Loading summary
Commercial Announcer
This message comes from Capital One with the Venture X card. Earn unlimited double miles on everything you buy, plus get premium benefits at a collection of hotels when booking through Capital One Travel. What's in your wallet?
NPR News Anchor
Terms apply details@capital1.com Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. President Trump says he's firing Lisa Cook, the first black woman to serve as a Federal Reserve governor. NPR Scott Horsley reports on this latest escalation in Trump's effort to exert more control over the central bank.
Scott Horsley
In a social media post, Trump says he's firing Cook after one of his allies accused the Fed governor of mortgage fraud. Under federal law designed to insulate the central bank from political pressure, Fed officials can only be removed for cause. While the fraud allegation is so far unproven, Trump says it amounts to cause for dismissal. Cook's accused of taking out two home loans weeks apart in two different states and saying each property would be her primary residence. After the allegations were made public last week, Cook said she would not be bullied. Trump has been waging a high pressure campaign to get the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates. A survey of business economists found widespread concern about presidential meddling with the independent central bank. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.
NPR News Anchor
Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. pritzker was in Chicago today where he slammed President Trump's threat to make the city the next target in his crackdown on crime.
Scott Horsley
Today in the Oval Office, Donald Trump looked at the assembled cameras and asked for me personally to Mr. President, can.
Commercial Announcer
You do us the honor of protecting our city? Instead, I say, Mr. President, do not come to Chicago.
NPR News Anchor
This morning, Chicago's Democratic Mayor, Brandon Johnson, told NPR that his city is not calling for American troops to occupy American cities. At the White House today, Trump signed a series of executive orders, including one to create a specialized National Guard unit that could be deployed to assist local law enforcement. And the White House said today that the deployment of Guard troops and federal law enforcement in Washington, D.C. has led to more than 1,000 arrests and more than 100 firearms seized. SpaceX tried again this evening to launch its massive new Starship rocket on a test flight number 10. But NPR's Nell Greenfield Boyce reports that the weather would not cooperate.
Nell Greenfield Boyce
SpaceX had tried to send up the approximately 400 foot tall two stage rocket on Sunday night, but a line that fed oxygen into the rocket was leaking and had to be fixed. On their second opportunity to launch from the SpaceX facility in South Texas, they fueled up Starship and the count went all the way down to T minus 40 seconds. This time, though, the trouble was anvil clouds. These thunderstorm clouds were too close to the launch pad, so the attempt had to be canceled. SpaceX will keep trying on this 10th flight. They're hoping to break a streak of mishaps this year, three flights in a row with the upper stage lost instead of returning to earth in a controlled way. Nell Greenfield Boyce, NPR News.
NPR News Anchor
And you're listening to NPR News. The man who was mistakenly deported to the notorious CECOT prison in his home country of El Salvador is back in federal custody. Kilmar Garcia Abrego was detained this morning just days after being freed from a detention facility in Tennessee to await trial on human smugg charges. A federal judge said today she is likely to halt his deportation until at least Friday, citing concerns about the government's plan to send Abrego Garcia to Uganda. The US has confirmed its first human case of New World screwworm. It's a flesh eating parasite most often found in livestock. As NPR's Rachel Treisman reports, federal health.
Rachel Treisman
Authorities confirmed the case earlier this month in a person who had returned from El Salvador. The parasite is typically found in South America. The US eradicated New World screwworm in the 1960s using sterilized flies. The Department of Health and Human Services says the risk to public health in the US Is low. Experts say the bigger threat is to the US Cattle industry, especially as more infestations are reported in Mexico. The USDA paused live cattle shipments across the southern border earlier this year and said earlier this month it will build a new fly sterilization facility in Texas. Rachel Treisman, NPR News.
NPR News Anchor
Venus Williams has lost her first Grand Slam tennis match in two years. She was eliminated from the US Open in three sets this evening by Karolina Mihova. The match was Williams fourth singles match, and she returned to the tour last month after 16 months away from competitive tennis. At 45 years old, she was the oldest singles player flushing medals since 1980.
Commercial Announcer
This message comes from Viking, committed to exploring the world in comfort. Journey through the heart of Europe on an elegant Viking longship with thoughtful service, destination focused dining and cultural enrichment on board and on shore. And every Viking voyage is all inclusive with no children and no casinos. Discover more@viking.com.
Host: Giles Snyder
Duration: 5 minutes
Date: August 26, 2025
This concise NPR News Now episode covers key developments in U.S. politics, national security, science and technology, health, and sports. Main topics include President Trump firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, escalating federal involvement in Chicago's crime response, another delayed SpaceX Starship launch, a mistaken deportation case, the first U.S. human case of New World screwworm in decades, and Venus Williams' latest tennis result.
[00:13–01:18]
"After the allegations were made public last week, Cook said she would not be bullied."
— Scott Horsley, NPR News ([00:57])
[01:18–02:32]
"Today in the Oval Office, Donald Trump looked at the assembled cameras and asked for me personally to Mr. President, can..."
— Scott Horsley ([01:29])
(Note: Quote cut off; illustrates the tense, direct nature of the interaction) "This morning, Chicago's Democratic Mayor, Brandon Johnson, told NPR that his city is not calling for American troops to occupy American cities."
— NPR News Anchor ([01:46])
[02:32–03:14]
"This time, though, the trouble was anvil clouds. These thunderstorm clouds were too close to the launch pad, so the attempt had to be canceled."
— Nell Greenfield Boyce, NPR News ([02:52])
[03:14–03:57]
[03:57–04:33]
"The Department of Health and Human Services says the risk to public health in the US is low. Experts say the bigger threat is to the US Cattle industry."
— Rachel Treisman ([04:11])
[04:33–04:57]
This episode delivers a snapshot of breaking news, contextual insights, and ongoing developments in under five minutes—characteristically precise, brisk, and widely relevant for listeners.