NPR News Now: Detailed Summary of June 5, 2025, 10 AM EDT Episode

Released on June 5, 2025

1. U.S.-China Relations: Reignited Communication

Host: Korva Coleman
Reporter: Emily Feng

In a significant development concerning U.S.-China relations, China's official state news agency announced that President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone call. This marks the first direct communication between the two leaders since January, with their last conversation dating back to January of the current year.

Emily Feng elaborated, stating, “China's official state news agency announced the call but did not give more details about what was discussed” (00:27). The timing of this call is critical as both nations have recently accused each other of breaching a temporary trade truce. Furthermore, President Trump has publicly criticized Xi Jinping, describing him as "extremely hard to make a deal with." The two leaders previously met in person during Trump's first term in 2019, making this phone conversation a noteworthy attempt to bridge diplomatic gaps.

2. U.S.-Russia Dialogue and Military Nominations

Host: Korva Coleman
Reporter: Korva Coleman

In other international relations news, President Trump announced a lengthy phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, lasting over an hour. The discussion primarily focused on the ongoing war in Ukraine. Trump noted that Putin conveyed Russia’s intentions to retaliate against Ukraine's recent assault on its air bases: “Russia would respond to Ukraine's recent attack on its air bases” (00:46).

Additionally, the Pentagon revealed that President Trump has nominated Air Force Lieutenant General Alexis Grankowicz to serve as NATO's next Supreme Allied Commander. Grankowicz is also being considered for promotion to the grade of general and will assume command of U.S. Forces in Europe. This nomination reflects the administration's emphasis on strengthening military leadership within NATO allies.

3. Economic Updates: Interest Rates and Corporate Layoffs

Host: Korva Coleman
Reporter: Scott Horsley

Stock Markets: The episode highlights a downturn in the stock markets, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping by approximately 130 points in early trading. This decline follows the European Central Bank's (ECB) decision to reduce interest rates for the eighth time in just over a year (01:28).

Federal Reserve Stance: Contrarily, the Federal Reserve in the United States has maintained steady interest rates since December, primarily due to concerns that President Trump's tariffs could reignite inflation. Congressional forecasters predict that these tariffs may lead to higher inflation and slower economic growth but could potentially reduce federal deficits by $2.8 trillion over the next decade if sustained.

Corporate Layoffs: In the corporate sector, Procter & Gamble has announced plans to eliminate 7,000 jobs over the next two years, representing about 6% of its global workforce. The company, known for products like Tide detergent and Gillette razors, is undertaking these cuts to manage costs amid ongoing tariffs and a cautious consumer base (01:28).

4. Challenges Facing the U.S. Census Bureau

Host: Korva Coleman
Reporter: Hansi Lo Wang

The Trump administration's push to consolidate government data records has created significant hurdles for the Census Bureau, making it more challenging to secure participation in federal surveys. Current and former Census Bureau employees have expressed concerns that this initiative is contributing to declining survey response rates and eroding public trust in government data collection efforts.

Hansi Lo Wang reports that the administration's Department of Commerce (DOGE) team’s efforts to access and compile government records have led to investigations and lawsuits alleging privacy violations. Nancy Bates, a retired Census Bureau researcher, compared the impact to a "tsunami," stating, “This is kind of like a tsunami, if you will, pushing the public to have higher mistrust levels. So, yeah, I think it's going to take years, to be honest, to get back to where we were” (02:52).

In response, the Census Bureau's acting director, Ron Jarman, affirmed that advancements in technology and data science are aiding in the efficient production of high-quality statistics, aiming to mitigate the adverse effects of reduced survey participation (03:01).

5. New U.S. Travel Ban and Legal Actions in Agriculture

Host: Korva Coleman
Reporter: Korva Coleman and Jackson White

Travel Ban: President Trump has instituted a new travel ban affecting 12 countries, completely prohibiting their citizens from entering the United States. Additionally, travelers from seven other nations face partial travel restrictions. Trump justified the ban citing the need to enhance national security following the Boulder, Colorado attack, where a suspect of Egyptian nationality injured 15 individuals. Notably, Egypt was not included in the travel ban list despite its relevance to the case.

Legal Action in Agriculture: Concurrently, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has initiated a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The legal challenge centers on the USDA's decision to terminate a national food purchasing program that allocated $13 billion to support Pennsylvania farms this year. The program, known as the Assistance Cooperative Agreement, assists states in procuring food from local farms for distribution to schools, childcare facilities, and food banks. Governor Shapiro expressed frustration, stating, “We have exhausted all options to be able to resolve this matter simply through dialogue. And I'm tired of waiting for someone to stand up for our farmers and our food banks. That task falls to us” (04:18). The USDA has not yet commented on the ongoing litigation (04:32).

6. Private Japanese Space Exploration Effort

Host: Korva Coleman

In space exploration news, a private Japanese company, Ispace, is preparing to attempt another landing on the moon today. This follows their initial, unsuccessful mission two years prior, where the probe disastrously impacted the lunar surface. The renewed attempt underscores the growing role of private enterprises in space exploration and the persistent challenges they face in achieving successful lunar missions (04:37).

Note: This summary excludes all advertisements, introductory segments, and other non-content portions of the podcast to focus solely on the news reporting.