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Korva Coleman
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. The White House is proposing heavy cuts to non defense spending in its new budget proposal. As NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reports, President Trump's budget proposal is not binding.
Danielle Kurtzleben
The Trump White House wants to cut $163 billion in non defense discretionary spending. That's spending across a wide range of science, research, education and transportation, for example. An Office of Management and Budget spokesperson confirmed the numbers, which were first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The proposed cuts would be a nearly 23% drop from current spending. According to the White House, the president's budget is merely a proposal. Congress passes spending bills. But this year, with Trump attempting to shrink government via executive order and his Department of Government efficiency, and with congressional Republicans in his corner, Trump's budget may be more meaningful than usual. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News.
Korva Coleman
President Trump has signed an executive order to end federal funding for NPR and pbs. The order also prohibits local public radio and TV stations and any other recipients of funds from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting from using taxpayer dollars to support these news organizations. NPR's David Falkenflig says that the way the CPB is funded is supposed to make sure it's protected from political interference.
David Folkenflick
No government official can dictate what public broadcasters spend their money on once they've received it. So when President Trump says, you know, he puts out an edict in this executive order saying CPB must cease funding NPR and PBS and basically tell any public broadcasters on the local level that receive their funds that they can't send money back to the big networks. That would seem to be in violation of congressional law.
Korva Coleman
NPR's David Folkenflick reporting. NPR has released a statement saying it'll challenge the president's executive order. NPR says it will vigorously defend its right to provide essential news information and life saving services to the American public. 100 days into Trump's second presidency, many conservatives in the swing state of Wisconsin who voted for him say they're on board with his rapid efforts on immigration and the economy. From member station WWM in Milwaukee, Mayan silver has more 48 year old Rebecca.
Ayan Silver
Smith is a Trump voter from Milwaukee who says the border was like, quote, Swiss cheese under former President Joe Biden. She appreciates Trump's efforts there, even though she says she realizes detentions and deportations upend people's lives.
Rebecca Smith
You could say it seems really cruel, but at the same time, wasn't it really cruel when we had an open border and just let all these people in?
Ayan Silver
87% of Republicans approve of how the president is handling immigration, according to the latest NPR PBS News Marist poll. That compares to a 44% approval rating for Trump on immigration among voters overall. For NPR News, I'm Ayan Silver in Milwaukee.
Korva Coleman
On Wall street, the Dow is up more than 400 points. This is NPR. President Trump has closed a trade loophole that lets consumers buy cheap goods from China without paying any steep tariffs. The targeted goods have to be worth $800 or less. Consumers often buy them from companies in China and Hong Kong, like from Temu or Shein. The Labor Department has released its jobs data for April. It says that U.S. employers added 177,000 new jobs last month. That's fewer new jobs than were created in March, but it's a larger number than economists had forecast. Luisi Mangione wants the courts to throw out his state murder case in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione has also been indicted by a Federal grand jury. NPR's Kristen Wright reports. His lawyers say this is double jeopardy.
Kristen Wright
Mancione's attorneys argue to the Supreme Court of New York that concurrent federal and state prosecutions violate the double jeopardy clause of the Fifth Amendment. It protects people from being tried for the same crime twice. Federal prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty, and New York state prosecutors are seeking life in prison. They say Mangione shot and killed Brian Thompson outside outside of a hotel in New York City last December. He's pleaded not guilty in both cases and also faces charges in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested at a McDonald's in Altoona. Kristen Wright, NPR News.
Korva Coleman
An old Soviet satellite may soon crash back to Earth. The former Soviet Union launched the probe more than 50 years ago. It was supposed to go to the planet Venus, but it never got out of Earth's orbit. Now it's descending back toward the surface. Scientists are not sure where it's going to land. They think it could return around May 10th. You're listening to NPR.
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Host: Korva Coleman
Source: NPR News Now
Release Date: May 2, 2025
Timestamp: [00:23] - [01:17]
Korva Coleman opens the episode with a report from NPR’s Danielle Kurtzleben on the Trump administration’s ambitious budget proposal. The White House aims to reduce non-defense discretionary spending by $163 billion, marking a nearly 23% decrease from current expenditures. This budget targets a broad spectrum of sectors including science, research, education, and transportation.
Danielle Kurtzleben highlights, “The Trump White House wants to cut $163 billion in non-defense discretionary spending,” reflecting first reported figures by the Wall Street Journal. While the president emphasizes that the budget is a proposal and not binding, the combination of executive actions to shrink government and support from congressional Republicans could render this budget more impactful than usual.
Timestamp: [01:17] - [02:37]
In a controversial move, President Trump has signed an executive order terminating federal funding for NPR and PBS. This order also restricts local public radio and TV stations, along with other recipients of funds from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), from utilizing taxpayer dollars to support these outlets.
NPR’s David Folkenflick provides insight into the implications of this order: “No government official can dictate what public broadcasters spend their money on once they've received it. So when President Trump puts out an edict... that would seem to be in violation of congressional law.”
NPR has responded by pledging to challenge the executive order, asserting its commitment to “vigorously defend its right to provide essential news information and life-saving services to the American public.”
Timestamp: [02:37] - [03:17]
Turning to political sentiments, the podcast highlights strong support for President Trump’s immigration policies in swing states like Wisconsin. Mayan Silver reports from Milwaukee, featuring Rebecca Smith, a 48-year-old Trump supporter.
Rebecca shares her perspective:
“You could say it seems really cruel, but at the same time, wasn't it really cruel when we had an open border and just let all these people in?”
Silver also references a recent NPR/PBS News Marist poll revealing that 87% of Republicans approve of Trump’s handling of immigration, compared to a 44% approval rating among voters overall.
Timestamp: [03:17] - [04:09]
Korva Coleman provides a brief financial update stating, “On Wall Street, the Dow is up more than 400 points.”
In trade news, President Trump has closed a trade loophole that previously allowed consumers to purchase inexpensive goods from China without incurring significant tariffs. This move affects items priced $800 or less, commonly bought from Chinese and Hong Kong companies like Temu or Shein.
Timestamp: [04:09] - [04:40]
The Labor Department has released its April jobs data, showing that U.S. employers added 177,000 new jobs, which, while fewer than March's figures, surpasses economists' forecasts. This indicates a resilient job market despite broader economic challenges.
Timestamp: [04:09] - [04:40]
A gripping legal saga unfolds as Mangione seeks to have his state murder case dismissed, claiming double jeopardy. Accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Mangione faces both federal and state charges. His attorneys argue that prosecuting him in both courts violates the Fifth Amendment’s protection against being tried for the same crime twice.
Kristen Wright reports:
“Federal prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty, and New York state prosecutors are seeking life in prison.”
Mangione has pleaded not guilty in both cases and is also facing charges in Pennsylvania.
Timestamp: [04:40] - [05:03]
Concluding the episode, listeners are informed about an impending event involving an old Soviet satellite. Launched over 50 years ago, the probe was intended for Venus but remained in Earth’s orbit. Scientists anticipate its descent back to Earth around May 10 but remain uncertain about the exact landing location, sparking both concern and curiosity.
Note: This summary excludes advertisements, intros, outros, and non-content segments to focus solely on the informative news presented in the episode.