The Supreme Court’s Secret Documents, and an Unusual Order From the C.D.C. Director

September 1, 2026

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The Supreme Court is more secretive than ever, the Army’s top civilian leader just quit in frustration, and the CDC is publicly breaking with state health officials over measles deaths. These are the dominant stories in this episode of The Headlines, which also covers a landmark conviction in Tupac Shakur’s murder and Lionel Messi’s retirement from international soccer.

The Supreme Court’s Long Game of Secrecy

The U.S. Supreme Court issues carefully composed opinions, but the internal working papers—the memos and drafts that reveal how justices pressured and persuaded each other—are increasingly locked away. Times reporter Jody Kantor explains that the trend in recent decades has been toward much tighter restrictions on these documents. One justice allows his papers to be released 50 years after his death; another shredded his. Because of one justice’s choice, details from the Bush v. Gore decision in 2000 likely won’t be public until 2075.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:29) **Supreme Court Secrecy: Working Papers Locked Away** - The Times investigates how the Supreme Court's internal memos and drafts are increasingly sealed from public view, contrasting with other government branches.
2 (03:13) **Army Secretary Resigns After Clashes with Pete Hegseth** - The top civilian leader of the Army, Daniel Driscoll, resigns following repeated conflicts with the Defense Secretary.
3 (03:53) **Supreme Court Allows Trump's White House Ballroom to Proceed** - In a 5-4 ruling, the court clears the way for the $400 million construction project, sidestepping the legality question.
4 (04:24) **CDC Challenges Pennsylvania on Measles Deaths in Unusual Public Fight** - The CDC, under Health Secretary RFK Jr., publicly disputes a state report of two measles deaths, breaking with normal agency procedures.
5 (06:23) **Duane "Keefe D" Davis Convicted in Tupac Shakur Murder** - A Las Vegas jury finds Davis guilty of orchestrating the 1996 killing of the rapper after just three hours of deliberation.
6 (07:33) **Lionel Messi Retires from Argentina's National Team** - The soccer legend announces his retirement in a handwritten letter, ending a 200-game career that culminated in winning the 2022 World Cup.
7 Standout Quotes

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Show Notes

Plus, a conviction in the Tupac Shakur murder trial.

Here’s what we’re covering:

How the Supreme Court Locks Away Its Own History, by Jodi Kantor

Supreme Court Allows Trump’s White House Ballroom Construction, by Ann E. Marimow

Secretary of the Army Resigns After Clashing With Hegseth Over Firings, by Helene Cooper and Greg Jaffe

C.D.C. Director Challenges Pennsylvania’s Report of Two Measles Deaths, by Apoorva Mandavilli and Teddy Rosenbluth

Decades After Tupac’s Murder, a Talkative Gang Member Is Convicted, by Julia Jacobs and Anusha Bayya

Argentines Hoped Messi Would Stay Forever, by Emma Bubola

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