NPR News Now — August 27, 2025, 11PM EDT

Host: Shea Stevens, NPR

Overview

This episode of NPR News Now delivers a concise update on the day's most important U.S. news stories in under five minutes, covering a tragic church shooting in Minneapolis, President Trump’s push to expand National Guard deployments, the FDA’s new COVID vaccine eligibility rules, legal battles over Federal Reserve appointments, leadership turmoil at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and an unprecedented achievement in the music industry by K Pop Demon Hunters.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Minneapolis Church Shooting

Reported by Shea Stevens & Juliana Kim
[00:16–01:16]

• Incident details: A mass shooting took place at a Minneapolis church, resulting in the deaths of two children and injuries to 17 others, including 14 children (aged 6–15) and three elderly parishioners.

• Shooter identified: 23-year-old Robin Westman, with no prior criminal record. Authorities are reviewing disturbing writings left behind.

• Impact: The event occurred during the first week of the school year.

• Governor’s response: Minnesota Governor Tim Wall expressed shock and sorrow:

  "With the first days of school, of beautiful children going to learn those values, share with their teachers and their classmates. And instead of that joy and that curiosity and that learning, they were met with evil and horror and death."
  (Tim Wall, 00:38)

2. National Guard Deployment Push

Reported by Shea Stevens & Windsor Johnston
[01:16–02:07]

• President Trump’s initiative: Effort to deploy National Guard troops to additional U.S. cities, positioned as a federal crackdown on crime.

• Legal complexity:

  • Full federal authority is unique to Washington D.C.
  • In states like California, Illinois, and New York, Trump can only command the National Guard if he federalizes them.
  • Expert quote:

    "In California, in Illinois, in New York. The only way President Trump could directly command the National Guard would be to formally federalize it."
    (Steve Vladek, Georgetown, 01:44)

• Political resistance: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and other leading Democrats label the move a "political stunt" and are actively opposing the deployment.

3. COVID Vaccine Eligibility Update

Reported by Rob Stein
[02:07–02:51]

• FDA approval: New COVID vaccines from Pfizer, BioNTech, Moderna, and Novavax.
• Eligibility changes: Now restricted to high-risk groups (65+ and younger people with underlying conditions putting them at risk for severe COVID).
• Rationale: Federal officials cite "how much immunity people have" post widespread vaccination and prior infections.
• Concern: Public health experts fear these restrictions will hinder access for others who may need the vaccine.
• Reporter summary:

  "Many public health experts worry the restrictions will make it too hard for other people to get vaccinated."
  (Rob Stein, 02:45)

4. Federal Reserve and CDC Leadership Turmoil

[02:51–04:00]

• Legal action over Fed Governor:

  • Watchdog group American Oversight sues for records related to attempts to remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook.
  • Indicates political pressure from Federal Housing Finance Agency head Bill Pulte, alleged to be central in President Trump’s attacks on opponents.
  • Lisa Cook is preparing a lawsuit to fight for her position.

• CDC shakeup:

  • Susan Menarez is reportedly out as CDC Director just one month after appointment, though there’s no formal dismissal notice.
  • Several top agency leaders, including Immunization Director Dimitri Dikalcis, resigned.

    "He cites what he calls the weaponization of public health as his reason for quitting."
    (Shea Stevens, 03:36)

5. Music Industry Milestone: K Pop Demon Hunters

Reported by Stephen Thompson
[04:00–04:46]

• Historic achievement:
  • K Pop Demon Hunters becomes the first ever soundtrack with four songs in the Billboard Top 10 simultaneously.
  • The #1 song is "Golden" by Huntrix.
  • Contrast: Prior blockbusters like Encanto and Barbie managed three concurrent top 10s; the current streaming era allows multiple tracks to chart together.
  • On the feat:

    "Leave it to Huntricks and their rivals in Saja Boys to show them how it's done."
    (Stephen Thompson, 04:36)

6. Markets Update

[04:46–04:54]

• U.S. stock futures: Trading lower in after-hours markets.

Memorable Quotes

• "Instead of that joy and that curiosity and that learning, they were met with evil and horror and death."
  — Governor Tim Wall on the Minneapolis shooting [00:38]
• "In California, in Illinois, in New York. The only way President Trump could directly command the National Guard would be to formally federalize it."
  — Steve Vladek, Georgetown Law [01:44]
• "He cites what he calls the weaponization of public health as his reason for quitting."
  — On the CDC Immunization Director’s resignation [03:36]
• "Leave it to Huntricks and their rivals in Saja Boys to show them how it's done."
  — Stephen Thompson, on K Pop Demon Hunters’ music charts record [04:36]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:16] Church shooting in Minneapolis—details & reaction
• [01:16] Trump’s push for National Guard deployments
• [02:07] FDA limits next round of COVID vaccines
• [02:51] Legal battles: Federal Reserve & CDC leadership changes
• [04:00] K Pop Demon Hunters’ Billboard milestone
• [04:46] Wall Street after-hours market update

This episode succinctly tracks dramatic national developments—tragedy, political conflict, public health, and cultural triumph—presented with brevity and clarity characteristic of NPR News Now.