NPR News: 03-25-2025 6PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: March 25, 2025, 6 PM EDT – Detailed Summary

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White House Group Chat Incident Involving Journalist Jeffrey Goldberg

Host: Jack Speier
Timestamp: [00:13]

The latest controversy within the Trump administration centers around the inadvertent inclusion of journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor in Chief of The Atlantic, into a confidential group chat among top White House officials. This chat was reportedly used to discuss potential U.S. military actions in Yemen.

Deepa Shivaram further elaborates on the situation:

• The National Security Council (NSC) is conducting an investigation to determine how Goldberg was inadvertently added.
• President Trump has publicly defended National Security Advisor Mike Walsh, asserting that no apology is necessary. “As far as I understand, there was no classified information shared in the encrypted messaging app Signal,” Trump stated ([00:38]).

An Unknown Speaker commented on the security lapse:
“If it was up to me, everybody would be sitting in a room together. The room would have solid lead walls and a lead ceiling and a lead floor. But, you know, life doesn't always let you do that” ([00:53]).

Deepa Shivaram also highlighted the connection between NPR and the Signal Foundation, noting that Catherine Marr, CEO of NPR, chairs the board of the Signal Foundation—a nonprofit supporting the encrypted messaging app Signal ([01:04]).

This incident raises concerns about the security protocols within the administration and the potential implications of using encrypted platforms for sensitive communications.

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Nomination of Frank Bisignano for Social Security Administration

Host: Jack Speier
Timestamp: [01:17]

Frank Bisignano, a tech CEO, appeared before the Senate Finance Committee as President Trump's nominee to lead the Social Security Administration (SSA). The hearing addressed critical issues plaguing the SSA, including prolonged wait times, office closures, and staffing shortages.

Ashley Lopez reports:

• Bisignano tackled various challenges facing the SSA, emphasizing that the problems primarily stem from leadership gaps. “So I don't know if this is a Doge issue. I think we have a leadership issue,” Bisignano remarked during his testimony ([01:58]).
• Democratic senators expressed concern over the influence of Elon Musk's team, Doge, on the agency’s operations. Bisignano attributed the current dysfunction to the interim commissioner’s collaboration with Musk’s team, suggesting that leadership reforms are necessary to address these inefficiencies ([02:03]).

The hearing underscores the ongoing debate over private sector influence in public agencies and the need for effective leadership to restore credibility and functionality to the SSA.

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Impact of Trump's Trade Policies on the Housing Market

Host: Jack Speier
Reporter: Scott Horsley
Timestamp: [02:12]

The housing market has witnessed a resurgence in new home sales; however, homebuilders are increasingly concerned about escalating construction costs driven by President Trump's tariff policies.

Scott Horsley reports:

• Homebuilders warn that tariffs imposed by the Trump administration are inflating the costs of construction materials, exacerbating the already high prices of new homes.
• KB Homes, a major homebuilder, saw its stock prices drop following a revised, lower sales forecast for the year.
• Concurrently, gasoline prices are on the rise as refineries transition to more expensive summer blends. The American Automobile Association (AAA) reports the average pump price for regular fuel has reached approximately $3.14 per gallon, marking a 6-cent increase over the past week yet remaining lower than last year’s prices ([02:22]).

On consumer sentiment:

• The Conference Board indicated a decline in consumer confidence, which fell by over 7 points in March. Short-term economic expectations also dipped nearly 10%, reflecting consumer unease amid rising costs and economic uncertainties ([02:50]).

Despite these challenges, Wall Street showed resilience with modest gains:

• Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 4 points.
• Nasdaq rose by 83 points.
• S&P 500 advanced by 9 points.

These economic indicators suggest a complex interplay between governmental policies and market responses, impacting both the housing sector and broader consumer confidence.

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Legal Developments in Refugee Policy

An appeals court has permitted the Trump administration to continue suspending the entry of new refugees amidst ongoing litigation challenging the executive authority of the president over refugee admissions.

• A lower court had previously ruled that presidents possess only limited power to suspend refugee programs established by Congress.
• Under the appellate judge’s order, refugees who were conditionally approved before Trump assumed office must still undergo processing, maintaining a degree of continuity despite the administration’s restrictions.

This legal battle highlights the tension between executive actions and legislative frameworks in shaping the United States' refugee policies.

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Broadway’s "Othello" Sets Box Office Records with Educational Access

Host: Jack Speier
Reporter: Jeff London
Timestamp: [03:51]

A production of Shakespeare's "Othello" starring high-profile actors Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal has opened to mixed critical reviews but has achieved impressive box office numbers, with ticket prices soaring as high as $900.

Jeff London provides insights into the show's accessibility:

• Approximately 2,000 New York area schoolchildren will have the opportunity to attend "Othello" for free, thanks to a collaboration between the New York Department of Education, Boys and Girls of America, and several anonymous donors.
• Additionally, a limited number of $49 student rush tickets are available for each performance, providing more affordable access to the critically acclaimed show.
• Despite some high-priced tickets, Othello has been a commercial success, grossing over $2.5 million last week alone.

This initiative not only supports educational outreach but also makes high-caliber theatrical productions more accessible to younger audiences, fostering a new generation of theater enthusiasts.

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Rising Injuries Among Major League Baseball Pitchers

Host: Jack Speier
Timestamp: [04:32]

Major League Baseball has observed a concerning increase in injuries among pitchers, a trend attributed to escalating pitch velocities.

• A comprehensive 62-page report released by Major League Baseball in December identified the surge in pitch speeds as a primary factor contributing to higher injury rates.
• The relentless pursuit of greater velocity places additional strain on pitchers' arms, leading to more frequent and severe injuries.
• Solutions discussed include revising pitching techniques, implementing stricter pitch counts, and enhancing conditioning programs to better prepare pitchers for the physical demands of the game.

Addressing these issues is crucial for maintaining player health and the overall competitiveness of the sport.

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

Transcript

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[Jack Speier]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Speier. President Trump and the White House are trying to downplay the incident in which a journalist was added to a group chat of administration officials who are sharing plans for a US Military strike on Yemen. The journalist added was Jeffrey Goldman Goldberg, the editor in chief of the Atlantic. He says National Security Advisor Mike Walsh or someone in his office added him to the chat.

[Deepa Shivaram]

The National Security Council is investigating how Jeffrey Goldberg got looped in. President Trump is defending Waltz and says he does not need to apologize. The president also says as far as he understands, there was no classified information shared in the encrypted messaging app Signal.

[Unknown Speaker]

If it was up to me, everybody would be sitting in a room together. The room would have solid lead walls and a lead ceiling and a lead floor. But, you know, life doesn't always let you do that.

[Deepa Shivaram]

The president did not specify if he would ban the use of Signal for his administration officials. Catherine Marr, the CEO of npr, also chairs the board of the Signal Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the messaging app Deepa Shivaram. NPR News.

[Jack Speier]

The White House President Trump's pick to head the Social Security Administration went before the Senate Finance Committee today. Tech CEO Frank Bisignano took questions about long wait times for services as well as the ongoing influence of Doge on the agency. Here's NPR's Ashley Lopez.

[Ashley Lopez]

Frank Bisignano fielded questions about a host of problems facing the Social Security Administration that includes office closures, wait times for phone services and staffing shortfalls. Democratic senators also pressed the nominee on the role of billionaire Elon Musk team, known as Doge, at the agency. Bizignano told lawmakers he thinks current problems at the Social Security Administration stem from the interim commissioner who has been working closely with Musk's team.

[Unknown Speaker]

So I don't know if this is a Doge issue. I think we have a leadership issue.

[Ashley Lopez]

Democratic senators argued during the hearing that much of the recent chaos at the agency has been created by Musk, in particular. Ashley Lopez, NPR News.

[Jack Speier]

New home sales picked up last month, but builders are bracing for higher expenses. NPR's Scott Horsley reports on how the Trump administration's trade policies could affect the housing market.

[Scott Horsley]

Homebuilders are warning Trump's tariffs could drive up construction costs, pushing the already high cost of new housing even higher. Stock in KB Homes fell after the builder lowered its sales forecast for the year. Gasoline prices are inching up as refineries make the switch to more expensive summer blends of gas. AAA says the average price of the pump for regular fuel is about $3.14 a gallon. That's up 6 cents from a week ago, but still cheaper than this time last year. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

[Jack Speier]

Consumers appear to be a bit rattled by the tariffs. The business research group the Conference Board says its consumer confidence index slipped more than 7 points in March, while American short term expectations fell nearly 10%. Stocks gained ground on Wall street today. The Dow was up 4 points. The Nasdaq rose 83 points. The S&P was up 9 points. This is NPR. An appeals court says it will allow the Trump administration to suspend entry of new refugees as a lawsuit plays out over the executive power of the president. Under the judge's order, refugees were conditionally approved before Trump took office, must still be processed. The lower court said presidents have only limited authority to suspend the refugee program, which was create by Congress. A production of Shakespeare's Othello starring Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal opened this week to middling reviews but robust box office with many tickets going for over $900. Reporter Jeff London says some students will be able to see it for considerably less, some for free.

[Jeff London]

On Tuesday, the producers of Othello on Broadway announced that about 2,000 New York area school kids will be seeing the hottest show in town for free because of a partnership with the New York Department of Education, the Boys and Girls of America and several anonymous donors. In addition, a limited number of $49 student rush tickets will be available for each performance, with tickets that top out at $921. Othello has been setting box office records for a play. Last week it took in over $2.5 million. For NPR News, I'm Jeff London in New York.

[Jack Speier]

There have been a plethora of injuries involving baseball pitchers lately. The cause is not so tough to figure out. The hu ever increasing velocities will be more difficult to come up with is a solution. Some of the findings were detailed in a 62 page report issued by Major League Baseball back in December. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News, in Washington.

[Carvana]

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