NPR News: 03-19-2025 2PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: March 19, 2025, 2PM EDT

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Producer: NPR
Episode Duration: Approximately 5 minutes

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1. Supreme Court and Impeachment Calls

Timestamp: [00:13]

NPR's Lakshmi Singh opens the episode by addressing a significant development in the judiciary. Chief Justice John Roberts delivered a rare admonishment concerning President Trump's recent call to impeach District Court Judge James Boasberg. In response, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt criticized the Supreme Court, urging it to "rein in these activist judges issuing orders blocking President Trump's agenda."

Despite President Trump’s assertion that he will adhere to court orders, he maintained his stance by seeking the impeachment of Judge Boasberg after the judge temporarily halted deportation flights. Notably, the government proceeded last weekend to transfer alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador, invoking a rarely used wartime law despite the court order.

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2. President Trump's Diplomatic Efforts in Ukraine and Russia

Timestamp: [01:09]

As President Trump endeavors to broker a ceasefire in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, he engaged in extensive dialogues with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump’s Strategy:
He aims to align the requests and needs of both Ukraine and Russia to facilitate peace. Trump shared on social media about his "very good telephone call with Zelensky" and highlighted that their discussions were influenced by his recent conversations with Putin.

Outcomes:
While Moscow agreed to halt strikes on energy infrastructure following Trump's talks with Putin, Ukrainian President Zelensky reported that Russian drones continued to target energy facilities and two hospitals, despite the agreement.

Quote:
"He's trying to align Ukraine and Russia's requests and needs." – Asma Khalid, [01:09]

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3. Federal Judge Blocks EPA’s Termination of Clean Energy Grants

Timestamp: [01:49]

A federal judge has intervened to temporarily prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from canceling approximately $14 billion in grants allocated for clean energy projects. These grants, awarded to nonprofits under the Inflation Reduction Act signed by former President Biden, aim to support initiatives like solar projects in low-income communities.

Legal Rationale:
Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled that the EPA failed to provide sufficient evidence of "waste, fraud, and abuse" to justify the termination of these grants.

EPA’s Stance:
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has publicly stated via social media that he "won’t rest until the money is returned to the U.S. treasury," reflecting the agency’s commitment to reclaiming the funds.

Quote:
"The EPA hasn't provided evidence of wrongdoing." – Judge Tanya Chutkan, [01:58]

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4. Federal Reserve Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Economic Uncertainty

Timestamp: [02:34]

The Federal Reserve has decided to maintain the current interest rates, opting to monitor the influence of President Trump's policies on the U.S. economy. The central bank's benchmark rate is pivotal in determining borrowing costs for consumers and businesses alike.

Market Response:

• Dow Jones Industrial Average: Increased by 218 points (~0.5%) to 41,799.
• S&P 500: Rose by approximately 0.75%.
• Nasdaq: Up over 1%.

Economic Implications:
The decision reflects the Fed's cautious approach as it waits to assess the broader economic impacts of ongoing political dynamics.

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5. Legal Battle Over Mahmoud Khalil’s Deportation

Timestamp: [02:34 - 03:24]

Former Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil is contesting his recent arrest by immigration authorities. Khalil, who holds lawful permanent residency, faces deportation and is currently detained in Louisiana.

Legal Proceedings:
A federal judge in New York has transferred Khalil’s lawsuit to New Jersey. Initially, the Trump administration aimed to move his case to Louisiana, but Khalil’s legal team preferred New York. Ultimately, both parties agreed on New Jersey as the venue since Khalil was briefly detained there during the initial filing.

Future Outlook:
All subsequent decisions regarding Khalil’s lawsuit will be adjudicated by New Jersey judges, significantly impacting his ability to remain in the United States.

Quote:
"He's being held at an immigration detention center in Louisiana, and the Trump administration sought to move his legal case there." – Jimena Bustillo, [03:24]

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6. Concerns Over Federal Scrutiny of Health Disparity Research

Timestamp: [03:56 - 04:39]

NPR’s Yukin Noguchi reports on the growing anxiety within the medical research community regarding the administration’s potential restrictions on health disparity studies.

Key Issues:

• Terminology Censorship: Terms like "health disparity" are being scrubbed or flagged by federal agencies, complicating research and dissemination.
• Funding Implications: Researchers dependent on federal funding fear limitations on their work could hinder critical studies addressing why certain populations experience worse health outcomes.

Expert Insight:
Dr. Fola May from UCLA emphasizes that health disparities affect all demographics, not solely racial and ethnic minorities. She highlights, for example, that "White individuals that live in rural areas of the United States are less likely to get a screening test," underscoring the universal impact of health disparities.

Federal Agencies’ Silence:
Both the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs have not responded to requests for comment on these concerns.

Quote:
"We have to recognize that disparities are affecting everyone, not just racial and ethnic minorities." – Dr. Fola May, [04:25]

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Conclusion

This episode of NPR News Now provided a concise yet comprehensive overview of pressing national and international issues, including judicial actions against President Trump, diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict, legal battles over environmental grants and immigration cases, economic indicators influenced by Federal Reserve policies, and emerging challenges in medical research funding and terminology. Through expert interviews and timely reporting, NPR continues to inform listeners on the multifaceted developments shaping the current socio-political landscape.

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Note: This summary excludes commercial advertisements, intros, outros, and non-content sections as per the request.

Transcript

[Carvana]

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[Lakshmi Singh]

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. A day after Chief justice of the United States John Roberts issued a rare rebuke for President Trump's call to impeach District Court Judge James Boasberg, White House press Secretary Caroline Levitt said that the Supreme Court should, quote, rein in these activist judges issuing orders blocking President Trump's agenda. Though Trump says he will comply with court orders, he also called for Boasberg's impeachment after the judge issued a temporary halt to deportation flights. Despite the court order, last weekend, the government invoked a rarely used wartime law to go ahead with the transfer of alleged Venezuelan gang members from the US To El Salvador. President Trump spoke to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier today for about an hour, their conversation coming a day after Trump also held a lengthy call with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to try to reach a ceasefire deal. Here's NPR's ASM Khalid.

[Asma Khalid]

This all comes as Trump tries to broker a truce. He wants to end this now three year war. The president posted on social media that he had a, quote, very good telephone call with Zelensky and and said much of their discussion was based on the conversation he had Tuesday with Russia's leader. Trump says he's trying to align Ukraine and Russia's requests and needs. After Trump spoke with Russia's Vladimir Putin, Moscow agreed to stop strikes on energy infrastructure. But Zelensky says that even after that agreement, Russian drones hit energy targets and two hospitals. Asma Khalid, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Environmental Protection Agency from terminating billions of dollars in grants for clean energy projects. More from NPR's Michael Copley.

[Michael Copley]

The EPA last year awarded nonprofits about $14 billion in grants to help pay for things like solar projects in low income communities. Congress provided the money under the Inflation Reduction act, which was signed by former President Biden. Under President Trump, the EPA said it was canceling the agreements based in part on concerns about waste, fraud and abuse. However, Judge Tanya Chutkan said the EPA hasn't provided evidence of wrongdoing. As for comment, the EPA pointed to a social media post by Administrator Lee Zeldin saying he won't rest until the money is returned to the U.S. treasury. Michael Copley, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady this afternoon as policymakers wait to see how President Trump's policies will affect the U.S. economy. The central bank's benchmark rate helps set the cost for anyone trying to borrow money to buy a car, grow a business or carrying a balance on their credit card at last check. On Wall street, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 218 points, or roughly 0.5%, at 41,799. The S& P has risen roughly three quarters of a percent. The Nasdaq now up more than 1%. This is NPR News. A federal judge in New York's transferring the lawsuit filed by former Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil to New Jersey. He's fighting his recent arrest by immigration authorities. More from NPR's Jimena Bustillo.

[Jimena Bustillo]

Khalil has lawful permanent residency in the U.S. and his lawyers are fighting his arrest and planned deportation. He's being held at an immigration detention center in Louisiana, and the Trump administration sought to move his legal case there, but Khalil's lawyers wanted to move his case to New York, where he resides and was arrested. In the end, both sides agreed New Jersey could serve as the venue because that's where Khalil was briefly detained when his lawyers first filed. Any further decision about his lawsuit will now be made by judges in the Garden State. Ximena Bustillo, NPR News, New York.

[Lakshmi Singh]

A lot of recent medical research has focused on why some groups of people become sicker than others. NPR's Yukin Noguchi reports. Many researchers worry that the administration may limit that work.

[Yuki Noguchi]

Health disparity is among hundreds, hundreds of terms federal agencies are reportedly scrubbing from websites and flagging for review in documents. For many researchers reliant on federal funding, that's raising concern. Dr. Fola May studies disease patterns at UCLA and worries the term disparity is misunderstood.

[Dr. Fola May]

We have to recognize that disparities are affecting everyone, not just racial and ethnic minorities. I'll give an example. White individuals that live in rural areas of the United States are less likely to get a screening test.

[Yuki Noguchi]

The National Instit Institutes of Health and the Department of Veterans affairs, both federal research funders, did not respond to requests seeking comment. Yuki Noguchi, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

This is npr.

[Carvana]

Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR News Now. [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org.