NPR News: 03-26-2025 1AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: March 26, 2025

Host: Shea Stevens
Release Date: March 26, 2025
Duration: Approximately 5 minutes

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1. Senate Intelligence Committee Scrutinizes Trump Administration Officials

Timestamp: [00:18]

Shea Stevens opens the episode by reporting that Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee are intensively questioning Trump administration officials. The focus is on a controversial incident involving a messaging app group chat that inadvertently shared sensitive military information with a journalist.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe acknowledged the severity of the breach, stating, “This incident should not have happened and that the government has secure communication systems to use.” Despite these assurances, top intelligence officials are denying that any classified materials were disseminated, prompting Democrats to demand more comprehensive answers.

Ryan Lucas adds depth to the discussion, highlighting the potential risks: “The information discussed in the chat is exactly the sort of intelligence a sophisticated adversary like Russia or China would want on the US.” He emphasizes the heightened vulnerability, noting that the officials involved are prime targets for foreign intelligence services. The Democratic members of the committee remain resolute in their pursuit of transparency and accountability.

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2. Legal Battle Over Deportation of Columbia University Student

Timestamp: [01:13]

Transitioning to immigration issues, Shea Stevens introduces the case of Yun SEO Chung, a 21-year-old South Korean national and legal permanent resident of the United States. Chung has been embroiled in a legal fight after participating in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.

Adrienne Florido reports that after Chung's participation in the March 5 protest, she was initially cited and released. However, ICE agents subsequently targeted her, attempting to revoke her green card and deport her. The situation escalated when federal agents conducted a search of her dormitory.

Chung has filed a lawsuit in New York federal court, arguing that her activism has made her a target for deportation. “She says she's being targeted for her activism,” Florido notes. A federal judge has temporarily halted the deportation efforts, granting Chung's request to prevent her arrest while the government builds its case against her.

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3. New Wildfire Risk Maps Impact Homebuilding in California

Timestamp: [02:21]

Shea Stevens segues into environmental news, discussing the release of updated wildfire risk maps by California fire officials. These maps delineate millions of acres at heightened risk for wildfires, directly influencing how homeowners rebuild in affected areas.

Lauren Sommer explains that California is pioneering the use of such maps to enforce stricter building codes. In regions like Altadena, previously devastated by the Eaton Fire, new constructions will be mandated to use wildfire-resistant materials. “These building codes have been shown to increase the chances that a house will survive,” Sommer states. While the implementation may raise construction costs, experts argue that these measures are crucial for enhancing neighborhood safety amid increasingly severe wildfire seasons.

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4. Social Security Commissioner Nominee Faces Tough Scrutiny

Timestamp: [03:13]

Shea Stevens reports on the Senate Finance Committee hearings for Frank Bic Signano, the nominee for Social Security Commissioner. Amid frustrations over cuts and service inefficiencies at the agency, Signano has firmly denied any intentions to privatize Social Security.

Democratic lawmakers have expressed concerns over the agency’s operational challenges, such as the closure of field offices and difficulties in using the Social Security website. Signano faces the task of addressing these issues to reassure lawmakers and the public of his commitment to maintaining and improving the existing system, which disburses approximately $1.4 trillion annually to retirees and disabled Americans.

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5. Record Campaign Spending in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race

Timestamp: [04:03]

The episode shifts to political campaign finance, highlighting a record-breaking judicial race in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election. Chuck Kormbach reports that President Trump endorsed Brad Schimmel, a candidate backed by business magnate Elon Musk, who has contributed around $18 million to Schimmel’s campaign. Schimmel aims to shift the court’s balance toward conservative control.

Conversely, Susan Crawford, supported by prominent Democrats including former President Barack Obama, faces significant fundraising to counter Schimmel’s influence. The total campaign expenditures have surged to an unprecedented $73 million, raising concerns about the independence of the judiciary. Janine Geske, a retired state Supreme Court justice, voices her apprehension: “It is really an attack on the independence of our judiciary, and I'm very concerned.” The high-stakes election is set for April 1st.

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6. U.S. Futures Remain Flat in After-Hours Trading

Timestamp: [04:50]

Concluding the episode, Shea Stevens provides a brief financial update, noting that U.S. futures are trading flat in after-hours markets, indicating market stability or uncertainty as investors await upcoming economic data.

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the March 26, 2025, episode of NPR News Now, providing listeners with an in-depth overview of the latest national and political developments.

Transcript

[Intuit Representative]

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[Shea Stevens]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee have grilled Trump administration officials on a messaging app group chat that shared sensitive military information with a journalist. CIA Director John Ratcliffe acknowledged that the incident should not have happened and that the government has secure communication systems to use. As NPR's Ryan Lucas reports, top intelligence officials denied that any classified material had been shared, but Democrats want more answers.

[Ryan Lucas]

The administration is very much trying to say that this is all much ado about nothing. But I will say the information discussed in the chat is exactly the sort of of intelligence a sophisticated adversary like Russia or China would want on the US and the officials in the chat are all top of the target list of foreign intelligence services. Now as for what's next, Democrats on the Intelligence committee made this clear that they want to get to the bottom of it.

[Shea Stevens]

Ryan Lucas reporting. NPR CEO Kathryn Marr is chair of the Signal Foundation Board, which supports the encrypted app that was used during the controversial group chat. A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to back off attempts to deport a Columbia University student who particip participated in Pro Palestinian protests. NPR's Adrienne Florido reports that immigration agents have been trying to arrest her for weeks.

[Adrienne Florido]

Yun SEO chung is a 21 year old South Korean national who's lived in the US since she was seven. She's a legal permanent resident. On March 5, she was one of several students that New York police arrested at a pro Palestinian sit in protest at a campus building. She was cited and let go. Her lawyers say that days later ICE agents showed up at her parents house looking for her. Officials said her green card had been revoked. A few days after that, federal agents searched her Columbia dorm room. Chung sued in New York federal court to block the government from arresting or deporting her. She says she's being targeted for her activism. Now a judge has temporarily granted Chung's request while she fights the government's case against her. Adrienne Florido, NPR News.

[Shea Stevens]

California fire officials have released new maps showing millions of acres are at risk of wildfires. NPR's Lauren Sommer reports that it'll change the way some homeowners are rebuilding after the wildfires in Los Angeles last January.

[Lauren Sommer]

California is one of the few states that maps where homes are at risk of wildfires. In some of those areas, that means new houses must be built with wildfire resistant materials. Those building codes have been shown to increase the chances that a house will survive. The new maps mean that in Altadena, where the Eaton fire burned, some additional 500 buildings will have to rebuild with fire resistant materials, but the majority of buildings, almost 8,000, will not. Some of the requirements could add to the cost of construction, but experts say building houses to resist wildfires helps make entire neighborhoods safer, especially as wildfires get more extreme. Lauren Sommer, NPR News.

[Shea Stevens]

This is npr. The nominee for Social Security commissioner says he's never considered privatizing the agency. Frank Bic Signano faced tough questioning before the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday amid anger over Doge cuts at the agency. Democratic lawmakers cited field office closing difficulty using the Social Security website, scheduling appointments or reaching anyone by phone. The Social Security administration pays out $1.4 trillion to retired and disabled Americans who've paid into the system while working. Campaign finance reports released in a Wisconsin state Supreme Court election show a new record for spending on a judicial race. Chuck Kormbach of member station WUWM has the story.

[Chuck Kormbach]

President Trump has endorsed Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimmel. Business executive Elon Musk has spent about $18 million backing the suburban Milwaukee circuit judge who's trying to flip control of the state court to conservatives. Democrats, including former President Barack Obama, have endorsed Schimmel's opponent, Madison Area Circuit Judge Susan Crawford. New totals showing that $73 million has been spent on the contest so far. Trouble Marquette University law professor Janine Geske.

[Janine Geske]

You know, it is really an attack on the independence of our judiciary, and I'm very concerned.

[Chuck Kormbach]

Geske is a retired state Supreme Court justice. The Wisconsin election is April 1st. For NPR News, I'm Chuck Kwernbach in Milwaukee.

[Shea Stevens]

U.S. futures are flat in after hours trading on Wall Street. This is NPR News.

[Intuit Representative]

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