NPR News Now – January 25, 2025, 8AM EST
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U.S. Presidential Activities and Wildfire Response
Giles Snyder opens the episode with President Donald Trump's scheduled rally in Las Vegas, following his recent tour of wildfire-affected areas in Southern California. Trump, arriving from North Carolina, expressed a strong desire to "overhaul or even possibly get rid of FEMA" (00:16). NPR's Asma Khalid reports on Trump's pointed criticism of California's wildfire response. Despite political tensions, California Governor Gavin Newsom and President Trump briefly set aside differences to discuss cooperation upon Trump's arrival. Trump toured the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, assuring federal support while simultaneously criticizing the local water management system. He mentioned an executive order aimed at redirecting more water from Northern California to the south, a move experts argue is unrelated to firefighting efforts (00:36).
Defense Secretary Confirmation
Later, Giles Snyder covers President Trump's interaction with reporters following the Senate's confirmation of Pete Hegseth as the new Secretary of Defense. Trump expressed satisfaction with the confirmation: “We're very happy about that and we appreciate everybody's vote” (01:13). The confirmation came after Vice President J.D. Vance broke a 50-50 tie in the Senate vote. Notably, three Republican senators—Alaska's Lisa Murkowski, Maine's Susan Collins, and Kentucky's Mitch McConnell—voted against Hegseth. Senator McConnell criticized Hegseth by stating he "failed to demonstrate that he could effectively lead an organization as large as the Pentagon" (01:23; 01:25).
Immigration Policy Overhaul
The Trump administration is intensifying its immigration crackdown by granting authorities broader powers to expel migrants admitted under Biden's temporary programs. Joel Rose explains that Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman signed a memo providing a "roadmap to begin removing migrants" from two specific Biden-era programs: the CBP One app, which allowed migrants to schedule asylum appointments at ports of entry, and another program for migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (02:05). Over 1.4 million migrants benefited from these programs under humanitarian parole, which critics argue was unlawful. Immigrant advocates express fear that those fleeing dangerous situations may be forcibly returned (02:05).
Ceasefire in Israel and Palestine
Internationally, Giles Snyder reports joyous reactions in Tel Aviv as Hamas released four female Israeli soldiers as part of a ceasefire agreement intended to pause 15 months of conflict. However, the deal is under scrutiny as Israel accuses Hamas of violating the agreement by not releasing a civilian hostage. Israel has also declared that displaced Palestinians will remain barred from returning to northern Gaza until these disputes are resolved (02:43).
U.S. Freezes Foreign Assistance
The U.S. State Department has expanded President Trump's executive action to freeze foreign assistance for 90 days. A memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlines a suspension of foreign aid, with exceptions made for military assistance to Israel and Egypt, as well as emergency food programs. This memo also imposes a stop-work order on existing contracts and grants for humanitarian and development projects. Giles Snyder notes that the U.S. remains the world's largest international aid donor despite these cuts (02:43).
Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Kate Bartlett provides an update on the escalating conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Rebels from the M23 group are rapidly advancing towards Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu, a region rich in minerals and marred by decades of violence. Recent days have seen the capture of several towns and the assassination of a military governor. President Felix Tshisekedi has cut short his attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos to address the crisis. Bartlett reports that UN Peacekeeping forces are actively engaging the rebels, who the DRC government and the UN allege are supported by Rwanda—a claim Rwanda denies. The conflict has forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee, and foreign nationals are being urged to evacuate (03:55).
Sports Highlight: Grand Slam Tennis
In sports, Giles Snyder announces a significant achievement in tennis. American Madison Keys has claimed her first Grand Slam title by defeating two-time defending champion Irina Sabulinka in the women's final. This victory marks the first Grand Slam tournament champion of the year. Additionally, Snyder previews the men's final scheduled for the following day, featuring defending champion Jannik Sinner against Alexander Zverev (04:32).
Notable Quotes:
- Gavin Newsom on Cooperation with Trump: “For a few minutes, they put politics aside and spoke of cooperation” (00:36)
- Mitch McConnell on Hegseth’s Confirmation: “He failed to demonstrate that he could effectively lead an organization as large as the Pentagon” (01:25)
- Giles Snyder on Madison Keys’ Victory: “This is NPR News” (04:32) – emphasizing the significance of the event.
This detailed summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the January 25, 2025, episode of NPR News Now, providing a comprehensive overview for those who have not listened to the full broadcast.