NPR News: 05-29-2026 9PM EDT

Summary

---

NPR News Now – May 29, 2026, 9PM EDT

Host: Ryland Barton, NPR
Duration: 5 minutes

Episode Overview

This episode covers the day’s top headlines, including the latest developments in Trump’s IRS lawsuit, a new report on homelessness in the U.S., privacy lawsuits from families of transgender youth, soaring tomato prices, a major French Open upset, and the annual New York spectacle known as "Manhattanhenge."

---

Key News Segments

1. Trump’s IRS Lawsuit Reopened

• [00:18–01:22]
• President Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS, which he recently dropped in favor of a settlement, has been reopened by a federal judge.
• The lawsuit centers on a 2019 leak of Trump's tax returns.
• The settlement would have created an "anti-weaponization fund" of $1.8 billion to compensate individuals allegedly targeted by the judicial system.
• There are bipartisan concerns that the fund could benefit January 6th defendants.
• The judge questioned whether the case’s dismissal was “premised on deception” and gave Trump’s team until June 12 to respond.

Notable Quote:

“The administration announced a settlement in which the Justice Department would start a, quote, anti weaponization fund of nearly $1.8 billion, sparking concerns from Democratic lawmakers and others that payments could be awarded to January 6th defendants.”

— Elena Moore, NPR ([00:40])

---

2. Homelessness Sees First Decline in a Decade

• [01:22–02:15]
• The Biden administration's final year saw a slight drop in homelessness—the first nationwide decline in nearly ten years.
• The annual count, conducted in January 2025, reported 745,000 people experiencing homelessness, a 3% decrease compared to the previous record high.
• The National Alliance to End Homelessness claims the numbers validate permanent housing programs.
• The Trump administration criticizes this approach, advocating a shift towards transitional housing and forced treatment, which some providers worry could worsen the crisis.

Notable Quote:

“The national alliance to End Homelessness says that decline proved that programs to get people into permanent housing do work. The Trump administration has criticized that and wants a major shift toward transitional housing and forced treatment.”

— Jennifer Ludden, NPR ([01:32])

---

3. Families Sue to Block Release of Transgender Youth Health Data

• [02:15–03:11]
• Six families who received gender-affirming care at Stanford Children’s Hospital have filed suit to prevent their private health data from being turned over to the Trump administration.
• The Justice Department has recently sought criminal subpoenas for full patient files from hospitals nationwide as part of efforts to end gender-affirming care for youth.
• Attorneys say this is the first legal challenge to the use of such subpoenas for transgender patient files.

Notable Quote:

“Six families who received care at Stanford say this effort violates their right to privacy and that the government hasn't explained how they're planning to use the information or why they need to know patient identities.”

— Selena Simmons Duffin, NPR ([02:29])

---

4. Economic & Sports Updates

a. Tomato Prices Spike

• [03:11–03:49]
• Tomato prices have surged 40% over the past year, the largest increase in the Consumer Price Index.
• Causes cited are poor crop yields, higher shipping costs, and tariffs.

b. French Open Tennis Upset

• Tennis legend Novak Djokovic was eliminated from the French Open by 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca.
• Fonseca’s win marks his first time advancing beyond the third round at a Grand Slam event, defeating Djokovic in five sets in grueling heat.
• With Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, and Ben Shelton out, and Carlos Alcaraz absent this year, the tournament is wide open.

Memorable Moment:

“The announcers went wild as 19 year old Joao Fonseca clenched the match with a third consecutive ace. It is the first time Fonseca has made it past the third round in a Grand Slam tournament.”

— Eleanor Beardsley, NPR ([03:49])

---

5. Manhattanhenge Shines in New York

• [04:33–04:56]
• New Yorkers experienced “Manhattanhenge,” when the setting sun perfectly aligns with the city’s street grid.
• Occurs again July 11th and 12th.
• The name was coined by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson in 1997, inspired by Stonehenge.

---

Episode Highlights

• Political Legal Battles: Ongoing legal challenges involving the Trump administration continue to have national implications.
• Homelessness Progress: Newly released data shows a positive but fragile trend towards reducing homelessness.
• Rights and Privacy: Legal and ethical battles around transgender health care and government subpoenas are coming to the courts.
• Economic Strain: Food inflation persists, with tomatoes leading price increases.
• Sporting Shocks: A new generation of tennis stars shakes up the French Open under record temperatures.
• Cultural Phenomena: Manhattanhenge captures the city’s imagination, linking science, architecture, and culture.

---

End of Summary

Transcript

[Capital One/Mint Mobile Announcer]

This message comes from Capital One with the Venture X card. Earn unlimited double miles, a $300 annual capital one travel credit and access to airport lounges. Capital One what's IN YOUR wallet? Terms apply. [e-mail] live from NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

In Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. A federal judge has reopened President Trump's lawsuit against the irs over a 2019 leak of his tax returns. The president last week dropped that suit and in favor of a settlement that other things created a fund to compensate individuals he argues were wrongly targeted by a weaponized judicial system. NPR's Elena Moore reports.

[Elena Moore]

Trump sued the IRS for $10 billion back in February. Then earlier this month, after the federal judge overseeing the case questioned its merits, he dropped it. Instead, the administration announced a settlement in which the Justice Department would start a, quote, anti weaponization fund of nearly $1.8 billion, sparking concerns from Democratic lawmakers and others that payments could be awarded to January 6th defendants. The terms drew scrutiny from a bipartisan group of 35 former judges. And now, in a major setback for Trump, the federal judge has reopened the case, giving Trump's attorneys until June 12 to file a written response to claims that the dismissal was, quote, premised on deception. Elena Moore, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

Homelessness dropped slightly in the last year of the Biden administration, the first national decline in nearly a decade. NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports on the latest federal count.

[Jennifer Ludden]

This annual count was taken way back in January 2025. The Federal Housing agency HUD released the report months later than usual. It found the number of people sleeping outside or in shelters was down more than 3% to about 745,000, a bit fewer than a record high the year before. In a statement, the national alliance to End Homelessness says that decline proved that programs to get people into permanent housing do work. The Trump administration has criticized that and wants a major shift toward transitional housing and forced treatment. Local providers worry that could push many people back onto the streets. Jennifer Ludden, NPR News, Washington.

[Ryland Barton]

Six families of transgender youth who received care at Stanford Children's Hospital have filed a lawsuit. They're asking a federal judge to stop the hospital from turning over private health information to the Trump administration. NPR's Selena Simmons Duffin reports.

[Selena Simmons Duffin]

The Trump administration's stated goal is to end gender affirming care for youth nationally. The latest effort to that end came when the Justice Department sought criminal subpoenas from a federal judge in Texas, asking for years of full patient files from hospitals all over the country. NYU Langone made the subpoena it received public earlier this month. Six families who received care at Stanford say this effort violates their right to privacy and that the government hasn't explained how they're planning to use the information or why they need to know patient identities. Attorneys representing the families say this is the first case challenging the Trump administration's use of criminal subpoenas to try and obtain transgender patient files. Selena Simmons Duffen, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

Stock indexes closed higher on Wall street today. This is NPR News. Prices for Tomatoes are up 40% over the past year, the biggest increase tracked among products in the Consumer Price Index. Experts say the spike is the result of low crop yields, increased shipping costs and tariffs. 24 time tennis grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has been eliminated from the French open by a 19 year old Brazilian. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports. Djokovic's defeat comes a day after number one ranked Jannik Sinner crashed out of the tournament.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

The announcers went wild as 19 year old Joao Fonseca clenched the match with a third consecutive ace. It is the first time Fonseca has made it past the third round in a Grand Slam tournament. The young Brazilian has said his dream was to play Djokovic one day and he defeated him in five splits sets 4, 646-63-7575. The French Open is taking place this year amidst a brutal heat wave across Europe and temperatures on the court have topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit. With center Djokovic and number five Ben Shelton now out and defending French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz absent this year, the tournament is wide open. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris.

[Ryland Barton]

New Yorkers got to witness Manhattan henge yesterday and today. It's when the setting sun aligns with Manhattan street grid and sinks below the horizon framed by skyscrapers. The sunset spectacle occurs again on July 11th and 12th. Astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson coined the name in 1997 after being inspired by a visit to Stonehenge. This is NPR News.

[Capital One/Mint Mobile Announcer]

This message comes from Mint Mobile. If you're tired of spending hundreds on big wireless bills, bogus fees and free perks, Mint Mobile is for you. Shop plans at mintmobile. Com. Switch taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details.