NPR News: 03-13-2025 2AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: March 13, 2025, 2 AM EDT

NPR News Now delivered a comprehensive update on significant global and domestic issues in its March 13, 2025, episode. The summary below encapsulates the key topics discussed, enriched with notable quotes and structured for clarity.

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1. U.S. Steel and Aluminum Tariffs: International Retaliation

Host: Dwahali Sai Kowtow

President Donald Trump's implementation of a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum has sparked swift retaliation from major trading partners, notably Canada and the European Union.

• European Response: Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, expressed strong disapproval, stating, "We deeply regret this measure" (00:17). She emphasized the EU's readiness to engage in negotiations despite the tensions.

• Trump's Stance: Responding to the backlash, Trump asserted, "The European Union treats us very badly... But the European Union has been very tough. And it's our turn, too. You know, we get a turn at that also" (00:44), signaling possible escalation with further global tariffs slated for the following month.

• Other Nations' Reactions: Australia and Japan are seeking exemptions from the tariffs, while South Korea has entered an "emergency response mode" after the U.S. extended tariffs to all steel and aluminum products (01:04). NPR's Anthony Kuhn detailed South Korea's strategic adjustments, including advising corporations to move production to the U.S. or explore new export markets to mitigate the impact (01:26).

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2. Ethical Concerns Over Trump's Promotion of Tesla

Host: Dwahali Sai Kowtow

The Trump administration faced scrutiny for its apparent favoritism towards Tesla, owned by Elon Musk, a significant Trump campaign donor.

• Event Overview: President Trump showcased Tesla vehicles, including the cybertruck, on the White House South Lawn alongside Musk, eliciting criticism for blending governmental duties with corporate promotion (02:06).

• Expert Opinion: Richard Painter, a former ethics lawyer under George W. Bush, criticized the event, stating, "The limits of what is ethical in the White House are being stretched... government's gonna pick Tesla as the winner" (02:23). He warned of a potential shift towards an economy influenced by personal favoritism and selective government support.

• Market and Public Reaction: Concurrently, Tesla's stock experienced a decline, and vandalism incidents targeted Tesla storefronts and superchargers nationwide. In response, Trump declared that "violence against Tesla dealerships will be labeled as domestic terrorism" (02:23), underscoring the administration's unwavering support for the company despite growing challenges.

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3. Ukraine-Russia Conflict: Military Developments

Host: Dwahali Sai Kowtow

The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia saw significant developments, with Ukraine confirming a strategic retreat from parts of a Russian province.

• Military Movements: Ukrainian forces are withdrawing from key areas, including the town of Suzha in Kursk, as Russian troops advance, reclaiming approximately two-thirds of the contested land (03:05). This shift has been tracked by Ukrainian military analysts using open-source mapping tools.

• Ukrainian Leadership's Statement: President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the situation, noting, "The Russians are trying to put maximum pressure on our troops... our military command is doing what it can to save lives" (03:36). He also highlighted that Russia's involvement of North Korean soldiers in retaking territories has embarrassed the Kremlin.

• Economic Impact: Concurrently, China's and Hong Kong's stock markets experienced declines, with the Shanghai Composite Index dropping by 4 points, reflecting regional economic strains amid the conflict (03:05).

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4. EPA Deregulation Initiatives Under Lee Zeldin

Host: Dwahali Sai Kowtow

The Trump administration's new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) head, Lee Zeldin, announced plans to roll back over two dozen environmental regulations established during the Biden administration.

• Proposed Changes: These deregulations include the removal of wastewater rules for coal and other power plants and the elimination of climate-friendly greenhouse gas reporting requirements (04:16).

• Official Statement: Zeldin defended the initiatives, claiming, "These announcements represent the greatest and most consequential day of regulation in the history of the US" (04:16).

• Criticism: Critics argue that such deregulation could lead to environmental chaos, undermining efforts to combat climate change and protect natural resources.

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Conclusion

The episode of NPR News Now on March 13, 2025, provided listeners with a succinct yet detailed overview of pressing international trade tensions, ethical debates within the U.S. administration, the evolving Ukraine-Russia conflict, and significant policy shifts in environmental regulation. Through expert reporting and direct quotations from key figures, the segment offered valuable insights into the complex interplay of global and domestic affairs shaping the current geopolitical landscape.

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Timestamps Reference:

• 00:17: Introduction to international reactions to U.S. tariffs.
• 00:44: Trump's remarks on the European Union.
• 01:04: Overview of Australia's, Japan's, and South Korea's responses.
• 01:26: Anthony Kuhn on South Korea's strategies.
• 02:06: Introduction to Trump and Tesla event.
• 02:23: Bobby Allen's report and Richard Painter's commentary.
• 03:05: Economic impacts and Ukraine-Russia conflict update.
• 03:36: Joanna Kakissis on Ukraine's military situation.
• 04:16: EPA deregulation announcement by Lee Zeldin.

Transcript

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[Dwahali Sai Kowtow]

In New York City. I'm Dwahalisai Kowtow. Longtime trading partners Canada and the European Union have quickly retaliated against President Trump's 25% steel and aluminum tariffs. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, we deeply regret this measure, noting she and other European leaders remain ready to negotiate. But Trump threatened more global tariffs next month.

[Donald Trump]

The European Union treats us very badly. They have for years. I saw that. I had it out with them in my first term, did well, but we had to solve other problems and we did. But the European Union has been very tough. And it's our turn, too. You know, we get a turn at that also.

[Dwahali Sai Kowtow]

Meanwhile, Australia and Japan are hoping for tariff exemptions. South Korea's government went into what it called emergency response mode after the U.S. imposed the tariffs on all steel and aluminum efforts. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports. The tariffs reflect the Trump administration's priority on reducing US Trade deficits.

[Anthony Kuhn]

South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy says it will advise South Korean corporations on possible strategies to deal with the tariffs, such as moving production to the US which is what the Trump administration wants, or finding new destinations for their exports. South Korea was the fourth largest exporter of steel to the US Last year, according to the US International Trade Administration. South Korean officials tried to lobby Washington to waive the tariffs, but it didn't work. So instead, South Korea will try to cut its trade surplus with the US by, for example, importing more energy and building more ships for the US Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Beijing.

[Dwahali Sai Kowtow]

Ethics experts say President Trump's turning the White House lawn into a promotion for Tesla was highly unusual. As NPR's Bobby Allen reports, Trump held the event in front of reporters alongside top advisor and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

[Bobby Allen]

It was a spectacle to boost Tesla, a car company owned by Musk, a major Trump campaign donor. Tesla vehicles, including a cybertruck, were arrayed on the South Lawn as Musk dazzled Trump like a salesman. Richard Painter is a former ethics lawyer in the White House under George W. Bush. He says the limits of what is ethical in the White House are being stretched. The signal is that there's going to be an economy that's driven by personal favoritism and government picking the winners and losers. So now government's gonna pick Tesla as the winner. The Trump Tesla photo up came as Tesla stock price tumbled and as Tesla storefronts and superchargers have been hit with vandalism nationwide. Trump now says violence against Tesla dealerships will be labeled as domestic terrorism.

[Dwahali Sai Kowtow]

Bobby Allen, NPR News, China and Hong Kong shares fell. The Shanghai composite is down 4 points. This is NPR. Ukraine's military confirmed that their troops are retreating from part of Russian province. Ukrainian soldiers captured in a surprise offensive last summer. NPR's Joanna Kakis reports from Kyiv that Russian soldiers are advancing and have already retaken about two thirds of the land.

[Joanna Kakissis]

Deep state. A Ukrainian military analysis site has been tracking the activity on this front line in an open source map. Their analysts told NPR that Ukraine is for now holding on to the town of Suzha, the local administrative center in Kursk. But the situation remains difficult. Speaking to reporters today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also hinted at the advances. The Russians are trying to put maximum pressure on our troops, he said. Our military command is doing what it can to save lives. Ukraine's capture of the territory embarrassed the Kremlin. Russia has used North Korean soldiers to help retake it. Joanna Kakissis, NPR News.

[Dwahali Sai Kowtow]

Cave the Trump administration's new Environmental Protection Agency head Lee Zeldin is proposing to deregulate more than two dozen environmental rules from the Biden administration, including wastewater rules for coal and other power plants and new so called climate friendly greenhouse gas reporting requirements. Zeldin said in a statement these announcements represent the greatest and most consequential day of regulation in the history of the US but one critic says the deregulation of proposals will create chaos. I'm Dwahali Sai Kao to NPR News.

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