NPR News: 02-23-2026 5PM EST - NPR News Now

Summary4 min read

NPR News Now: February 23, 2026 — 5PM EST

Host: Ryland Barton

Overview

This NPR News Now episode provides a concise roundup of national and international headlines, including continuing blizzard aftermath in the Northeast, Supreme Court activity on tariffs and climate lawsuits, JPMorgan’s closure of Trump accounts, Canadian aid to Cuba, updates on Lindsey Vonn's injury, and a noteworthy planetary event. Each report is delivered with the clarity and urgency characteristic of NPR’s newsroom tone.

Key News Segments & Insights

1. Historic Blizzard Cleanup in the Northeast

[00:15-01:14]
- Blizzard Impact: Parts of New England and the Northeast are clearing up after a blizzard that dumped up to 2.5 feet of snow.
- NYC Efforts:
  - Over 2,000 snowplows are operating in New York City.
  - Mayor Zoran Mamdani is hiring thousands of temporary workers for shoveling — noting the “historic nature” of the storm.
- Increased Pay:
  - Ryland Barton: “We’ve increased pay to $30 per hour.” [00:50]
- Travel and Power:
  - Emergency travel ban expired, but officials urge limited driving.
  - New Jersey faces thousands of power outages.
  - More snow possible in the coming days.
“Mayor Zoran Mamdani said the city is hiring thousands of temporary workers to shovel snow due to the historic nature of this blizzard.” — Steve Kastenbaum, [00:36]

2. Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump-Era Tariffs

[01:14-02:09]
- Court Decision: Supreme Court overturns many Trump administration tariffs.
- Refunds Unlikely for Most:
  - Only importers eligible for tariff refunds, not general consumers.
  - Consumers shared cost when tariffs were imposed, but recovery will hinge on lawsuits and legal arguments.
  - Companies must win refund lawsuits before considering sharing refunds.
“When it comes to who pays for tariffs, importers, exporters and, yes, consumers split the cost, but we may not all be splitting the recovery.” — Robert Shapiro (Thompson Coburn), [01:27]
- Companies that explicitly added tariff surcharges to invoices might face claims to recover those surcharges.

3. JPMorgan Chase Closed Trump’s Bank Accounts in 2021

[02:09-02:59]
- Acknowledgment: JPMorgan Chase confirms closure of Trump’s and his businesses’ accounts post-January 6 attacks.
- Lawsuit: Trump sues JPMorgan and CEO Jamie Dimon, alleging political “debanking” and seeking $5 billion in damages.
- Bank’s Defense: JPMorgan asserts closures are for legal/regulatory, not political, reasons.
“JPMorgan Chase acknowledged for the first time that it had closed accounts belonging to Trump and his businesses.” — Maria Aspin, [02:20]

4. Canada Plans Aid for Cuba Amid Blackouts and Embargo

[02:59-03:19]
- Aid Plan: Canada to deliver aid to Cuba facing worsening blackouts/fuel shortages, joining Mexico.
- Backdrop: Canada’s tourism is economically crucial for Cuba; U.S. oil embargo exacerbates the crisis.

5. Supreme Court to Hear Oil Companies’ Climate Liability Case

[03:19-03:33]
- Lawsuit: Supreme Court will consider if oil/gas companies can block lawsuits (like Boulder’s) holding them accountable for climate change damages.
- Support/Opposition: Trump administration urges high court to block such cases.

6. Athlete Update: Lindsey Vonn’s Severe Injury at Winter Olympics

[03:33-04:28]
- Trying Recovery: Lindsey Vonn, following a crash, suffered a severe leg injury involving compartment syndrome.
- Medical Insight: Dr. Anthony Petrosini notes injuries of this severity are rare outside high-impact accidents.
“You don’t see the severity of this injury in other sports. This is more like something you see in a car accident type of collision.” — Dr. Anthony Petrosini, [04:15]
- Status: Multiple surgeries; Vonn to use a wheelchair for some time.
“Vaughn called it the most extreme and painful and challenging injury she’s ever faced in her life times 100.” — Will Stone, [03:49]

7. Saturday’s ‘Planetary Parade’ — 6 Planets Visible

[04:28-04:45]
- Astronomy: On Saturday, six planets (Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune) will align in the western sky.
- Viewing Tips: Most are visible to the naked eye; Uranus and Neptune require optical aid.

8. Stock Market Update

[04:45-04:56]
- Market Drop: S&P 500 down 1%, Dow fell more than 1.5%.

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

On Blizzard Response:
“We’ve increased pay to $30 per hour.” — Ryland Barton [00:50]
On Tariff Refunds:
“When it comes to who pays for tariffs, importers, exporters and, yes, consumers split the cost, but we may not all be splitting the recovery.” — Robert Shapiro [01:27]
On Lindsey Vonn’s Injury:
“This is more like something you see in a car accident type of collision.” — Dr. Anthony Petrosini [04:15]
On Trump’s Lawsuit Against JPMorgan:
“President Trump has sued JPMorgan Chase and its chief executive, Jamie Dimon, over allegations of what is as debanking.” — Maria Aspin [02:20]

Timestamps for Important Segments

[00:15] — Blizzard cleanup across the Northeast (incl. NYC response)
[01:14] — Supreme Court ruling on tariffs and refund eligibility
[02:09] — JPMorgan closure of Trump accounts and lawsuit update
[02:59] — Canadian aid to Cuba amid blackouts
[03:19] — Supreme Court to hear oil company climate liability case
[03:33] — Lindsey Vonn’s injury update and medical analysis
[04:28] — Astronomy note: Six planets visible in western sky
[04:45] — U.S. stock market decline

Tone:
Clear, concise, and authoritative—swiftly covering pressing issues and emerging stories with NPR's signature delivery.

Useful For:
Anyone seeking a rapid but complete overview of major U.S. and global news events as of February 23, 2026.

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Transcript19 lines

[00:00]
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[00:15]
Ryland Barton
See Terms live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. Snow continues to fall over parts of New England while the rest of the Northeast and Mid Atlantic states d from under as much as two and a half feet of snow in some places. Reporter Steve Kastenbaum is in New York, where cleanup from the blizzard is in full swing.
[00:36]
Steve Kastenbaum
Over 2,000 sanitation department snowplows are working to clear up to 2ft of snow from the streets here. Mayor Zoran Mamdani said the city is hiring thousands of temporary workers to shovel snow due to the historic nature of this blizzard.
[00:50]
Ryland Barton
We've increased pay to $30 per hour.
[00:53]
Steve Kastenbaum
An emergency travel ban expired, but he asked people not to drive if possible so crews can get the city streets ready for commuters and the reopening of schools west of the city. Utility crews in New Jersey were dealing with thousands of power outages. Meanwhile, there's more snow in the forecast in the coming days. For NPR News, I'm Steve Kastenbaum in New York.
[01:15]
Ryland Barton
American consumers have been paying some of the cost of the Trump administration's tariffs. Now, the Supreme Court has struck down many of those tariffs, but as NPR's state Stephen Bassarha reports, customers are unlikely to get their money back when it
[01:27]
Robert Shapiro
comes to who pays for tariffs, importers, exporters and, yes, consumers split the cost,
[01:33]
Stephen Bassarha
but we may not all be splitting the recovery if we can get the recovery.
[01:37]
Robert Shapiro
Robert Shapiro is with the law firm Thompson Coburn. He says importers are the ones eligible for refunds since they pay the actual tariff charge. And getting companies to share with customers could require lawsuits.
[01:48]
Stephen Bassarha
I think it's really going to depend on what arguments are made on that. So if you're a company that says here's your tariff surcharge, I think you're more likely to be in a position where someone's going to have a claim to recover.
[02:04]
Robert Shapiro
This also depends on companies winning their own refund lawsuits. Stephen besarha, NPR News.
[02:10]
Ryland Barton
JPMorgan Chase is acknowledging that it closed some of President Trump's bank accounts in 2021 after the January 6 attacks on the U.S. capitol. NPR's Maria Aspin has more.
[02:20]
Maria Aspin
President Trump has sued JPMorgan Chase and its chief executive, Jamie Dimon, over allegations of what is as debanking. He claims that the country's largest bank closed his accounts for political reasons, and he's seeking at least $5 billion in damages in a new court filing. Responding to the lawsuit, JPMorgan Chase acknowledged for the first time that it had closed accounts belonging to Trump and his businesses. The bank has previously said that the lawsuit is without merit and that it does not close accounts for political reasons, but but it does for legal or regulatory ones. Maria Aspen, NPR News.
[02:59]
Ryland Barton
Canada's foreign minister says her country is working on an aid package for Cuba as it faces blackouts and fuel shortages worsened by a U.S. oil embargo. Canada would join Mexico in providing aid. Canadian tourism is vital to Cuba's economy. This is NPR News. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear from oil and gas companies trying to block lawsuits seeking to hold them liable for billions of dollars in damages l linked to climate change. The companies went to the Supreme Court after Colorado's highest court allowed a lawsuit from Boulder to proceed. The Trump administration has urged the high court to block the case. US Skier Lindsey Vonn is out of the hospital after her crash at the Winter Olympics earlier this month. Vaughan had to undergo multiple surgeries on her left leg, and the injuries were so bad it could have been amputated. NPR's Will Stone reports.
[03:50]
Will Stone
In a post on Instagram, Vaughn called it the most extreme and painful and challenging injury she's ever faced in her life times 100. That's partly because Vaughn developed what's called compartment syndrome. When pressure builds up in the muscles. If left untreated, soft tissue can die and the leg may need to be amputated. Dr. Anthony Petrosini is an orthopedic surgeon at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical center who was not involved in Vaughn's care.
[04:16]
Dr. Anthony Petrosini
You don't see the severity of this injury in other sports. This is more like something you see in a car accident type of collision.
[04:23]
Will Stone
Vaughn underwent surgery last week in the US and will be in a wheelchair for some time. Will Stone, NPR News.
[04:29]
Ryland Barton
This weekend, six planets will be visible and most can be seen with the naked eye. On Saturday, the planetary parade will be visible in the western sky. Mercury, Venus and Saturn will be close to the horizon. Jupiter will be higher up, along with Uranus and Neptune, but they're only visible with binoculars and telescopes. U.S. stocks slumped today. The S&P 500 sank 1%. The Dow dropped more than 1.5%. This is NPR News from Washington.
[04:57]
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