NPR News: 03-17-2025 8PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now - Episode Summary

Title: NPR News Now
Host: NPR
Episode: NPR News: 03-17-2025 8PM EDT
Release Date: March 18, 2025

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1. Federal Judge Criticizes Department of Justice Over Migrant Flights

At the beginning of the episode, Jack Spear reports on a significant legal clash in Washington. A federal judge, James Boasberg, reprimanded the Department of Justice (DOJ) for ignoring multiple court orders by continuing to use the Alien Enemies Act to deport migrants suspected of being members of the Venezuelan gang, Trende Aragua.

Key Points:

• The Trump administration had until midday Tuesday to justify non-compliance with both oral and written court orders.
• The DOJ argued that an oral ruling didn't suffice to halt the deportations, despite the written order.
• Judge Boasberg remarked that the DOJ's stance was "a heck of a stretch" (00:35).
• The White House stated that 261 individuals were deported to El Salvador, with 137 under Trump's wartime authority.

Notable Quote:

"The Trump administration has until midday Tuesday to explain why it did not comply with the judge's oral and written orders." – Sergio Martinez Beltran (00:35)

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2. Hostile Takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace

Jack Spear transitions to cover an alarming development at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP). The institute faced a hostile takeover orchestrated by the Trump administration's Government Efficiency Group, known as doge, with assistance from D.C. police.

Key Points:

• George Moose, the Acting President of USIP, issued a statement condemning the takeover, stating, "doge has broken into our building" (01:49).
• George Foote, USIP's attorney, has been actively contesting the takeover in court.
• Moose expressed confidence in the legal battle, highlighting the illegitimacy of the takeover under the pretense of a change of control.
• It was clarified that USIP is a Congressional-funded think tank, not a government agency, meaning the President can only remove board members for cause (02:06).

Notable Quotes:

"doge has broken into our building." – George Moose (01:49)
"We're very confident that what's happened here under the guise of a change of control is wrong and will be upheld in court." – George Moose (01:49)

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3. Trump Administration Pushes for Affordable Housing on Federal Lands

Jennifer Ludden outlines the Trump administration's initiative to alleviate the affordable housing crisis by leveraging federally owned lands.

Key Points:

• The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) aims to pinpoint areas with the highest housing needs and collaborate with local and state governments.
• The Interior Department will identify over 600 million acres of underutilized federal land suitable for residential development.
• A joint task force is set to simplify bureaucratic hurdles related to the transfer or leasing of public land.
• Challenges include local opposition, labor shortages, increasing construction costs due to tariffs, and the fact that major housing shortages are in urban areas with limited federal land (02:28 - 03:08).

Notable Quote:

"HUD says it will identify where the need for housing is greatest and work with local and state governments." – Jennifer Ludden (02:28)

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4. Wall Street Movements and Major Lawsuit Against Greenpeace

Jack Spear provides a brief overview of Wall Street's performance and highlights a significant legal battle involving environmental activism.

Key Points:

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 353 points, while the Nasdaq rose by 54 points.
• Dallas Space Energy Transfer and its subsidiary, Dakota Access, are initiating closing arguments in a defamation lawsuit against Greenpeace International and its American branch.
• Greenpeace alleges the lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for free speech and protest rights, with the pipeline company seeking damages amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.

Notable Quote:

"Greenpeace says the case could have consequences for speech, protest rights." – Jack Spear (03:08)

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5. Peace Talks Between DRC and M23 Rebels Set to Begin

Emmanuel Akinwotu reports on the impending peace negotiations between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebels, an Iranian-backed group.

Key Points:

• The M23 rebels have agreed to send a delegation to peace talks in Luanda, Angola.
• Felix Shisekedi, President of the DRC, had previously refused to negotiate with M23, which has been active in eastern DRC near the Rwanda border.
• The resurgence of M23 since January has intensified criticism of the DRC government and sparked fears of a potential coup.
• Although Rwanda denies supporting M23, the UN and other nations, including the US, accuse Rwanda of arming the rebels to exploit DRC’s mineral resources.

Notable Quote:

"The group's advance since January has fueled criticism of the government and spread fears of a potential coup in the DRC." – Emmanuel Akinwotu (03:51)

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6. President Trump Reorganizes the Kennedy Center Board

In the final news segment, Jack Spear covers President Trump's visit to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, highlighting his efforts to restructure its governing board.

Key Points:

• President Trump undertook a tour of the Kennedy Center and chaired a board meeting during his visit.
• He overhauled the board by removing several existing members and appointing new loyalists, effectively remaking the board's composition.
• This move signifies the administration's broader strategy to influence cultural and governmental institutions.

Notable Quote:

"Since entirely remaking the board at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and making himself the chairman, President Trump visited the facility today." – Jack Spear (04:38)

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Conclusion

This episode of NPR News Now delivered a comprehensive roundup of pressing national and international issues, from legal battles over migrant deportations and institutional takeovers to housing initiatives, environmental lawsuits, peace negotiations, and political maneuvers within cultural institutions. Through detailed reporting and insightful quotes, the episode provided listeners with a nuanced understanding of the current events shaping the world on March 17, 2025.

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Note: This summary excludes advertisements, introductory remarks, and outros to focus solely on the substantive news content presented in the episode.

Transcript

[NPR Sponsor]

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[Jack Spear]

In Washington, I'm Jack Spear. A federal judge today chastised the Department of Justice for defying multiple rulings ordering that flights carrying some alleged members of a Venezuelan gang turned around Saturday. And Pierre Sergio Martinez Beltran reports on today's hearings.

[Sergio Martinez Beltran]

The Trump administration has until midday Tuesday to explain why it did not comply with the judge's oral and written orders to stop using the Alien Enemies act to remove migrants to El Salvador. The White House says they include suspected members of Trende Aragua, which the US recently designated a foreign terror group. The Justice Department argued that an oral ruling was not enough to stop them, but that they did not fly any more migrants once the written order was released. Judge James Boasberg called that a heck of a stretch. The hearing raised multiple questions, including about the weight of an oral order compared to a written one. According to the White House, 261 people were removed to El Salvador, but only 137 of them were expelled under Trump's wartime power at the core of the case. Sergio Martinez Beltran, NPR News.

[Jack Spear]

The U.S. institute of Peace is the scene of a hostile takeover this evening by the Trump administration's government efficiency group, doge. They forced their way into the building with the help of D.C. police, as we hear from NPR's Michelle Kellerman.

[Michelle Kellerman]

In a brief statement, USIP Acting President George Moose writes, quote, doge has broken into our building. They came with someone that the Trump administration has tried to put in charge. An attorney for usip, George Foote, has been fighting this in court.

[George Moose]

We're very confident that what's happened here under the guise of a change of control is wrong and will be upheld in court. But we were having civil discussions about that and then suddenly muscle arrives with guns and we're kicked out of the building.

[Michelle Kellerman]

The US Institute of Peace is a think tank funded by Congress. It is not a government agency, and the president can only fire board members for cause. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department.

[Jack Spear]

The Trump administration wants to make it easier to build affordable housing on federally owned lands. NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports. The push will be led by the Department of Housing and Inter, the housing agency.

[Jennifer Ludden]

HUD says it will identify where the need for housing is greatest and work with local and state governments. The Interior Department will identify underused federal land suitable for residential living. A joint task force will work to streamline the red tape that comes with transferring or leasing public land. The US government owns more than 600 million acres, and it's a big part of several Western states. But nationally, the housing shortage is most severe in major cities with far less federal land. Local opposition and labor shortages are persistent challenges for affordable housing, and tariffs are expected to drive construction costs higher. Jennifer Ludden, NPR News, Washington.

[Jack Spear]

On Wall street, The Dow rose 353 points. The Nasdaq was up 54 points today. This is NPR. Closing arguments are slated to get underway in a lawsuit filed by a pipeline company against the environmental firm Greenpeace. Greenpeace says the case could have consequences for speech, protest rights. Dallas Space Energy Transfer and its subsidiary Dakota Access alleged defamation, trespass, nuisance and other offenses by Netherlands based Greenpeace International and its American branch. The pipeline company seeking hundreds of millions of dollars. Officials from the Democratic Republic of Congo will hold peace talks with Iranian backed rebels that have launched a major offensive. More from NPR's Manuel Akonwudu.

[Emmanuel Akinwotu]

The M23 rebels said they will send a delegation to peace talks with the DRC in the Angolan capital, Luanda. DRC's president, Felix Shisekedi, had long vowed not to negotiate with the group, which has occupied major cities in eastern DRC near the border with Rwanda. But the group's advance since January has fueled criticism of the government and spread fears of a potential coup in the drc. Now the negotiations are set to begin. Rwanda denies backing the M23, a Tutsi led rebel group, but the UN and countries like the US but the UN and other countries, including the US have accused Rwanda of arming M23 and using them to exploit DRC's mineral resources. Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR News, Lagos.

[Jack Spear]

Since entirely remaking the board at the Kennedy center for Performing Arts and making himself the chairman, President Trump visited the facility today. Trump toured the Kennedy center, then chaired a meeting of the center's board. Trump fired a number of members of the previous board, replacing them with loyalists. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News, in Washington.

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