NPR News: 05-17-2026 3PM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now — 05-17-2026, 3PM EDT

Host: Nora Rahm
Duration: 5 minutes
Release Date: May 17, 2026

Overview

This concise NPR News Now episode covers key U.S. political shifts, international developments, humanitarian crises, and a campus closure. The news centers on the enduring political influence of Donald Trump, tensions in the Middle East, a significant Ebola outbreak in Africa, and local impacts of a rail strike in New York.

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Key News & Discussion Points

1. Republican Primary Shakeup in Louisiana

[00:00–00:51]

• Sen. Bill Cassidy lost the Republican primary to challenger Julia Letlow, who had President Trump's endorsement.
• Trump's ongoing influence:
  Drew Hawkins (Gulf States Newsroom) notes the result underscores Trump's sway among Republican voters, referencing Cassidy's controversial impeachment vote and Trump's public denunciation of Cassidy as a “disloyal disaster and a sleaze bag who is bad for Louisiana.”
  • Quote: “It definitely confirms the president's influence is still strong with Republican voters.” (Drew Hawkins, 00:18)
• Hawkins also points out similar Trump-driven outcomes in Indiana state senatorial races earlier in May.
  • Quote: “Earlier this month, on May 5, Trump endorsed challengers to Republican state senators in Indiana who ... voted against redistricting. Most of them lost their seats, too.” (Drew Hawkins, 00:38)

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2. Trump Defends Comments on Iran Negotiations

[00:51–01:51]

• Georgia’s Primary upcoming; President Trump is under fire for admitting he’s not considering American finances in dealings with Iran.
  • Original comment:
    Quote: “I don't think about America's financial situation. I don't think about anybody. I think about one thing. We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That's all.” (Donald Trump, 01:16)
• Trump doubles down on Fox News, labeling his remarks “a perfect statement” and deflecting criticism toward the question itself.
  • Quote: “That question was a fake question and they didn't put my full answer. I totally care. Look, I inherited high prices.” (Donald Trump, 01:32)
• NPR’s Franco Ordonez summarizes that Trump portrays any economic hardship as a necessary trade-off to avoid Iranian nuclear capability.

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3. Marking the 78th Nakba Anniversary — Stories from Gaza

[01:51–02:56]

• Nakba Remembrance: Palestinians commemorate 78 years since the 1948 displacement associated with Israel’s founding.
• Personal Testimony: NPR’s Anas Baba interviews Atiya al Tibei, displaced first in 1948 and again in modern Gaza.
  • Quote: “He hasn’t felt safe his entire life since. There have always been wars.” (Anas Baba paraphrasing al Tibei, 02:19)
• Al Tibei, now 90, calls the latest displacement and destruction in Gaza “an even bigger nakba.”
  • Quote: “...leaving him with nothing.” (Anas Baba, 02:47)

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4. International Headlines: Ukraine, Ebola Outbreak

[02:56–03:48]

• Ukraine–Russia Conflict:
  • Overnight Ukrainian drone strikes inside Russia killed at least four and wounded 12, with casualties near Moscow.
• Ebola Outbreak:
  • The WHO declares an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a “public health emergency of international concern.”
  • Hundreds of suspected cases, at least 80 deaths, and no available vaccines/treatments for this strain.
  • Quote: “The UN health agency called the outbreak extraordinary because there's no known vaccines or treatment for this Ebola strain.” (Nora Rahm, 03:33)

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5. Hampshire College Holds Final Graduation Amid Closure

[03:48–04:21]

• Closure: Hampshire College in Amherst, MA holds its last graduation due to impending closure (December 2026) amidst $25 million in debt.
• Student Perspective:
  • Quote: “I met lifelong friends here, and I'm willing to take anything I've learned here from any professor, whether it's something that I didn't necessarily agree with at the moment and now have reflected on.” (Inez Smith, graduate, 03:58)
• The college is facilitating transfers for remaining students.

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6. New York City Baseball Interrupted by Rail Strike

[04:21–04:40]

• Event: Yankees vs. Mets game at Citi Field affected by a Long Island Railroad worker strike; half the transit workforce walked out, blunting the usual fan turnout.

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Notable Quotes by Segment

• On Louisiana’s Primary:

  • “It definitely confirms the president's influence is still strong with Republican voters.” (Drew Hawkins, 00:18)

• On Iran Policy:

  • “I don't think about America's financial situation... We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That's all.” (Donald Trump, 01:16)
  • “And that question was a fake question and they didn't put my full answer. I totally care...” (Donald Trump, 01:32)

• On Nakba:

  • “He hasn’t felt safe his entire life since. There have always been wars.” (Anas Baba, 02:19)
  • “...an even bigger nakba, or catastrophe, leaving him with nothing.” (Anas Baba, 02:51)

• On Hampshire College closing:

  • “I met lifelong friends here, and I'm willing to take anything I've learned here from any professor...” (Inez Smith, 03:58)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Time | |----------------------------|---------| | Louisiana Republican Primary | 00:00–00:51 | | Trump on Iran & Finances | 00:51–01:51 | | Nakba Anniversary in Gaza | 01:51–02:56 | | Ukraine Drone Strikes, Ebola Outbreak | 02:56–03:48 | | Hampshire College Farewell | 03:48–04:21 | | NYC Baseball & Rail Strike | 04:21–04:40 |

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For more updates, follow NPR News Now.

Transcript

[Nora Rahm]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. Incumbent Senator Bill Cassidy lost yesterday's Republican primary in Louisiana. Challengers included Congresswoman Julia Letlow, who had President Trump's endorsement. Drew Hawkins with Gulf States Newsroom has more.

[Drew Hawkins]

It definitely confirms the president's influence is still strong with Republican voters. Of course, you know Cassidy was under a lot of heat for his vote to convict President Trump in 2021. And on election Day, Trump posted to Truth calling Cassidy a disloyal disaster and a sleaze bag who is bad for Louisiana. I think it is also worth pointing out that this is not just Louisiana. Earlier this month, on May 5, Trump endorsed challengers to Republican state senators in Indiana who there voted against redistricting. Most of them lost their seats, too.

[Nora Rahm]

Drew Hawkins reporting. Georgia is holding its primaries on Tuesday. President Trump is defending his comment on on not thinking about Americans finances during Iran talks. As NPR's Franco Ordonez reports, he's calling it a perfect statement.

[Franco Ordonez]

Before leaving for China, the president drew some blowback for his answer to a question about the extent Americans finances were motivating him to make a deal on Iran.

[Donald Trump]

I don't think about America's financial situation. I don't think about anybody. I think about one thing. We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That's all.

[Franco Ordonez]

But never one to back down, Trump told Fox News that it was a perfect statement and that he'd say it again.

[Donald Trump]

And that question was a fake question and they didn't put my full answer. I totally care. Look, I inherited high prices.

[Franco Ordonez]

Trump insists this is short term pain, adding that Americans are fine paying a little more in order to keep Iran from having a nuclear weapon. Franco or Dona, NPR News.

[Nora Rahm]

Palestinians are marking the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, Arabic for catastrophe, referring to the mass expulsion, flight and killings of Palestinians around the founding of the state of Israel in 1948. NPR's Anas Baba in Gaza spoke with a man who was displaced from zone then. And then decades later in Gaza, Atiya

[Anas Baba]

al Tibei was 12 years old when word spread of raids and killings in Palestinian villages. He remembers how that year in 1948, his family fled their village in an area near what is now the Israeli city of Ashkelon. The 90 year old tells NPR he hasn't felt safe his entire life since. There have always been wars. He says he spoke from a tent in Gaza, where he is among more than 1 million Palestinians displaced in the last few years of war. His home, like most in Gaza, was destroyed in Israeli airstrikes Al TB calls it an even bigger nakba, or catastrophe, leaving him with nothing. Anis Baba, NPR News, Gaza.

[Nora Rahm]

This is NPR News in Washington. Russian officials say Ukraine launched drone strikes against Russia overnight, killing at least four people and wounding at least 12. Three of those were killed in villages near Moscow. The World Health Organization has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda to be a public health emergency of international concern. There are hundreds of suspected cases and at least 80 deaths. The UN health agency called the outbreak extraordinary because there's no known vaccines or treatment for this Ebola strain. Hampshire College held its last graduation ceremony this weekend in in Hamhurst, Massachusetts. NAPM's Nirvani Williams reports the college is selling off the property to deal with $25 million in debt.

[Nirvani Williams]

Families, friends, current and former faculty and staff gathered under a white tent in the middle of Hampshire College's campus. Inez Smith was among the 192 graduating students.

[Inez Smith]

I met lifelong friends here, and I'm willing to take anything I've learned here from any professor, whether it's something that I didn't necessarily agree with at the moment and now have reflected on.

[Nirvani Williams]

The college has established path for enrolled students to transfer to other local institutions. They plan on officially closing in December 2026. For NPR News, I'm Nirvani Williams in Amherst, Massachusetts.

[Nora Rahm]

In baseball, the New York Yankees are playing the New York Mets at the Mets home park in Queens this afternoon. It's being complicated by a rail strike. The Long Island Railroad usually transports fans, and half the workers walked off the job yesterday. I'm Nora Ramm, NPR News, in Washington.

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