NPR News Now – 7PM EST, January 21, 2026

Host: Ryland Barton
Duration: ~5 minutes
Theme: Top headlines in US and international news, politics, and culture

Episode Overview

This edition of NPR News Now delivers concise coverage of major political developments involving President Trump, the Clintons, protests in Minnesota, the ongoing war in Ukraine, a notable arts world boycott, and a significant business deal. The episode addresses recent shifts in US foreign policy, domestic military mobilization, legislative actions, arts institutions reacting to politics, and a high-profile business acquisition.

Key Stories & Takeaways

1. President Trump Reverses Course on Greenland and NATO Efforts

[00:15–01:07]

• President Trump announces he will not use military force to acquire Greenland and is pulling back threats of new tariffs on Europe after speaking with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
• Key Insight: Rutte, described as a "Trump whisperer," reassured Trump of NATO's commitment and their discussion led to what Trump called a "concept of a deal," though no actual US acquisition of Greenland is involved.
• Memorable Quote:
  • Tamara Keith:

    "Secretary General, Mark Rutte, has been something of a Trump whisperer in this second term, largely by piling on praise." [00:37]

  • Trump (via Tamara Keith):

    "It would be an infinite deal." [00:56] (on the nature of any Greenland agreement)

2. Military Mobilization Amid Protests in Minnesota

[01:07–02:04]

• Military police from Fort Bragg, NC, prepared to deploy to Minnesota, supplementing 1,500 soldiers from Alaska already ready for ICE support in the wake of ongoing Minneapolis protests.
• Protests follow the killing of Renee Macklin Good by an ICE agent; the federal focus is, controversially, not on the shooting, but on investigating Democratic officials accused of blocking ICE operations.
• Notable Details:
  • "The Trump administration is not investigating the shooting, but has opened investigations into Democratic Minnesota government officials for allegedly blocking federal immigration enforcement." – Quill Lawrence [01:51]

3. Clintons Held in Contempt by House Committee

[02:04–03:04]

• House Oversight Committee votes to hold former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt for defying subpoenas linked to the Jeffrey Epstein case.
• Bipartisan support for contempt of Bill Clinton (including nine Democrats), while only three Democrats joined for Hillary Clinton. The Clintons claim to have shared all their relevant information.
• Highlights:
  • Claudia Grisales:

    "Most Democrats argued [Hillary Clinton] was not privy to the same access to Epstein. The Clintons said they've turned over the, quote, little information they have." [02:37]

4. US Stock Market Bounces Back

[03:04–03:18]

• The S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Dow all rose more than 1% after the previous day's significant losses.

5. Ukraine: Kyiv Suffers Power Outages; US Diplomacy

[03:18–03:46]

• President Zelensky reports continued power and heating outages in Kyiv after Russian grid attacks.
• President Trump announces upcoming talks with Zelensky and that his envoy will also meet with President Putin, signaling ongoing US engagement in the war.

6. Kennedy Center Boycotts Escalate

[03:46–04:33]

• Seattle Children's Theatre pulls a planned run of its new Bruce Lee play from the Kennedy Center, joining other arts organizations like the Washington National Opera and Martha Graham Dance Company in departing since President Trump took over the Kennedy Center and its board.
• Jeff London:

  "The company's managing director says, quote, the landscape in which the young dragon was originally created has changed. He acknowledges his organization will take a financial hit by withdrawing." [03:53]

7. Nathan's Famous Sold to Smithfield Foods

[04:33–04:57]

• Iconic hot dog brand Nathan’s Famous is acquired by Smithfield Foods for $450 million amidst financial pressures, marking the end of its independent operations after over a century.
• Notable Fact:
  • "Nathan's ... opened as a 5 cent hot dog stand in Coney Island more than a century ago. It's been under significant inflationary pressure, including a 20% increase in the cost per pound of hot dogs." – Ryland Barton [04:38]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On NATO relations:

  “Secretary General, Mark Rutte, has been something of a Trump whisperer in this second term, largely by piling on praise.” – Tamara Keith [00:37]

• On deploying to Minnesota:

  “Protests have continued in Minneapolis for two weeks since an ICE agent shot to death Renee Macklin Good, a 37 year old mother of three.” – Quill Lawrence [01:36]

• On the new arts boycott:

  “The landscape in which the young dragon was originally created has changed. He acknowledges his organization will take a financial hit by withdrawing.” – Jeff London quoting Seattle Children’s Theatre director [03:53]

• On the Nathan’s sale:

  “It's been under significant inflationary pressure, including a 20% increase in the cost per pound of hot dogs.” – Ryland Barton [04:45]

Timeline of Major Segments

• [00:15] – Headlines and Trump/NATO/Greenland update
• [01:07] – Military alert for Minnesota, ICE/protests (Quill Lawrence)
• [02:04] – Clintons held in contempt by House Committee (Claudia Grisales)
• [03:04] – US stock market rebounds
• [03:18] – Kyiv update, Zelenskyy/Trump/Putin diplomacy
• [03:46] – Arts organizations boycott Kennedy Center (Jeff London)
• [04:33] – Nathan’s Famous sold to Smithfield Foods

Summary

This compact edition of NPR News Now covers an array of significant political, social, and cultural issues, reflecting deepening political tensions in Washington and abroad, persistent unrest in Minnesota, the intertwining of politics and the arts, and economic shifts in American industry. The reporting is brisk, objective, and filled with important, newsworthy updates.