.

I can assure everyone that I will vote in the way that is best for Rhode Island.

- And we should note that Senator Whitehouse sounded pretty negative about Kennedy's confirmation two days later at the hearing.

- Yes.

I tend to think, Michelle, Whitehouse was looking to see, was there some way here to vote for his old friend and maybe have a more constructive relationship than he might usually have with a Republican Health secretary?

Maybe he could get some money for Rhode Island or something like that out of it.

But I think it became clear to him as soon as sort of the public conversation began about him maybe voting for Kennedy, the backlash would just be too enormous among the Democratic base against Whitehouse, who's seen as such a reliable Democrat that I have trouble imagining him actually doing it.

- Another issue that we're watching closely, immigration.

We have seen President Trump sign a number of executive orders as well as his first law related to illegal immigration.

Yet it remains unclear how we're gonna see that play out locally.

- Yes, because, you know, you have rhetoric coming from the Trump administration on the campaign, and now there about mass deportations, major ICE raids.

But I still think there's some question about just what that's going to look like.

And that's why there are so many questions.

You know, I think it's led to a lot of consternation in cities in Rhode Island with high foreign-born populations, Pawtucket, Providence, Central Falls, places like that, wondering what's going to be coming.

You've certainly seen Attorney General Peter Neronha be pretty out front on this issue so far.

He joined the lawsuit from some attorneys general against the birthright citizenship executive order, and he also worked with the Education Commissioner to put out guidance in the schools about the rights of people who are in the country illegally.

So I definitely think that's gonna be one we'll be watching very closely in the coming weeks and months.

- Yeah, a lot to watch.

Thanks so much for joining me, Ted.

- Good to be here.