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Popular Information doesn't just break news; it creates change. Consider a few examples of the impact of this newsletter this year:
On March 17, Popular Information exclusively published an internal Social Security Administration (SSA) memo that revealed plans to significantly limit phone service beginning April 1. The memo said the plan would flood already overburned field offices with millions of additional people, creating "service disruption," "operational strain," and "budget shortfalls." Popular Information's report was covered extensively in the national media and prompted protests from advocacy groups. On April 8, the SSA announced that it was canceling its plans to limit phone service.
On April 15, Popular Information reported that at least 29 people had their ballots in the 2024 general election wrongly discarded by the North Carolina Supreme Court. The state's highest court ruled that about 260 ballots must be tossed because they were cast by people who were "never residents" of the state. The ballots — and thousands of others — were challenged by Jefferson Griffin, a Republican candidate for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court who lost by 734 votes to Democrat Allison Riggs. On April 16, the North Carolina Board of Elections filed a notice in federal court, citing Popular Information's reporting, stating that the votes of people who were wrongly identified would be restored. On May 5, in a decision that referenced Popular Information's reporting, a federal court declared Riggs the winner and Griffin conceded.
On August 4, Popular Information broke the news that President Trump's Super PAC accepted a $5 million donation from Extremity Care, a company that sells expensive bandages made from dried placentas, days before the Trump administration delayed a rule that would have prevented Medicare from covering its products. Medicare is spending billions on Extremity Care products, which can cost more than $10,000 per square inch, even though much cheaper alternatives—unlike Extremity Care's—are backed by scientific evidence. On August 11, the New York Times covered the scandal on its front page, crediting Popular Information's reporting.
The Trump administration is targeting publications like Popular Information that publish leaked information. In an April memo, Attorney General Pam Bondi (R) said the Justice Department "will not tolerate unauthorized disclosures that undermine President Trump’s policies." Bondi raised the specter of arresting “members of the news media."
Popular Information needs the resources to prepare for and respond to these potential attacks. If you value our work, help us fight by upgrading to a paid subscription today.
How airlines lobbied away your flight compensation
After a $62 billion federal bailout, the airline industry secures the repeal of a key consumer protection.
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If passengers book a flight from the European Union and it is canceled or significantly delayed for reasons within the airline's control, passengers are entitled to cash compensation. Under rules that have been in place since 2005, passengers receive €250 to €600 (roughly $300 to $700) depending on the length of the delay and the distance of the flight. This system ensures that passengers don't bear the full burden of delayed travel and provides a strong incentive for airlines to provide on-time service.
In the United States, things are very different. Passengers are not entitled to any compensation if their flight is delayed or canceled. (If the flight is canceled, passengers are entitled to a refund of the purchase price.) On a voluntary basis, a few airlines provide travel vouchers as compensation for long delays. No airline in the United States provides cash compensation.
That was supposed to change.
In May 2023, President Biden announced that his administration was proposing a new rule that would require all airlines to compensate passengers for significantly delayed or canceled flights. Under the rule, travelers in the United States would receive $200 to $775 for significant flight delays or cancellations caused by the airline. In 2023, 93,897 domestic flights were canceled and 95,024 were delayed more than three hours.
The rule was formally proposed in December 2024. Domestic airlines are well-positioned to absorb these costs. In the second quarter of 2025, for example, Delta recorded a $2.1 billion profit. The last 12 months have been profitable for most airlines, including Delta ($4.5 billion), United ($3.3 billion), American ($567 million), and Southwest ($392 million).
When the pandemic threatened the airlines' bottom line, the industry received $62 billion in bailouts from taxpayers. The bulk of that money will never be repaid.
Last week, however, the Trump administration quietly canceled plans to compensate U.S. passengers for delays and cancellations. A short entry in the Federal Register said that the rule was being withdrawn "[c]onsistent with Department and administration priorities." In a statement to the media, the Department of Transportation said, "Some of the rules proposed or adopted by the previous administration went beyond what Congress has required by statute, and we intend to reconsider those extra-statutory requirements."
"We are encouraged by this Department of Transportation reviewing unnecessary and burdensome regulations that exceed its authority and don’t solve issues important to our customers," Airlines for America, which represents Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, said in a statement.
The decision to reverse the proposed consumer protections, which are very popular, came after an aggressive lobbying campaign by Airlines for America and individual airlines. The industry used its influence, cash, and flattery to get their way.
Appointing a former airline lobbyist as Secretary of Transportation
The groundwork was laid to repeal the passenger compensation rule with the confirmation of former Congressman Sean Duffy (R-WI) as Secretary of Transportation. In 2020, Duffy was hired as a lobbyist for The Partnership for Open and Fair Skies, a coalition that includes American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. In the first three months, the coalition paid Duffy's lobbying firm, BGR Government Affairs, $50,000 to represent the industry's interests.
Even after his lobbying role ended, Duffy continued to advocate for and defend the airline industry. After Southwest Airlines "cancelled 16,900 flights and stranded over two million passengers over the 2022 Christmas holiday and into the New Year," Duffy defended the company on national TV. "Capital markets work. … Southwest will fix this, [former Secretary of Transportation] Pete Buttigieg never will," Duffy said on Fox News on December 29, 2022.
Unsurprisingly, the airline industry was ecstatic when Duffy was subsequently nominated for Secretary of Transportation. "We are thrilled that President-elect Trump has chosen Congressman Duffy to lead the Department of Transportation," Airlines for America said in a statement. "Congressman Duffy has a proven track record for g