NPR News: 05-24-2026 3PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: 05-24-2026, 3PM EDT

Host: Nora Ram
Date: May 24, 2026

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Episode Overview

This NPR News Now episode delivers concise updates on major national and international developments, including ongoing negotiations to end the U.S.-Iran war, a Russian missile attack in Ukraine, major changes in the U.S. immigration court system, a study on teen phone use, a Secret Service incident near the White House, and rising holiday gasoline prices. The reporting remains direct and fact-based, maintaining the NPR hallmark of clarity and reliability.

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Key Stories and Discussion Points

1. U.S.-Iran War – Prospects for Agreement

• [00:33] President Trump announced imminent progress toward an agreement to end the U.S.-Iran war, claiming it is “largely negotiated,” but offered few details.
• Trump suggested the deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, yet specifics remain unclear.
• Progress is being reported on both sides, but NPR’s Greg Myhre cautions that "many of these difficult questions" are still unresolved, and “differences remain on key issues.”
• Quote:

  “President claimed the agreement would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, though he didn't provide specifics.”
  — Greg Myhre, [00:48]

U.S. Political Reaction

• [01:29] Senator Thom Tillis expressed skepticism, raising concerns about what the U.S. is willing to accept on Iran’s nuclear program and the security implications.
• He cited conflicting information from the Defense Department on recovering Iran’s nuclear material and questioned the terms of a possible ceasefire.
• Quote:

  “Now we're talking about a posture where we may accept the nuclear material remaining in Iran. How does that make sense at all?”
  “A 60 day ceasefire...before the terms of the deal are established also seems questionable to me.”
  — Senator Thom Tillis, [01:48]

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2. Russia-Ukraine Conflict – Missile Attack

• [02:16] Russia escalated its assault on Ukraine with a heavy missile and drone attack, killing at least two.
• President Zelensky reported use of a hypersonic ballistic missile, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, on a city near Kyiv.
• The situation signals ongoing high tensions and concern over advanced weaponry being used in the conflict.

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3. U.S. Immigration Courts – New Judges Appointed

• [02:48] The Department of Justice announced the hiring of more than 80 new immigration judges, the largest cohort in its history.
• This move responds to a significant reduction of judges under the Trump administration, which led to a 25% drop in judicial capacity and a backlog of 3 million cases.
• Several current judges were terminated the same day, underlining ongoing policy and staffing shifts.
• Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized a renewed commitment to “restoring the rule of law in the immigration system.”

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4. White House Incident – Secret Service Shooting

• [03:28] The Secret Service shot and killed a man who drew and fired a weapon near a White House checkpoint. A bystander was injured but President Trump, present at the White House, was unharmed.

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5. Teen Smartphone Usage Study

• [03:57] A new study finds teens average nearly an hour nightly on their phones during school nights, mostly on social media.

• The research tracked over 650 teens via an app and found that 65% of their weeknight screen time was spent on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

• Nearly half of teens were on their phones between midnight and 4am, often when they should be sleeping.

• Quote:

  “On average, teens spend more than 50 minutes on their phones between 10pm and 6am on school nights...”
  — Dr. Jason Nagata, [03:57]

• Comment:

  “These are important windows when most children should be asleep, and the recommendation is that kids get 8 to 10 hours a night.”
  — Ritu Chatterjee, [04:23]

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6. Memorial Day Gasoline Prices

• [04:47] Americans traveling for Memorial Day are encountering significantly higher gas prices compared to last year.
• The national average: $4.51/gallon today, up from $3.18 a year ago.

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Notable Quotes

• “President claimed the agreement would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, though he didn't provide specifics.”
  — Greg Myhre, [00:48]

• “Now we're talking about a posture where we may accept the nuclear material remaining in Iran. How does that make sense at all?...A 60 day ceasefire...before the terms of the deal are established also seems questionable to me.”
  — Senator Thom Tillis, [01:48]

• “On average, teens spend more than 50 minutes on their phones between 10pm and 6am on school nights...”
  — Dr. Jason Nagata, [03:57]

• “These are important windows when most children should be asleep, and the recommendation is that kids get 8 to 10 hours a night.”
  — Ritu Chatterjee, [04:23]

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Timestamps Overview

• [00:33] – U.S.-Iran war negotiations update
• [01:29] – Political skepticism over Iran agreement
• [02:16] – Russian missile attack on Ukraine
• [02:48] – DOJ appoints new immigration judges
• [03:28] – Secret Service shooting near White House
• [03:57] – Study on teen screen time, expert insights
• [04:47] – Memorial Day gas prices

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This episode offered concise updates on evolving geopolitical crises, domestic judicial reforms, public safety, and the daily realities affecting American families—all delivered with NPR’s trademark clarity and depth.

Transcript

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[Nora Ram]

In Washington, I'm Nora Ram. President Trump says he expects an agreement to be announced soon on ending the U. S. Iran war, but no details have been made public and Iran has not stated where it stands on the proposal. NPR's Greg Myhre has more.

[Greg Myhre]

President Trump said Saturday on Truth Social that an agreement has been largely negotiated, but he acknowledged details were still being worked out. The president claimed the agreement would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, though he didn't provide specifics. Trump took to Truth Social again on Sunday to say that the deal under negotiation would keep Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. The proposed deal appears to leave many of these difficult questions for further negotiations. Iranian officials and media reports say the US And Iran have been making progress, but add that differences remain on key issues. Greg Myrey, NPR News, Washington.

[Nora Ram]

Although there have been few details released about a proposed agreement, there is much speculation. Republican Senator Thom Tillis has questions about just what the US Will accept on Iran's nuclear program. He notes that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had said the US would soon recover Iran's nuclear material.

[Senator Thom Tillis]

We were told about 11 weeks ago by Hegseth and the Department of Defense that they had obliterated Iran's defenses and it was just a matter of time before we had the nuclear material. Now we're talking about a posture where we may accept the nuclear material remaining in Iran. How does that make sense at all? Also, a 60 day ceasefire and expecting that they're going to clear the Strait of Hormuz before the terms of the deal are established also seems questionable to me.

[Nora Ram]

Tillis was interviewed on cnn. Russia launched an intense missile and drone attack on Ukraine early today. Local officials say at least two people were killed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia struck a city near Kyiv with a hypersonic ballistic missile which can carry nuclear warheads. The Justice Department announced it's bringing on more than 80 new immigration judges. The DOJ says this is the largest class in the agency's history. NPR's Jimena Bestillo reports the new immigration

[Jimena Bestillo]

judges were hired to work across the Justice Department's 70 immigration courts. Last year, the Trump administration fired over 100 judges and several more resigned or retired, resulting in a 25% drop in the number of judges to hear immigrants cases. On the day the new cohort was announced, several immigration judges, including in New York and Concord, were terminated. In a statement announcing the new class, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said that the administration is committed to re establishing an immigration judge corps that is dedicated to restoring the rule of law in the immigration system. There has been pressure on Judges to reduce a 3 million case backlog. NPR News.

[Nora Ram]

This is NPR News. The Secret Service shot and killed a man near the White House last night. Officials say he had pulled a weapon from his backpack when he was approaching a security checkpoint and started firing. A bystander was injured. President Trump was in the White House at the time but was not affected. A new study finds teenagers on average average almost an hour on their phones on school nights, most of it on social media. NPR's Ritu Chatterjee reports.

[Dr. Jason Nagata]

The study included more than 650 teens who downloaded an app on their smartphone, allowing researchers to passively monitor their phone use. Study author Dr. Jason Nagata is a pediatrician at the University of California, San Francisco. He says on average, teens spend more than 50 minutes on their phones between 10pm and 6am on school nights, and nearly half were on their phone at some point between midnight and 4am These

[Ritu Chatterjee]

are important windows when most children should be asleep, and the recommendation is that kids get 10 hours or 8 to 10 hours a night.

[Dr. Jason Nagata]

He says 65% of weeknight screen time was spent on social media apps like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. A smaller share was spent on entertainment apps and video games. The results appear in JAMA Pediatrics. Read the Chatterjee, NPR News.

[Nora Ram]

Americans taking road trips this Memorial Day weekend are finding higher gasoline prices than last year. The motorist group AAA says the national average for a gallon of gas today is $4.51. For regular, it was $3.18 at this time last year. I'm Nora Ramm, NPR News, in Washington.

[Cachava Advertiser]

This message comes from Cachava. It can be tough to stick to your wellness routine, especially when you're on the go. Cachava's new travel packs make it easier. Just one packet provides nutrition ready for wherever life takes you with prote, fiber grains, probiotics, electrolytes and more. Take your daily ritual with you. Go to kachava.com and use code NPR new customers get 15% off their first order. That's K A C H A V A COM code, NPR.