NPR News: 09-07-2025 5PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – September 7, 2025, 5PM EDT

Host: Jeanine Herbst

Podcast: NPR News Now

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Episode Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now briefing delivers the latest global and national headlines as of early evening on September 7, 2025. Major topics include President Trump’s threats toward Chicago, a record-setting Russian drone attack on Ukraine, Wall Street’s anticipation of upcoming inflation data, the canonization of the first millennial saint, and a box office update for the horror film "The Last Rites."

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump’s Threats to Chicago (00:18–01:25)

• Background: President Trump dialed back—but did not withdraw—threats of federal action toward Chicago, referencing his recent executive order to rebrand the Defense Department as the “Department of War.”
• Presidential Statement:
  • On deploying troops, Trump deflected the notion that he was threatening war, emphasizing a focus on crime reduction:

    "We're going to clean up our cities. We're going to clean them up so they don't kill five people every weekend. That's not war. That's common sense." — President Trump (00:50)

• Public & Political Reaction:
  • Large crowds protested in downtown Chicago.
  • Local lawmakers, including Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, strongly opposed the President’s plan:

    "[Trump’s plan is] one repeated by… dictators across history, inciting the local population before sending in disruptors. He said Illinois won’t fall for it." — Gov. J.B. Pritzker [via social media, as quoted by Kat Lahnstorff] (01:16)

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2. Record Russian Drone Attack on Ukraine (01:25–02:23)

• Attack Scale:
  • Ukraine reported over 800 drones and 13 missiles used in overnight attacks across multiple cities; at least 11 people were killed, including a mother and newborn in Kyiv.
• Damage & Impact:
  • Attacks damaged Kyiv’s government district and caused power outages.
  • Kyiv’s mayor publicly confirmed that burning debris ignited a government building near President Zelensky’s office.
• Sound Bite:
  • The episode opens the segment with chilling audio of a drone over Kyiv:

    "This is the sound of a shot head attack drone flying over Kyiv." — Joanna Kakissis (01:39)

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3. Wall Street Braces for Inflation Report (02:23–03:12)

• Economic Context:
  • After a disappointing jobs report, investors expect the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates for the first time this year.
  • Focus is shifting from inflation to labor market concerns, but a major surge in inflation could still stall Fed action.
• Analysis:

  "Yes, inflation is still running a little high, but right now, boosting the labor market could become the Fed's bigger priority." — Rafael Nam (02:35)

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4. First Millennial Saint Canonized (03:12–04:26)

• Event:
  • The Vatican canonized Carlo Acutis, a 15-year-old who died in 2006, making him the first saint of the millennial generation.
• Significance:
  • Acutis was a tech-savvy teen who used his skills to promote Catholic miracles online, earning the nickname "God’s Influencer."
  • The Church hopes his sainthood inspires more youth engagement.
• Personal Reflection:

  "It’s a way to bring all us young people closer to the Catholic Church." — Lamina Morforne, 14-year-old attendee (03:51)

• Context:

  "It can take centuries for a person to be canonized, but for Acutis, it took less than 20 years." — Ruth Sherlock, NPR (04:06)

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5. Box Office Update: "The Last Rites" (04:26–04:57)

• Top Film:
  • "The Last Rites" opened at No. 1 with $83 million, the third-highest domestic debut for a horror movie.
• Horror Genre Success:
  • 2025’s domestic horror releases have collectively topped $1 billion in ticket sales, with additional hits including "Weapons," "Final Destination: Bloodlines," and "Sinners."

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• President Trump on Chicago:

  "That's not war. That's common sense." — President Trump (00:53)

• Gov. Pritzker on Trump’s Move:

  "[A] plan… repeated by dictators across history, inciting the local population before sending in disruptors. Illinois won’t fall for it." (01:16)

• Sound from Kyiv Drone Attack:

  "This is the sound of a shot head attack drone flying over Kyiv." — Joanna Kakissis (01:39)

• On Carlo Acutis:

  "It’s a way to bring all us young people closer to the Catholic Church." — Lamina Morforne (03:51)
  "God’s Influencer." — nickname for Carlo Acutis (03:17)

• On Interest Rate Cuts:

  "...boosting the labor market could become the Fed's bigger priority." — Rafael Nam (02:35)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:18 – Lead story: Trump and threats to Chicago
• 01:25 – Russia’s record drone attack on Ukraine
• 02:23 – Wall Street & Fed expectations
• 03:12 – Canonization of Carlo Acutis
• 04:26 – "The Last Rites" tops box office

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Summary prepared for quick catch-up on NPR News Now’s major stories at 5PM, September 7, 2025, with emphasis on direct quotes and contextual analysis.

Transcript

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[Jeanine Herbst]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. President Trump is dialing back his threats to Chicago after posting on social media that the city is, quote, about to find out why it's called the Department of War, referring to his executive order Friday to rebrand the Department of defense. But as NPR's Kat Lahnstorff reports, Trump says he still plans to take federal action on the city.

[Kat Lahnstorff]

Trump has said he will deploy troops to Chicago. He just hasn't said when. But when asked if he was threatening war with Chicago, he said this.

[President Trump]

We're going to clean up our cities. We're going to clean them up so they don't kill five people every weekend. That's not war. That's common sense.

[Kat Lahnstorff]

Trump maintains that the National Guard would be sent in to fight crime in the city, even though data shows violent crime is down. In recent years, large crowds took to the streets in downtown Chicago to protest Trump's plans, and local lawmakers strongly opposed them as well. Illinois Governor J.B. pritzker posted on social media that Trump's plan was one repeated by, quote, dictators across history, inciting the local population before sending in disruptors. He said Illinois won't fall for it. Kat Lansdorf, NPR News, Chicago.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Ukraine says Russia launched more than 800 drones overnight on Ukrainian cities, making it the largest attack since Russia started the war more than three years ago, killing at least 11 people and wounding dozens of others. NPR's Joanna Kakis reports.

[Joanna Kakissis]

This is the sound of a shot head attack drone flying over Kyiv. Ukraine says Russia used 810 such drones as well as 13 missiles in attacks across the country. Among those killed was a mother and her newborn child in Kyiv. The attacks damaged the government district in the capital, an area that is heavily guarded by air defense. Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said in a social media post that a government building near President Volodymyr Zelensky's office caught fire because of burning debris from a shot down drone. The strikes also damaged apartment buildings and the power grid, causing electricity outages. Joanna Kakissis, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Cave investors on Wall street are bracing for the latest inflation report due out this week. NPR's Rafael Nam reports.

[Rafael Nam]

A disappointing jobs report last week has reinforced expectations that the Fed will cut interest rates for the first time this year when policymakers get together later this month. Yes, inflation is still running a little high, but right now, boosting the labor market could become the Fed's bigger priority. Still, a rate cut this month is not guaranteed. A lot will depend on the inflation report out on Thursday. A number that's still a bit high but manageable will likely cement expectations for a rate cut. But a big surge in inflation could make the Fed's decision a lot more difficult. Rafael Nam, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The first saint of the millennial generation was canonized by the Catholic Church today. Carlos Acutis was 15 when he died in 2006. Growing up in the age of smartphones and social media, he's been nicknamed God's Influencer. NPR's Ruth Sherlock attended his canonization at the Vatican.

[Ruth Sherlock]

This is a moment in history for Catholics, and thousands of people came to attend the mass that made Carlo Acutis the first person from this modern digital age to become a saint. It's a way to bring all us young people closer to the Catholic Church. 14 year old Lamina Morforne tells me Acutis was a computer whiz as a child before dying of leukemia. As a teenager, he made a website promoting Catholic miracles. It can take centuries for a person to be canonized, but for Acutis, it took less than 20 years. This is because Pope Leo's predecessor, Francis, pushed forward the case to make him a saint, hoping this will draw more young people to the Catholic Church. Ruth Sherlock, NPR News, the Vatican.

[Jeanine Herbst]

At the weekend box office, the horror film the Last Rites debuted in the top spot with an estimated $83 million in ticket sales. That makes it the third highest domestic opening for a horror movie. The horror genre has now generated over $1 billion for this year's domestic box office with the help of other Warner Brothers hits like Weapons, Final Destination, Bloodlines and Sinners. I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington.

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