NPR News Now: May 30, 2025, 4AM EDT

Hosted by Shea Stevens

President Trump's Tariff Battle Escalates

Timestamp: [00:15]

Shea Stevens opens the episode with a significant development in U.S. trade policy. A federal appeals court has frozen a ruling that challenges President Trump's implementation of sweeping global tariffs. The court's decision is rooted in a U.S. Trade Court's finding that Trump overstepped his authority by utilizing the Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose these import taxes.

Peter Navarro, White House Trade Advisor, addresses the situation:

"The tariffs remain in place. The court told us they didn't all but tell us. They told us go do it another way. So you can assume that even if we lose, we will do it another way."
[00:39]

Despite the court's freeze, Caroline Levitt, White House Press Secretary, expresses confidence in the administration's strategy:

"We are confident that we will be able to continue using emergency powers to impose tariffs."
[00:52]

The discussion takes a turn towards Michigan politics with Governor Gretchen Whitmer intervening. She criticizes President Trump's consideration to pardon two men convicted of conspiring to kidnap her in 2020, emphasizing the implications such a pardon would have on the message regarding violence against public officials.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer shares her stance:

"He asked me how I'd feel about this, and I said, I think it'd be the wrong decision. I would oppose it. He said, okay, I'll drop it."
[01:32]

Whitmer underscores the severity of pardoning these individuals:

"A pardon would send a dangerous message about the consequences of violence against public servants."
[01:40]

Reporter Rick Pluta from Michigan Public Radio adds context about Whitmer's position, noting her previous condemnation of violence against public officials, especially following an assassination attempt on Trump the previous year.

American Conservatives Rally in Hungary Amid Autocratic Concerns

Timestamp: [01:54]

Shea Stevens transitions to international politics, highlighting the presence of U.S. and European nationalists and conservatives in Hungary for the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Despite Hungary facing criticism for autocratic shifts, American conservatives view its leadership under Viktor Orbán as a model to emulate.

Reporter Arzu Rezvani provides insight:

"Hungary is becoming a pariah state within the European Union for its effective ban on pride celebrations, a proposed law that would blacklist organizations that get foreign funding, and breaches of European laws that have prompted the EU to withhold billions of dollars."
[02:15]

Contrasting this, Matt Schlapp, US CPAC Chair, praises Orbán's policies:

"The EU wants to dictate to these countries how many migrants they take and what Orban and the people of Hungary are saying is, no, we're going to determine what our immigration policy is."
[02:38]

Rezvani notes Schlapp's anticipation of more such conservative gatherings globally:

"Schlapp says he expects to see more of these conservative gatherings around the world in the years to come."
[02:48]

The report highlights the tension between Hungary's domestic policies and its standing within the EU, emphasizing the admiration it garners from certain American conservative circles despite international criticism.

Binance Clears SEC's Legal Hurdle

Timestamp: [02:56]

Shifting to financial news, Shea Stevens reports that Binance, the cryptocurrency exchange giant, has declared it is no longer being sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The lawsuit, initiated in June 2023, accused Binance and its founder of violating SEC regulations by unlawfully serving U.S. clients and artificially inflating trading volumes. Binance's dismissal from the lawsuit marks a significant victory for the company in the highly scrutinized crypto industry.

Supreme Court Narrows Environmental Review Standards

Timestamp: [03:15]

The Supreme Court has made a pivotal decision to reduce the scope of environmental reviews required before initiating major infrastructure projects. This ruling benefits proponents of large-scale developments, such as the backers of a multi-billion-dollar oil railroad expansion in Utah. The case challenged the national environmental policy that mandates federal agencies to assess the environmental impacts of government-funded projects comprehensively.

Former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik Passes Away

Timestamp: [03:35]

In a somber note, Shea Stevens announces the death of Bernard Kerik, former New York City Police Commissioner, who died at 69. Kerik gained national prominence post-9/11 and was instrumental in organizing Iraq's police force in 2003. However, his reputation declined after his guilty plea to tax fraud and other charges in 2010. Notably, Kerik was pardoned by President Trump in 2020, a move that remains controversial.

Edmonton Oilers Advance to Stanley Cup Final

Timestamp: [03:54]

Becky Sullivan brings exciting sports news as the Edmonton Oilers secure their spot in the Stanley Cup Final with a decisive 6-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. This outcome sets the stage for a rematch against last year's champions, the Florida Panthers.

Becky elaborates:

"Both Edmonton and Florida won their conference final series four games to one, the Oilers over the Stars and the Panthers over the Carolina Hurricanes. Edmonton would be the first Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup in more than 30 years, and they have perhaps the best player on ice these days, Connor McDavid, who leads all NHL players in postseason points this year."
[04:11]

She recalls last year's final:

"But McDavid wasn't enough for the Oilers last year in the Stanley Cup Final. Florida went up in that series three games to zero. Then the Oilers seemed to be en route to a historic comeback after they won straight to force a Game Seven. But the Panthers and their stars, Sasha Barkoff and Matthew Tkachuk, held them off. And we'll look to do it again starting next week."
[04:11]

This advancement marks a significant moment for the Oilers and their fans, reigniting hopes for a championship victory.

Market Update

Timestamp: [04:49]

Shea Stevens concludes with a brief financial update, noting that U.S. futures are trading lower in after-hours markets.

Note: This summary excludes advertisements, introductory remarks, and outros to focus solely on the substantive content discussed during the episode.