NPR News Now: June 5, 2025 – Detailed Summary
Released June 5, 2025 | Host: Korva Coleman
1. President Trump's New Travel Ban and the Boulder Attack
Korva Coleman opened the episode with breaking news from Washington:
"President Trump has issued a new travel ban. Starting Monday, people from 12 different countries can't come to the US at all. Travelers from seven other nations have partial bans." (00:19)
This proclamation comes in the wake of the recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado. President Trump addressed the nation in a video statement, linking the attack to his administration's stricter immigration policies:
"The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come here as temporary visitors and overstay their visas. We don't want them." – Donald Trump (00:34)
However, Korva Coleman highlighted a significant inconsistency:
"But the migrant charged in the Boulder attack is Egyptian. Egypt is not one of the countries listed in Trump's travel ban. Countries on the travel list are mostly African and Middle Eastern, as well as Haiti and Venezuela." (00:51)
2. Details of the Boulder Terror Attack
The suspect, an Egyptian national, faces numerous charges, including first-degree attempted murder and federal hate crime offenses. Additionally, a federal judge has halted the deportation of the suspect's wife and five children, who remain in federal immigration custody. Lawyers argue that the family had no knowledge of any planned attack.
In response to the tragedy, Lucas Brady Woods reported from Boulder:
"Hundreds gathered yesterday in Boulder at the site of Sunday's attack. They came to support the marchers who had been raising awareness for hostages held in Gaza." (00:51)
The community response was both emotional and unified. Governor Jared Polis, along with faith and community leaders, addressed the crowd, urging for unity and an end to antisemitism.
Rabbi Mark Soloway poignantly stated:
"Jews here and all over America and all over the world have not been feeling safe, not physically safe and not emotionally safe in the face of demonizing hate speech." (02:02)
The attack resulted in fifteen wounded individuals. The suspect did not testify but expressed confidence in his potential acquittal:
"I think there's a real movement now to telling the truth and proving that these girls were in it for the money." – Harvey Weinstein (03:55)
3. President Trump's Legislative Push and Opposition from Elon Musk
Transitioning to domestic politics, Korva Coleman reported on President Trump's efforts to garner Republican support for his legislative agenda:
"President Trump is pressing Republicans to rally behind his, quote, big, beautiful bill." (02:25)
Franco Ordonez elaborated on the challenges facing Trump's spending plan and tax cut package:
"The meeting comes as President Trump's spending plan and tax cut package comes under heavy fire from his former senior advisor, Elon Musk, who is aggressively urging lawmakers to, quote, kill the bill." (02:36)
Senate Majority Leader John Thune remained steadfast in pushing the legislation forward:
"The wheels are in motion on this. As I said before, failure is not an option. We will get this done one way or the other, and it's not going to be easy." – John Thune (02:55)
However, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected that the legislation would add over $2.4 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade, adding further complexity to its passage (03:02).
4. Trump's Threats Against Harvard University
In a controversial move, Korva Coleman reported President Trump's vow to block international students from Harvard University:
"President Trump says he will personally stop Harvard University students from coming into the US if they are international students." (03:15)
Trump has directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revoke visas of every international student at Harvard, alleging that the university supports antisemitism—a claim Harvard vehemently denies:
"The university rejects this. It says Trump is retaliating against Harvard and violating the university and the students' constitutional rights." (03:15)
5. Harvey Weinstein's Retrial Nears Conclusion
Shifting to legal news, the episode covered the ongoing retrial of former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Ilia Maris reported from New York on the trial's final stages:
"Closing arguments have ended in the sex crimes retrial of former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. The trial, now in its eighth week, is nearing its end." (03:15)
Prosecutor Nicole Blumberg emphasized the gravity of Weinstein's actions:
"In her summation, prosecutor Nicole Blumberg said Harvey Weinstein wouldn't take no for an answer from any of the three women who accused him from the witness box. Blumberg frequently used the word rape and said the jurors should believe the women because they testified of their own free will and had nothing to gain." (03:55)
Despite facing significant evidence and testimonies, Weinstein expressed optimism about his acquittal in an interview with the Daily Mail:
"I think there's a real movement now to telling the truth and proving that these girls were in it for the money." – Harvey Weinstein (03:55)
The jury is set to receive instructions and commence deliberations shortly (03:55).
6. Suspension of Maori Lawmakers in New Zealand
On the international front, Korva Coleman reported a significant development from New Zealand:
"New Zealand's parliament has suspended three indigenous lawmakers who are Maori." (04:31)
The suspension stems from last year's incident where the lawmakers performed a traditional Maori dance in protest against a bill they believed would undermine indigenous rights:
"Last year, the lawmakers performed a traditional Maori dance to protest a bill. They said the legislation would undercut the rights of indigenous people in New Zealand." (04:31)
As a result, the New Zealand parliament has suspended the lawmakers for up to 21 days, a move that has sparked discussions about cultural expression and legislative processes.
Conclusion
Today's episode of NPR News Now covered a broad spectrum of pressing issues, from national security and immigration policies to high-profile legal cases and international political developments. The discussions highlighted the complexities and interconnections of contemporary events shaping the global and domestic landscape.
For more detailed coverage, listeners are encouraged to tune into the full episode or visit NPR's official website.
This summary excludes advertisements, intros, outros, and non-content sections to focus solely on delivering comprehensive and engaging news coverage.