NPR News Now: May 13, 2025, 3PM EDT
Host: Lakshmi Singh
Release Date: May 13, 2025
President Trump’s State Dinner and Saudi Arabia Relations
At [00:26], Lakshmi Singh reports that President Donald Trump served as the guest of honor at a state dinner in Dhiyari, Saudi Arabia. This event marked a day filled with significant announcements, including a $600 billion business deal with Saudi Arabia and plans to lift sanctions on Syria. Trump is scheduled to meet briefly with Syrian President Ahmad al Sharab in Riyadh tomorrow. During an investors conference in Riyadh, Trump received "resounding applause and visible approval" from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. At [00:37], Trump remarked:
"Oh, what I do for the crown prince."
NPR’s Aya Batrawi elaborates that Trump’s strong personal relationships with Gulf rulers are closely tied to his family’s business interests in the region. Just two weeks prior, Eric Trump, who manages the Trump Organization, was active in the Gulf launching projects such as the Trump Hotel Tower in Dubai and a golf course in Qatar. Additionally, investments from the Gulf are flowing into the Trump family's cryptocurrency ventures, and Qatar has offered Trump a new Boeing airplane to replace one of the aging Air Force One jets.
Ending Temporary Protected Status for Afghans in the U.S.
At [01:38], Quill Lawrence informs listeners that the Trump administration has formally ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghans residing in the United States. This policy change may lead to the deportation of many Afghans who aided U.S. forces during the war.
At [02:02], Jack McCain, son of the late U.S. senator John McCain, voiced his opposition:
"Allies here in the United States who fought alongside people like me and who risk their lives and the lives of their families are at the very credible risk of deportation and in many, many cases, death as it ends protection for Afghans."
Human rights groups and veterans strongly oppose the administration’s decision, arguing that Afghanistan remains unsafe for those who have allied with the U.S., contradicting the White House’s assertion that the country is now safe.
U.S.-China Tariff Pause Offers Relief for Consumers
Lakshmi Singh introduces a report at [02:30] stating that the U.S. and China have agreed to a 90-day pause on tariffs, potentially providing temporary relief for American consumers. NPR’s Windsor Johnston reports that this move could stabilize prices for everyday goods such as electronics, clothing, and home appliances.
Mark Wu, an international trade expert at Harvard University, commented:
"The pause could lead to short term price stability." [02:39]
Rob Stein adds that:
"Some of the shortages that consumers were worrying about for the summer are likely to be staved off for some time as importers take advantage of the 90 days to restock inventories." [02:53]
However, he cautions:
"Don't expect dramatic savings overnight. Analysts say price shifts typically take time to reach consumers, and much depends on whether the pause becomes permanent or turns into a new round of trade uncertainty." [03:04]
Universal Flu Vaccine Project Faces Criticism
At [03:20], Lakshmi Singh relays concerns from vaccine experts regarding the Trump administration’s new $500 million initiative to develop a universal flu vaccine. Rob Stein reports that the Department of Health and Human Services aims to create a vaccine that doesn’t require annual updates through a project called "Generation Gold Standard."
Rob Stein explains:
"That's because the project is using an old technology that involves injecting people with whole viruses that have been inactivated to make them harmless but still capable of stimulating an immune response." [03:39]
Vaccine scientists argue that newer technologies are more promising and result in fewer side effects, making the administration’s approach seem outdated and less effective.
Portland Trailblazers NBA Franchise Up for Sale
At [04:20], Lakshmi Singh announces that the Portland Trailblazers NBA team is up for sale. The team disclosed on the social media platform X that the estate of the late Paul G. Allen has initiated the sales process, directing all proceeds to philanthropy as per Allen’s instructions. However, the sale still requires approval from the NBA Board of Governors.
Notably, Paul G. Allen, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft, purchased the Trailblazers in 1988. He passed away in 2018 from complications related to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
U.S. Stock Market Update
Concluding the episode, Lakshmi Singh provides a brief overview of the current U.S. stock market performance:
- NASDAQ: Up 1.8%
- S&P 500: Up nearly 1%
- Dow Jones Industrial Average: Down roughly 0.5%
Note: Advertisements, introductions, and non-content segments have been omitted to focus on the core news stories.