NPR News: 02-22-2026 10PM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now: February 22, 2026 — 10PM EST

Main Theme:
A concise update on major national and international news headlines, spanning U.S. government disruptions, global trade, severe weather, culture, and box office results.

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1. DHS Travel & Disaster Programs Suspended Due to Shutdown

Timestamps: 00:15–01:20
Key Points:

• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has halted several travel and disaster recovery services as a result of an ongoing partial government shutdown entering its second week.
• Programs impacted include the suspension of the Global Entry program for air travelers and airport security escorts for Congress members.
• There was initial confusion over TSA PreCheck status; DHS first said it was suspended, but then clarified PreCheck would remain open and evaluated case-by-case.
• All non-disaster related FEMA funding is also suspended.
• Political blame is exchanged:
  • DHS Secretary Christine blames congressional Democrats for the impasse.
  • Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer counters:

    "The Trump administration is choosing to inflict pain on the public instead of adopting common sense ICE reforms." (Attributed by Luke Garrett, 01:11)

Notable Segment:

• [00:31] Luke Garrett summarizes the fast-moving DHS announcements and the immediate impact on air travel and FEMA operations.

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2. Trump-Era Tariffs Struck Down, but Economic Uncertainty Persists

Timestamps: 01:20–02:19
Key Points:

• The U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s tariffs on European goods, temporarily relieving European businesses.
• Despite this, Trump announced a new global 15% tariff, perpetuating uncertainty.
• Interview Highlight:
  • Michael Schapps (wine grower, Burgundy & Virginia):

    "It's been crazy, the ups and downs on both sides of the Atlantic." (01:42)
    "The doors were open. Now they're closed." (02:04)

• European officials push back, refusing to be "taken hostage" by the U.S. tariffs (02:06).
• Impact: Wine exporters facing higher costs, many pulling out of U.S. market.

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3. Major Blizzard Bears Down on the U.S. Northeast

Timestamps: 02:19–02:53
Key Points:

• Blizzard warnings from the Mid-Atlantic through the Northeast: up to 2 feet of snow possible, with Boston specifically at risk.
• Mayor Michelle Wu urges residents to stay home:

  "We need every resident to do your part too. Please, please make plans to stay inside. Stay warm, do not be on the roads. We're seeing that the rate of snowfall is... up to an inch, two inches an hour. That will be whiteout conditions." (02:36)

• New York City: State of emergency and travel ban starting tonight.
• Dangerous travel conditions forecast for both roads and airways.

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4. AMC Backs Away from AI Animated Film Following Backlash

Timestamps: 03:34–04:28
Key Points:

• AMC, the largest U.S. theater chain, will not screen the AI-animated short "Thanksgiving Day," winner of the Frame Forward AI Animated Film Festival.
• Originally, a nationwide theatrical release was part of the prize package.
• Social media backlash led AMC to clarify it wasn’t involved in the film’s creation:
  • AMC: Pre-show content is managed by third-party Screen Vision Media.
  • Screen Vision/Modern Uprising Studios: Acknowledge theaters have established norms, but also suggest adaptation will be necessary in the future.
• The winning film: About disillusioned animal astronauts on a decrepit spaceship.

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5. Box Office Results: Animated Film "Goat" Leads Weekend

Timestamps: 04:28–04:55
Key Points:

• "Goat" (Sony Picture Animation, produced by Steph Curry) debuts at #1: $17 million opening ($58 million total domestic).
• "Wuthering Heights" (Warner Bros. MRC) holds second: $14 million this weekend ($151 million global total).

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Chuck Schumer on DHS cuts:

  "The Trump administration is choosing to inflict pain on the public instead of adopting common sense ICE reforms." (01:11)

• Michael Shapps on transatlantic wine trade:

  "It's been crazy, the ups and downs on both sides of the Atlantic." (01:42)
  "The doors were open. Now they're closed." (02:04)

• Mayor Michelle Wu’s plea during the blizzard:

  "Please, please make plans to stay inside. Stay warm, do not be on the roads..." (02:36)

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Useful Timestamps

• 00:15 — DHS travel and disaster program suspensions
• 01:20 — Tariffs struck down, wine exporter perspective
• 02:19 — Blizzard warnings, Boston & NYC prep
• 03:34 — AMC controversy over AI film
• 04:28 — Weekend box office update

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Tone & Language:
Objective, urgent, and succinct—reflecting the hallmark delivery style of NPR news updates. Reports are focused on direct impacts, include authoritative quotes, and minimize editorializing.

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Transcript

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[Jeanine Herbst]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. The Department of Homeland Security halted some of its travel and disaster recovery programs today. NPR's Luke Garrett reports. The the announcement sparked confusion for air travelers.

[Luke Garrett]

DHS suspended its global entry program for air travelers and airport security escorts for Congress members early Sunday morning. The department initially announced that TSA would halt precheck security lines, but DHS quickly walked this back, causing confusion at airports and online. In a statement, TSA said its precheck program will remain open and they will evaluate service on a, quote, case by case basis. Beyond travel, DHS is also suspending all non disaster related FEMA funding. DHS Secretary Christine blamed congressional Democrats for the program cuts, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer responded, saying the Trump administration is choosing to inflict pain on the public instead of adopting common sense ICE reforms. The partial government shutdown has now entered its second week with no sign of a DHS funding deal. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Europeans were heartened to see President Trump's tariffs struck down by the U.S. supreme Court Friday. But as NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports, business owners say the chaos is far from over as Trump announced another way to levy 15% global tariffs.

[Michael Schapps]

Michael Schapps is a wine grower in Burgundy, France and Virginia, so he imports and exports both ways.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

It's been crazy, the up and downs on both sides of the Atlantic.

[Michael Schapps]

Shapps says business thrived when there were no tariffs. Now he has to pay the higher costs himself or pass them on to his customers. He says many wine growers are pulling out of the US Market and tariffs are ruining business between the US and eu, long each other's largest trading partners.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

The doors were open. Now they're closed.

[Michael Schapps]

The whiplash of the last 48 hours has many European officials calling to fight back and not be, quote, taken hostage by the Trump administration and its tariffs. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Millions of people from the Mid Atlantic through the Northeast are under blizzard warnings as a powerful winter storm heads up the coast with heavy snowfall and strong winds. Up to 2ft of snow could fall in some areas, including Boston. Mayor Michelle Woo is asking people to stay home if possible.

[Mayor Michelle Wu]

We need every resident to do your part too. Please, please make plans to stay inside. Stay warm, do not be on the roads. We're seeing that the rate of snowfall is could be upwards of an inch, two inches an hour. That will be whiteout conditions.

[Jeanine Herbst]

The worst part of the storm is forecast to hit tonight into tomorrow. Officials say travel conditions will be dangerous with low visibilities on both the roads and in the air. New York City's mayor has declared a state of emergency and a travel ban that starts tonight. U.S. futures contracts are trading lower at this hour. Dow futures are down about 0.6%. You're listening to NPR News. The largest movie theater chain in the US Says it won't screen a short film that took the top prize in the new AI Animated Film Festival. As NPR's Chloe Veltman reports, AMC's decision comes in response to backlash about mainstream exhibitors showing AI content.

[Chloe Veltman]

The first prize in the inaugural Frame Forward AI Animated Film Festival included a nationwide theatrical release. But screenings of filmmaker Igor Alpharov's winning entry, thanksgiving Day, an animated short about a group of disgruntled animal astronauts living a humdrum existence on a rusty, garbage strewn spaceship, will not be PA Paired with features at AMC theaters as planned. After movie fans complained on social media, AMC told the Hollywood Reporter this pre show content is managed by a third party, Screen Vision Media, and that AMC was not involved in its creation. In a statement to npr, Screen Vision's festival partner, Modern Uprising Studios acknowledged that movie theater chains have established models for how they present entertainment. The AI oriented company says those movie houses also, however, will have to adapt. Chloe Veltman, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

At the weekend box office, Sony Picture Animation's goat took the top spot with an estimated $17 million in ticket sales. The Steph Curry produced film has made $58 million domestically. In second place, Warner Bros. MRC's Wuthering Heights with $14 million. That film's taken in $151 million globally. I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington.

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