NPR News: 02-25-2026 12PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: February 25, 2026, 12PM EST

Episode Overview:

This episode of NPR News Now, hosted by Lakshmi Singh, provides a brisk five-minute update on major news stories from the morning of February 25, 2026. Key topics include highlights from President Trump’s State of the Union address, the resignation of a prominent neuroscientist at Columbia University, new government reports on obesity rates, and the latest Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominations.

---

1. President Trump’s State of the Union Address

Main Points:

• President Trump delivered his first official State of the Union speech of his second term, characterizing the country as thriving and strong.
• The address featured familiar themes: economic recovery, immigration, and crime—delivered with Trump’s characteristic showmanship.
• Notable guests included the gold medal-winning Olympic men’s hockey team and decorated military veterans.

Analysis & Reporter Insight:

• NPR's Domenico Montanaro observed that while Trump celebrated economic progress, he largely glossed over current economic challenges that matter most to voters—a point that could affect the Republican Party in a contentious midterm election year.

Notable Quotes:

• President Trump (00:24):
  “Our nation is back, bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before.”
• Domenico Montanaro (01:05):
  “Trump largely ignored the warts in the economy, the very issue most voters are saying is their top concern. ... President Trump may have missed an opportunity to show he feels voters' pain.”

Retirement Plan Proposal (01:34):

• Trump proposed a new retirement plan targeting Americans without access to employer-matched savings.
  • He promised that his administration would offer a plan analogous to that for federal employees, matching contributions up to $1,000 per year.
• Scott Horsley notes implementation would need Congressional approval and funding sources remain unspecified.

Quote:

• President Trump (01:45):
  “I’m announcing that next year my administration will give these often-forgotten American workers access to the same type of retirement plan offered to every federal worker. We will match your contribution with up to $1,000 each year.”

---

2. Columbia University Scientist Resigns After Epstein Ties Revealed

Details (02:06–03:07):

• Richard Axel, Nobel laureate and co-director of Columbia's Neuroscience Institute, steps down after his social association with Jeffrey Epstein was disclosed.
• Axel is not accused of legal wrongdoing, but acknowledged in a public statement that his friendship was a “serious error in judgment” and apologized for compromising trust.

Quote:

• Richard Axel (via statement, 02:25):
  “I apologize for compromising the trust of my friends, students and colleagues.”
• Katie Riddle reports that Axel will resign from additional positions but will remain a professor at Columbia.

---

3. Declining Obesity Rates Among Young Adults, Continuing Rise in Children

CDC Report Highlights (03:10–04:13):

• Data from 2021-2023 show progress in some adult groups:
  • Obesity rates fell among men under 40 from 40.3% to 34.3%.
  • Rates for women under 40 dropped from 39.7% to 36.8%.
• Obesity is rising in other groups, most notably in children.
• The report is based on regular household surveys and health exams by the CDC.

Quote:

• Yuki Noguchi (03:29):
  “Obesity among adult men, for example, is falling. In particular among those under age 40. ... But it increased in most other groups of women as well as for children.”

---

4. 2026 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominations

Nominees Announced (04:13–04:43):

• This year’s list: Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, Shakira, Wu-Tang Clan.
• Phil Collins is already an inductee with Genesis.
• Eligibility: First commercial recording must be at least 25 years old.
• Inductees to be revealed in April.

---

5. Market Update

Quick Market Summary (03:07, 04:43):

• The Dow is up by 238–246 points (approx. 0.5%).
• S&P has risen by 47 points; Nasdaq up by 248 points (over 1%).

---

Memorable Moments:

• President Trump’s high-energy claim about America being “bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before” (00:24).
• The straightforward acknowledgment by Richard Axel of his judgment error and public apology (02:25).
• Notable progress, but continued concern, in the CDC’s obesity rates report, especially the mixed news for adults vs. children (03:29).

---

Timestamps for Quick Reference

• 00:18 – 02:06: President Trump’s State of the Union & Retirement Plan Proposal
• 02:06 – 03:07: Columbia University Neuroscientist Resignation
• 03:10 – 04:13: U.S. Obesity Rate Trends
• 04:13 – 04:43: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominations
• 03:07, 04:43: Market Summaries

---

Tone:
The report is concise and factual, maintaining NPR’s impartial and measured style, with a focus on developments across politics, science, health, culture, and the economy.

Transcript

[Carvana Announcer]

This message comes from Carvana, who makes car selling easy. Enter your license plate or vin, get a real offer in minutes and have your car picked up from your door. Sell your car the easy way with Carvana. Pickup fee may apply.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

[Scott Horsley]

President Trump declares a turnaround for the ages in his State of the Union address last night.

[President Trump]

Members of Congress and members, my fellow Americans, our nation is back, bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before.

[Scott Horsley]

President Trump took a victory lap as he delivered a record long speech to a joint session of Congress and the

[Lakshmi Singh]

country in a major televised event. NPR's Domenico Montanaro has more on the president's speech.

[Domenico Montanaro]

In his first official State of the Union address of his second term, President Trump hit a lot of familiar points and immigration and crime with, of course, some typical Trump showmanship thrown in. The gold medal winning Olympic men's hockey team was there. So were veterans who were decorated with medals of honor. But Trump largely ignored the warts in the economy, the very issue most voters are saying is their top concern. And it's what's landed Trump and the Republican Party in a precarious position in this midterm election year. And with views largely baked in on this, President Trump may have missed an opportunity to show he feels voters pain. After all, there aren't that many chances for a president to talk to the nation in primetime. Domenico Montanaro, NPR News, Washington.

[Scott Horsley]

NPR's Scott Horsley Homes in on one

[Lakshmi Singh]

key message from the president, a new retirement plan.

[Scott Horsley]

He talked about how half of all working Americans don't have a retirement plan right now where their bosses can contribute to match what they put in. So he says he wants to come up with a new type of plan

[President Trump]

to remedy this gross disparity. I'm announcing that next year my administration will give these often forgotten American workers access to the same type of retirement plan offered to every federal federal worker. We will match your contribution with up to $1,000 each year.

[Scott Horsley]

Now, of course, that would take help from Congress and he didn't talk about where the money would come from.

[Lakshmi Singh]

That's NPR's Scott Horsley reporting. In other news, a prominent scientist at Columbia University has resigned as co director of the Neuroscience Institute after his association with Jeffrey Epstein was revealed. Richard Axel called his friendship with Epstein a, quote, serious error in judgment. Here's NPR's Katie Riddle.

[Katie Riddle]

Richard Axel is not implicated in any legal wrongdoing. The files show the two men spent time socializing together. Axl appeared to be a regular guest at Epstein's home. In a statement, Axl called Epstein's behavior appalling and wrote, quote, I apologize for compromising the trust of my friends, students and colleagues, unquote. Axel was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2004 for his work on the olfactory system. In addition to resigning as co director of the Neuroscience institute, Axel said he would resign as an investor investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He will remain a professor at Columbia University, where he has been teaching for more than five decades. Katie Riddle, NPR News.

[Scott Horsley]

The dow is up 246 points.

[Lakshmi Singh]

This is NPR News. Obesity rates among U.S. adults have declined in some groups, including among adults under

[Scott Horsley]

the age of 40, according to new government reports. Rates among children, however, continue to rise.

[Lakshmi Singh]

NPR's Yukinoguchi has details.

[Yuki Noguchi]

Every two years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publishes reports on obesity rates based on household reviews and health exams. For the most recent time period, 2021 to 2023, the results are mixed. Obesity among adult men, for example, is falling. In particular among those under age 40. The rate in that group fell from 40.3% to 34.3%. Since the 2017, obesity rates also decreased for women under 40 from 39.7% to 36.8%, but it increased in most other groups of women as well as for children. Yuki Noguchi, NPR News.

[Scott Horsley]

The 2026 nominations for induction into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame are in.

[Lakshmi Singh]

They include Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, Shakira and the Wu Tang Clan.

[Scott Horsley]

Phil Collins is already in the hall

[Lakshmi Singh]

of Fame as of Genesis.

[Scott Horsley]

For eligibility, artists must have released their

[Lakshmi Singh]

first commercial recording at least 25 years before induction.

[Scott Horsley]

The newest inductees to the Rock and

[Lakshmi Singh]

Roll hall of Fame will be revealed in April.

[Scott Horsley]

The dow is up 238 points, nearly half a percent S&P has risen 47 and the Nasdaq now up 248 points

[Lakshmi Singh]

or more than 1%. It's NPR.

[Podcast Sponsor Announcer]

Listen to this podcast sponsor, free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app, by subscribing to NPR news +@ +npr.org that's +npr.org.