NPR News: 02-21-2026 10PM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now – 02-21-2026 10PM EST

Brief Overview

This episode of NPR News Now, hosted by Jeanine Herbst, offers a concise roundup of major national and international stories as of February 21, 2026. Key themes include President Trump’s new global tariffs, a lawsuit challenging a national monument proposal, far-right activism in France, Ukrainian military action inside Russia, and remembrances for significant cultural and civil rights figures.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump Raises New Global Tariffs

[00:15–01:08]

• President Trump announces a hike in global tariffs from 10% to 15%.
• This move follows a Supreme Court decision striking down most of his previous tariffs, forcing him to use a new legal authority. The current tariffs are temporary—they expire in 150 days, after which Congressional approval is required.
• Daniel Kurtzleben (NPR): Explains the blow to presidential power, emphasizing Trump previously had “massive leverage” on trade, diplomacy, and pharmaceuticals.
  • Quote:
    “Tariffs have just given Trump enormous power. He had claimed he had the ability to impose tariffs when he wanted, at what level he wanted. …Now he doesn’t necessarily have that same power anymore.” — Daniel Kurtzleben [00:47]
• Some tariffs on steel, aluminum, and cars remain, imposed under different legal provisions.

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2. Lawsuit Against Proposed Arlington Monument

[01:08–02:18]

• Vietnam War veterans are suing to block construction of President Trump’s “Independence Arch” at Memorial Circle near Arlington National Cemetery.
• The suit argues the project lacks legal authorization and congressional approval.
• Windsor Johnston (NPR): Reports that plaintiffs object to the “250 foot structure” obstructing the iconic sight lines between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House.
  • Concerns center on altering the symbolic landscape of national memory.
• Supporters, including the White House, frame the arch as a marker of the nation's 250th anniversary and a tribute to American ideals.

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3. Far-Right Protest in Lyon, France

[02:18–03:10]

• Far-right activists march in Lyon, France, at the site where a nationalist student, Quentin Duron, died after an assault.
• Hugh Schofield (BBC): Describes chants of “Justice for Quentin” and “antifa assassin,” as well as imagery and banners reflecting ultra-right, traditionalist, Catholic, nationalist, and neo-fascist groups.
  • Quote:
    “Among the crowd were masked men in black. And at the end, at the place where the student was killed, a line of activists held flaming torches in front of a banner reading ‘Goodbye, Comrade’ alongside a Christian symbol.” — Hugh Schofield [02:29]
• France’s main far-right party, the National Rally, did not participate.

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4. Ukraine Hits Russian Missile Factory

[03:10–03:48]

• Ukrainian forces strike a major missile factory in Russia (Vodkinsk plant) and a gas plant in Samara, amid ongoing Russian drone attacks on Ukraine.
• Russian sources report 11 wounded.
• Ukraine claims to have used domestically made FP5 Flamingo cruise missiles.

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5. Passing of Civil Rights Activist Joanne Bland

[03:48–04:36]

• Joanne Bland, an Alabama civil rights leader and survivor of “Bloody Sunday” in Selma at age 11, passes away at 72.
• Ann Kenda (Troy Public Radio): Highlights her role founding the National Voting Rights Museum and her continuing activism.
• Featured 2019 remark by Bland about civil rights resilience:
  • Quote:
    “Like a tree with branches, if you cut off one branch don’t mean the damn tree gonna die. It’s just gonna grow another branch. We need to find the root of all this.” — Joanne Bland [04:14]
• She died the same week as fellow civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson.

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6. Obituary: Willie Colon, Salsa Music Pioneer

[04:36–04:57]

• Renowned salsa musician, songwriter, and trombone player Willie Colon has died at 75.
• Recognized as a key innovator in 1970s salsa music and among the genre’s most celebrated artists.

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Notable Quotes

• “Tariffs have just given Trump enormous power. … Now he doesn’t necessarily have that same power anymore.”
  — Daniel Kurtzleben [00:47]
• “Among the crowd were masked men in black. … A line of activists held flaming torches in front of a banner reading ‘Goodbye, Comrade.’”
  — Hugh Schofield [02:29]
• “Like a tree with branches, if you cut off one branch don’t mean the damn tree gonna die. It’s just gonna grow another branch. We need to find the root of all this.”
  — Joanne Bland [04:14]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:15: President Trump’s new tariffs, Supreme Court ruling
• 01:08: Lawsuit against Arlington “Independence Arch”
• 02:18: Far-right rally in Lyon, France
• 03:10: Ukraine strikes Russian military targets
• 03:48: Passing of civil rights leader Joanne Bland
• 04:36: Obituary for Willie Colon, salsa icon

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Transcript

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[Jeanine Herbst]

See Terms Live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. President Trump says he's raising his new global tariffs from 10% to 15%. This after the Supreme Court yesterday struck down most of his earlier Tarif imports to the U.S. he's using a different authority for these new tariffs, but they expire in 150 days and then require congressional approval. NPR's Daniel Kurtzleben says the court's ruling is a blow to his presidential power.

[Daniel Kurtzleben]

Tariffs have just given Trump enormous power. He had claimed he had the ability to impose tariffs when he wanted, at what level he wanted. And as the head of an economic superpower that gave Trump massive leverage over other countries. And he used that to make trade deals on pharmaceutical pricing, even for diplomacy. And now he doesn't necessarily have that same power anymore.

[Jeanine Herbst]

NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reporting. Some of the tariffs Trump had imposed under different sections of the trade act, including steel, aluminum and cars, will stay. A group of Vietnam War veterans are suing to block construction of a proposed monument near arlington National Cemetery. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports. They argue that President Trump's so called Independence Arch lacks proper legal authorization, including congressional approval.

[Windsor Johnston]

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in federal court in Washington, D.C. and challenges plans to build the monumental arch at Memorial Circle, the point connecting the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. Plaintiffs say the 250 foot structure would obstruct the historic line of sight between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House, disrupting what they call a carefully designed symbolic relationship among those landmarks. Supporters of the project, including the White House, say the proposed arch would mark the nation's 250th anniversary and serve as a tribute to American ideals and national history. Windsor Johnston, NPR News, Washington.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Far right French activists march through the city of Lyon today to the street where a nationalist student was beaten so badly he died of his injuries. The BBC's Hugh Schofield has more.

[Hugh Schofield]

Justice for Quentin, they chanted, and also antifa assassin. The anti faz antifascist groups are killers. Among the crowd were masked men in black. And at the end, at the place where the student was killed, a line of activists held flaming torches in front of a banner reading Goodbye, Comrade alongside a Christian symbol. The imagery was of the ultra right and those attending were members from across France of various small traditionalist, Catholic, nationalist and neo fascist groups with which Quentin Duron associated. Significantly, the hard right populist National Rally, France's biggest party, kept well away from today's rally.

[Jeanine Herbst]

The BBC's Hugh Schofield reporting. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Ukrainian forces today hit a major missile factory deep inside Russia as Moscow kept up heavy drone attacks on Ukraine. Russian officials say 11 people were wounded. Ukraine says it used Ukrainian made FP5 Flamingo cruise missiles against the Vodkinsk plant and reportedly struck a gas plant in Samara, Russia. Civil rights activist who was well known in Alabama's civil rights history movement has died from Troy Public Radio Ana Kenda has more.

[Ann Kenda]

Joanne Bland was just 11 years old when she took part in the Bloody Sunday march for voting rights in selma, Alabama in 1965. She went on to help found the National Voting Rights Museum and a touring company that illuminated Selma's civil rights history. In 2019, she was in the first episode of NPR's White Lies podcast.

[Joanne Bland]

Like a tree with branches, if you cut off one branch don't mean the damn tree gonna die. It's just gonna grow another branch. We need to find the root of all this.

[Ann Kenda]

Joanne Bland was 72. She died the same week as the Reverend Jesse Jackson. For NPR News, I'm Ann Kenda in Troy, Alabama.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Singer, songwriter and trombone player Willie Colon died today. According to a family statement, he was a pioneer in the develop the development of salsa music in the 1970s and he was one most well known musicians of the genre. He was 75 years old. I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News in Washington.

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