NPR News Now: March 5, 2026, 9PM EST

Host: Windsor Johnston, NPR News Anchor
Date: March 6, 2026

Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now update delivers the latest breaking national and international headlines with key updates on U.S. domestic politics, foreign policy, legal controversies, medical innovation, and economic developments. Highlights include a major turnover in the Trump administration’s security leadership, escalating U.S.-Iran conflict, a congressional scandal in Texas, a new state challenge to global tariffs, breakthrough medical research from Africa, and a significant market downturn.

Major Segment Summaries

1. White House Shake-Up: Kristi Noem Fired as DHS Secretary

00:18 – 01:18

• President Trump fires Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
  • Announces plan to nominate Senator Mark Wayne Mullen (R-OK) as her replacement.
  • Noem’s ouster follows criticism over her handling of immigration enforcement and department leadership during contentious congressional hearings.
• Senator Mark Wayne Mullen responds:
  • “I am super excited about this opportunity. It came at a not a complete surprise, but it came at a little bit of surprise for us... The president and I, as you guys know, we're great friends and we get along great. I look forward to working with him and his Cabinet. Of course, we still got to go through this little thing called confirmation.” (Sen. Mullen, 00:38)
• House Democratic reaction:
  • House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries calls the move “a step toward fixing what he calls a broken department.”
• Political commentary:
  • “They had a corrupt political hack who was running DHS. Shame on every Republican senator who put her in that position when they knew she was unqualified.” (Political Commentator, 01:09)
• Mullen to serve as acting secretary starting March 31.

2. U.S. and Israel Escalate Military Pressure on Iran

01:18 – 01:54

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the conflict:
  • “If you think you've seen something, just wait. The amount of combat power that's still flowing, that's still coming, that we'll be able to project over Iran is a multiples of what it currently is right now. When you add up our capabilities and those of the Israeli Defense Forces.” (Hegseth, 01:38)
• President Trump issues warning and offer:
  • Calls for Iranian regime members to lay down arms in exchange for immunity.
  • Asserts U.S. is “successfully destroying the country's military capabilities.”
  • Expresses intention to play a direct role in choosing Iran's next leader.

3. Scandal and Pressure in Texas Congressional Race

01:54 – 03:12

• House GOP leadership urges Rep. Tony Gonzalez (R-TX) to drop re-election bid following an ethics investigation and personal scandal.
  • Allegations: Admits affair with aide Regina Santos Aviles, who later died by suicide.
  • Gonzalez’s response:
    • “I made a mistake and I had a lapse in judgment, and I take full responsibility for those actions.” (Gonzalez, 02:29; on Joe Pags show)
  • Leadership not demanding resignation, only withdrawal from the primary.
  • Facing runoff against gun rights influencer Brandon Herrera for Texas’ 23rd district.

4. States Challenge Trump’s New Global Tariffs

03:12 – 04:03

• Roughly 24 states file lawsuit against President Trump’s new global tariffs:
  • After Supreme Court setback, administration announces 15% tariffs on much of the world’s imports.
  • Democratic attorneys general lead suit: Argue Trump is overreaching his authority.
  • Trump’s position: Tariffs are necessary to reduce the trade deficit.

5. Medical Innovation: Tackling Antibiotic Resistance in Rwanda

04:03 – 04:49

• NPR Health Correspondent Jonathan Lambert reports a breakthrough:
  • New digital diagnostic tool in rural Rwandan clinics slashed antibiotic prescriptions from 70% to 25% of pediatric visits without negatively affecting patient outcomes.
  • Dr. Victor Pacifique Guandotagach (Rwanda):
    • Explains overwhelming patient loads lead nurses to overprescribe “just in case.”
  • Key insight:
    • The tool’s “step by step” process helps clinicians prescribe antibiotics more appropriately, addressing global concerns around antibiotic resistance.
    • “That drop [in prescriptions] didn’t seem to impact patient outcomes.” (Lambert, 04:29)
  • Published in: PLOS Medicine.

6. Market Update: Stock Plunge

04:49 – 04:53

• Dow closes down 784 points; stocks sharply lower on Wall Street.

Notable Quotes

• Sen. Mark Wayne Mullen (00:38):
  “I am super excited about this opportunity... I look forward to working with him and his Cabinet.”
• Political Commentator on Noem (01:09):
  “They had a corrupt political hack who was running DHS. Shame on every Republican senator who put her in that position when they knew she was unqualified.”
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (01:38):
  “If you think you've seen something, just wait. The amount of combat power that's still flowing... is a multiples of what it currently is right now.”
• Rep. Tony Gonzalez (02:29): “I made a mistake and I had a lapse in judgment, and I take full responsibility for those actions.”
• Dr. Victor Pacifique Guandotagach via Jonathan Lambert (04:06): “That’s why sometimes you find them giving a high number of antibiotics, just in case.”

Timestamps at a Glance

• 00:18 - Trump fires Kristi Noem, Mullen nominated for DHS
• 01:09 - Political backlash over DHS leadership
• 01:18 - U.S./Israel ramp up military posture over Iran
• 01:54 - Trump on immunity for regime; role in Iran’s future leadership
• 02:29 - Gonzalez ethics scandal; pressured to exit primary
• 03:12 - States sue Trump over global tariffs
• 04:03 - Rwanda clinic study reduces antibiotic misuse
• 04:49 - Market closes sharply lower

Recap

This concise newscast captures the swiftly evolving landscape of American politics and policy, international conflict, and innovation in global health, providing listeners with a snapshot of major events shaping the day.