NPR News: 02-25-2026 9AM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now – February 25, 2026, 9AM EST

Host: Jeanine Herbst
Duration: 5 minutes
Theme: A concise rundown of the latest news in politics, business, international affairs, weather, and markets.

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Main Themes

This episode delivers a comprehensive update on key national and international developments, with a spotlight on President Trump’s State of the Union address and economic claims, the Democratic response, dramatic changes in the media industry, international diplomacy, a contentious federal nomination, and U.S. weather impacts.

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Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. President Trump’s State of the Union: Economic Claims & Public Response

[00:18–01:11]

• President Trump’s Message:

  • Celebrated what he described as an “economic turnaround.”

• Fact-Checking the Claims (Scott Horsley):

  • Official stats contradict Trump’s optimism:
    • “Economic growth was slower during Trump's first year back in office than it was during the final year of the Biden administration.”
      (Scott Horsley, 00:36)
    • Job growth lags, and inflation remains stubborn, with tariffs reportedly raising import prices.
    • Trump cited cheaper eggs and gasoline, but:
      “The overall cost of living continues to climb. That's weighing the president's approval rating…”
      (Scott Horsley, 00:48)
    • NPR/PBS News/Marist poll: 6 in 10 Americans think the country’s worse off now than a year ago.

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2. Democratic Response: Gov. Abigail Spanberger's Critique

[01:11–01:46]

• Spanberger’s Economic Assessment:
  • Offers a starkly different take:
    “Costs are too high in housing, health care, energy and childcare. And I know these same conversations are being had all across this country.”
    (Abigail Spanberger, 01:32)
  • Describes Americans as “struggling under [Trump’s] policies.”
  • From colonial Williamsburg, accuses Trump of “pitting Americans against each other” and labels his immigration officer tactics “reckless.”

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3. Major Media Merger Moves: Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery

[01:46–02:51]

• Paramount Boosts Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery:
  • Paramount chief David Ellison ups his offer:
    • “He now promises to pay $31 per share, a dollar more than his last offer...valued at about $108 billion.”
      (David Folkenflick, 02:16)
  • Netflix had submitted a rival $83 billion bid, bypassing Warner’s cable assets.
  • Warner’s board undecided; Netflix has four days to counter if Paramount’s offer is preferred.
  • Shareholder vote planned for March.

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4. Global Diplomacy: Germany Urges China on Trade and Ukraine

[02:51–03:32]

• Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Visit to China:
  • Pushes for “fairer trade rules and more help in ending the war in Ukraine.”
  • Europe says China hasn’t done enough regarding Russia’s aggression; China claims impartiality.
  • Underlines the necessity of Beijing’s involvement in global crises.

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5. Contentious Federal Nomination: Steve Pierce for Bureau of Land Management

[03:32–04:10]

• Senate Review of Nomination:
  • Pierce, ex-congressman and Vietnam vet, claims most public land shouldn’t remain under federal control.
  • Veteran groups wary—such as Janessa Goldbeck, Vet Voice Foundation:
    “When Steve Pierce says we do not even need most of this land, he is not just talking about acreage, he's talking about eliminating veterans jobs.”
    (Janessa Goldbeck, 03:49)
  • Environmentalists cite his oil/gas industry ties; ranching and energy sectors back him.

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6. Northeast Winter Storm: Aftermath and Outlook

[04:10–04:41]

• Post-Storm Recovery:
  • Up to two feet of snow; widespread power outages and flight disruptions.
  • “In Massachusetts, more than 160,000 people are still without power, and crews from around the country are helping restore electricity there.”
    (Jeanine Herbst, 04:18)
  • Hundreds of flights canceled, over 8,000 delayed.
  • Another (lighter) storm expected tonight—about an inch of snow predicted.

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7. Market Update

[04:41–04:56]

• Financial Markets:
  • U.S. futures up slightly (~0.3%) across all major indices.

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Notable Quotes

• Scott Horsley [00:36]:
  “Economic growth was slower during Trump's first year back in office than it was during the final year of the Biden administration. Job growth was much slower, and inflation has mostly moved sideways, with Trump's own tariffs contributing to higher prices of some imports.”

• Abigail Spanberger [01:32]:
  “Costs are too high in housing, health care, energy and childcare. And I know these same conversations are being had all across this country.”

• Janessa Goldbeck [03:49]:
  “When Steve Pierce says we do not even need most of this land, he is not just talking about acreage, he's talking about eliminating veterans jobs.”

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Memorable Moments

• The contrasting rhetoric between President Trump and Governor Spanberger, highlighting sharp partisan divides on the economy.
• Paramount and Netflix’s escalating corporate battle for Warner Bros. Discovery.
• The ongoing fallout from a significant winter storm in the Northeast, with widespread power outages and travel chaos.

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Timestamps for Quick Reference

• 00:18 – Opening headlines and Trump’s State of the Union recap
• 00:31 – Scott Horsley’s economic fact-check
• 01:11 – Spanberger’s Democratic response
• 02:06 – Paramount/Warner/Netflix media deal updates
• 02:51 – German Chancellor’s visit to China
• 03:32 – Senate committee and Steve Pierce’s nomination
• 04:10 – Northeast storm aftermath and forecast
• 04:41 – U.S. market update

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This concise but information-dense episode captures the tension in U.S. politics and economy, shifting global business, and the everyday impact of major weather. Perfect for a 5-minute catch-up on what matters most this morning.

Transcript

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[Jeanine Herbst]

In Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. President Trump celebrated economic progress in his State of the Union speech last night, but as NPR Scott Horsley reports, many aren't buying his sales pitch.

[Scott Horsley]

President Trump talked as if there had been an economic turnaround on his watch, but official statistics tell a different story. Economic growth was slower during Trump's first year back in office than it was during the final year of the Biden administration. Job growth was much slower, and inflation has mostly moved sideways, with Trump's own tariffs contributing to higher prices of some imports. The president highlighted some things that have gotten cheaper, notably eggs and gasoline. But the overall cost of living continues to climb. That's weighing the president's approval rating in the latest NPR PBS News Marist poll. Six in 10Americans say the country's worse off now than it was a year ago. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Virginia's governor Abigail Spamberger delivered the Democratic response, offering a sharply different take on the health of the country's economy from President Trump's. Spanberger says American families are struggling under his policies.

[Abigail Spanberger]

As I campaigned for governor last year, I traveled to every corner of Virginia and I heard the same pressing concern everywhere. Costs are too high in housing, health care, energy and childcare. And I know these same conversations are being had all across this country.

[Jeanine Herbst]

And in a speech from historic colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, she says Trump is pitting Americans against each other. And she also attacked immigration officer tactics, calling Trump reckless. Paramount is raising its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery, which rejected a rival bid from Netflix, and Pierre's David Folkenflick has more.

[David Folkenflick]

Warner owns HBO Max, hbo, Warner Brothers Studios, the DC Comics franchises, and cable channels including CNN and Discovery. Netflix won over Warner with a bid for the TV and movie studios, the streaming platforms and intellectual property, but not the cable channels, in a deal worth $83 billion. Paramount chief David Ellison started the ball rolling by making a series of unsolicited bids for Warner. He now promises to pay $31 per share, a dollar more than his last offer. The previous deal included debt and was valued at about $108 billion. Ellison has made other concessions, too. Warner has not yet decided the Paramount deal is preferable, but if it does, Netflix will have four days to make a counteroffer. A shareholder vote is planned for March. David Folkenflick, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is meeting Chinese leaders pressing for fairer trade rules and more help in ending the war in Ukraine. Merz says global crises, including the war in Ukraine, can't be settled without Beijing. European governments say China hasn't pushed Russia hard enough to end its war, but Beijing says it's staying impartial in the conflict. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. A Senate committee will consider President Trump's nominee to lead the Bureau of Land Management this morning. The Mountain West News Bureau's Hannah Mersbach reports. Some veterans want senators to vote no on the nomination of Steve Pierce in 2012.

[Hannah Mersbach]

Pierce, a former New Mexico congressman and Vietnam War pilot, said most public land shouldn't be under federal government control. That doesn't land well with Janessa Goldbeck, who leads the Vet Voice Foundation. The BLM website says 1,5 agency employees are veterans.

[Janessa Goldbeck]

So when Steve Pierce says we do not even need most of this land, he is not just talking about acreage, he's talking about eliminating veterans jobs.

[Hannah Mersbach]

Some environmental groups have highlighted Pierce's ties to the oil and gas industry. Meanwhile, energy and ranching organizations have said he's qualified for the job. For NPR News, I'm Hannah Merzbach in Jackson, Wyoming.

[Jeanine Herbst]

In the Northeast, people are still digging out from the massive winter storm that dumped up to two feet of snow in places. This as the area deals with power outages and flight delays. In Massachusetts, more than 160,000 people are still without power, and crews from around the country are helping restore electricity there. Hundreds of flights have been canceled, more than 8,000 delayed. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service says another storm is expected to move into the Northeast late tonight, but forecasters say this one's a fast moving storm and it will only drop around an inch of snow. U.S. futures contracts are trading higher at this hour. All three major indices are up about 0.3%. I'm Jeanine Herbst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.

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