NPR News Now – 6AM EST, January 28, 2026

Main Theme:
This five-minute NPR News Now update, hosted by Korva Coleman, covers major U.S. political news, an overseas military briefing, a national tragedy in aviation, and the latest on the economy and the winter storm aftermath.

Key Stories & Discussion Points

1. Attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar

• Details of Incident
  • Minnesota Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was rushed by a man at a town hall who sprayed her with an unknown liquid from a syringe. Security tackled and arrested the attacker.
    [00:15–00:31]
• Omar’s Response
  • Omar was checked by staff but quickly resumed her remarks.
• Context of Violence
  • The incident follows another attack on Rep. Maxwell Frost, who was punched at Sundance.
  • Rising threats against lawmakers have led to increased security funding.
• Notable Quote:

  "A statement from Omar's office said the congresswoman is okay... Omar continued her remarks."
  — Barbara Sprunt [00:31]

2. Political Climate & Trump’s Comments

• Trump’s Continued Attacks
  • President Trump insulted Rep. Omar hours before the attack, accusing her of financial improprieties and making derogatory comments about Somali Americans.
  • At a rally and in interviews, he claimed to be "swapping out his immigration leads" in Minnesota, assigning Tom Homan to "de escalate."
• Uncertainty Over De-escalation
  • It's unclear what "de-escalation" entails, given recent violence—including the fatal shooting of two Minneapolis protesters by federal agents.
• Contradictions in Protester Shooting
  • A preliminary government report contradicts claims that protester Alex Preddy threatened agents; it only notes he "resisted arrest."
• Notable Quote:

  "Trump has mocked Somali Americans and Somalis as, quote, garbage."
  — Korva Coleman [01:10]
  "We have Tom Homan there now. We put him in there. He's great... We're going to de escalate a little bit."
  — Trump Administration Official [01:45]

3. Venezuela: US Intervention Briefing

• Senate Committee to Hear From Rubio
  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio to address the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the U.S. operation to arrest Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
  • Rubio says Venezuela's interim leader is cooperating and opening the energy sector to the U.S.
  • President Trump has seized 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil.
• Democrats’ Concerns
  • Democrats plan to question Rubio on long-term strategy and implications.
• Notable Quote:

  "Rubio defends what he describes as a law enforcement operation to arrest and remove Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife."
  — Michelle Keleman [02:28]

4. Winter Storm Aftermath

• Impact
  • Nearly 400,000 customers without power, several dozen deaths, subfreezing temperatures reaching Florida.
  • Ongoing recovery and concern over casualties.
    [03:12]

5. Deadly DC Aviation Collision – NTSB Report

• Findings
  • NTSB says the fatal collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet (67 deaths) was largely FAA’s fault—warnings about dangerous helicopter flight paths were ignored.
    [03:39]
• Preventability
  • NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy:

    "This was preventable. This was 100% preventable."
    — Jennifer Homendy [04:07]

• FAA Response
  • FAA claims to have adopted most NTSB recommendations and will review new ones.

6. US Economic Concerns

• Consumer Confidence Plummets
  • January saw the lowest consumer confidence reading since 2014—worse even than pandemic lows.
  • Fears over spending downturn as the Fed meets to discuss interest rates.
• Political Pressure
  • President Trump pressures the Fed to cut rates, but expectations are for rates to hold steady.
• Notable Quote:

  "Consumer confidence dropped in January to its lowest level since 2014. The private conference board says that's lower than what was seen during the pandemic."
  — Korva Coleman [04:21]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Rising Political Violence:
  "Threats against congressional lawmakers have been rising. Last year, there was an increase in security funding in the wake of growing concerns about political violence."
  — Barbara Sprunt [00:31]

• On Preventable Aviation Accident:
  "This was 100% preventable."
  — Jennifer Homendy, NTSB Chair [04:07]

Segment Timestamps

• Ilhan Omar Attack & Lawmaker Safety: 00:15–01:10
• Trump Comments & MN Protests: 01:10–01:52
• Federal Agents & Protester Shooting: 01:52–02:28
• Venezuelan Operation Briefing: 02:28–03:12
• Winter Storm Update: 03:12–03:39
• DC Air Collision Report: 03:39–04:21
• Economic Update & Fed Meeting: 04:21–04:55

This summary captures all major news points and direct quotes from the brief. It provides a clear overview for listeners who missed the episode and want the central facts and mood of the day's headlines.