NPR News Now – 9PM EST, February 23, 2026

Host: Ryland Barton (NPR)
Duration: ~5 minutes

Episode Overview

This edition of NPR News Now delivers a concise yet comprehensive update on the day’s top news stories across U.S. politics, the Supreme Court, global energy crises, FDA policy, and a rare celestial event. The episode balances hard news—such as political polling, judicial rulings, and economic updates—with science and health reporting, all within a tightly paced five-minute format.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Americans’ Views Ahead of the State of the Union Address

[00:17–01:19]

• President Trump’s first State of the Union address of his second term is scheduled for tomorrow.
• Polling Insight:
  • New NPR/PBS News/Marist survey shows 57% of Americans believe the State of the Union is "not strong," a 4% increase from the previous year.
  • Major partisan divides:
    • 8 in 10 Democrats and two-thirds of independents express skepticism.
    • 73% of Republicans say the State of the Union is strong.
  • Educational gap:
    • 69% of those with a college degree say the Union is weak; those without degrees are evenly split 50/50.
  • “Six in 10 say the country is worse off than a year ago. And most describe the direction that Trump is moving the country as change for the worse.” (Domenico Montanaro, [00:54])
• Political Context:
  • These perceptions pose a challenge for President Trump, especially in the midterm election year.

Memorable Quote:

“That presents a political challenge for Trump’s State of the Union address in this midterm election year.”
— Domenico Montanaro ([01:13])

2. Federal Judge Blocks Special Counsel Report Release

[01:19–02:07]

• Legal Update:
  • Judge Aileen Cannon (appointed by Trump) has blocked parts of Jack Smith’s special counsel report regarding Trump’s handling of classified documents.
  • Reasoning:
    • Judge Cannon cited “legal errors in the way the special counsel got his job” as grounds for barring further action, including preparation of the final report.
    • She previously dismissed indictments on obstruction and unlawful retention charges.
    • Concerns about grand jury information and the presumption of innocence.

Memorable Quote:

“She says to release it would damage the presumption of innocence that Trump is owed.”
— Carrie Johnson ([01:55])

3. Supreme Court to Hear Fossil Fuel Industry’s Climate Case

[02:07–03:02]

• Judicial Action:
  • Supreme Court will review a case filed by oil and gas companies (including ExxonMobil and SunCorp) attempting to block state-level climate change lawsuits.
  • Industry Position:
    • Arguing greenhouse gas emissions are a federal issue; concerned state lawsuits could create “a tangle of local regulations.”
  • Department of Justice:
    • Supports energy companies’ position.
  • Local Government View:
    • Boulder, CO asserts they are pursuing damages strictly for local harms.

Memorable Quote:

“Energy companies… argued greenhouse gas emissions are a federal issue and that US Energy policy can’t be set through state courts.”
— Michael Copley ([02:34])

4. Market Reaction to Tariffs

[03:02–03:20]

• Economic News:
  • Stock markets slumped after President Trump increased tariffs:
    • S&P 500 down 1%
    • Dow down more than 1.5%
    • Nasdaq down more than 1%

5. Slovakia-Ukraine Energy Update

[03:20–03:55]

• International Spotlight:
  • Slovakia is halting emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine, escalating an ongoing oil delivery conflict.
  • Prime Minister Fico cites oil shortages after Russian oil shipments halted (Ukraine blames Russian drone strikes).
  • Fico threatens to oppose Ukraine’s EU membership.

6. FDA Eases Rules for Treating Ultra-Rare Diseases

[03:55–04:33]

• Health Policy:
  • New FDA proposal would allow approval of advanced treatments (e.g., gene editing) for extremely rare diseases without traditional preliminary efficacy studies.
  • Safeguards:
    • Approval only with plausible efficacy evidence; follow-up studies required for confirmation.

Memorable Quote:

“The new policy is designed to make state-of-the-art technologies like gene editing available to patients in situations where the disease is so rare that it would be impossible to conduct a study first.”
— Rob Stein ([04:02])

7. Upcoming Planetary Event

[04:33–04:56]

• Science Note:
  • On Saturday, a "planetary parade" will feature six planets visible in the western sky.
    • Mercury, Venus, Saturn: near horizon, visible to naked eye.
    • Jupiter: higher up.
    • Uranus, Neptune: require binoculars/telescopes.

Notable Quotes

• “Six in 10 say the country is worse off than a year ago. And most describe the direction that Trump is moving the country as change for the worse.”
  — Domenico Montanaro ([00:54])
• “She says to release it would damage the presumption of innocence that Trump is owed.”
  — Carrie Johnson ([01:55])
• “Energy companies… argued greenhouse gas emissions are a federal issue and that US Energy policy can’t be set through state courts.”
  — Michael Copley ([02:34])
• “The new policy is designed to make state-of-the-art technologies like gene editing available to patients in situations where the disease is so rare that it would be impossible to conduct a study first.”
  — Rob Stein ([04:02])

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Topic | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------|------------| | Public skepticism on State of the Union | 00:17–01:19| | Judge blocks special counsel report | 01:19–02:07| | Supreme Court takes up climate lawsuits | 02:07–03:02| | Stock market reaction to tariffs | 03:02–03:20| | Slovakia-Ukraine oil delivery dispute | 03:20–03:55| | FDA policy on rare diseases | 03:55–04:33| | Planetary parade event | 04:33–04:56|

Summary compiled for listeners who want a clear, detailed outline of the top stories from this episode of NPR News Now.