NPR News: 09-08-2025 7AM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now: September 8, 2025 – 7AM EDT

Host: Korva Coleman
Runtime: 5 minutes

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Overview

This NPR News Now episode provides a rapid-fire update of the day's top national and international headlines as of September 8, 2025. Major stories include President Trump's comments about potential military action in Chicago, ongoing protests, a Florida trial related to a 2024 assassination attempt, disruption in global postal services due to trade changes, a deadly shooting in Jerusalem, new developments in U.S. railroad bridge safety, and the outcomes of the U.S. Open tennis tournament.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump's Statement on Chicago and Urban Military Deployment

[00:18–00:59]

• President Trump commented he doesn't want to "go to war in American cities" following a controversial social media post.

• The post depicted him in front of the Chicago skyline amidst helicopters and flames, invoking the film "Apocalypse Now."

• Trump referred to the Department of Defense as the "Department of War," and implied action in Chicago to reduce crime but offered no timeline for possible troop deployment.

  "We could solve Chicago very quickly, but we're going to make a decision as to where we go over the next day or two."
  — President Trump (Reported by Greg Allen at 00:53)

• Massive protests erupted in Chicago against these plans, with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker vowing not to be "intimidated by a wannabe dictator."

2. Protests and Political Reactions in Chicago

[00:59–01:32]

• Thousands protested against the threat of deploying federal troops and increased immigration enforcement.

• Governor Pritzker publicly defied Trump, using strong language.

  "[Illinois] would not be, quote, intimidated by a wannabe dictator."
  — J.B. Pritzker (Quoted by Korva Coleman at 00:59)

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3. Jury Selection for Assassination Attempt on Trump

[01:32–02:10]

• Jury selection begins in Florida for Ryan Ruth, accused of attempting to assassinate then-candidate Trump in 2024.

• Secret Service agent witnessed Ruth with a rifle; Ruth later apprehended driving away.

• Ruth faces five charges, including "attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate" (life sentence possible).

• He will represent himself in court; his public defenders remain on standby.

• Judge Eileen Cannon denied Ruth's motion to subpoena Trump, citing “various insults and no pertinent facts.”

  "Last week, Judge Cannon denied Ruth's request to subpoena President Trump, saying his motion contained, quote, various insults and no pertinent facts."
  — Greg Allen (01:32)

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4. Disruption in International Postal Services

[02:10–03:06]

• Postal traffic to the U.S. dropped 81% after U.S. ended a trade exemption for low-value packages (under $800) on August 29.

• 88 international postal operators have suspended some or all U.S. shipments.

• The administration claims the move targets counterfeits and fentanyl.

  "The Universal Postal Union says postal traffic to the US came to a near halt, dropping 81% after August 29th."
  — Chantelise Duster (02:22)

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5. President Trump to Speak on Religious Liberty

[03:06–03:11]

• Trump to address the Religious Liberty Commission at the Museum of the Bible in D.C.

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6. Deadly Shooting in Jerusalem

[03:11–03:33]

• Gunmen killed at least six people at a busy bus stop leading to Jewish settlements.
• Shooters were killed by bystanders and security; Hamas praised the attack.

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7. U.S. Expands Railroad Bridge Safety Oversight

[03:33–04:33]

• The Department of Transportation will train over 160 new inspectors, expanding supervision of 70,000+ railroad bridges.

• The move follows an AP report revealing only six federal employees previously handled oversight, allowing companies to self-police.

• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says state and federal inspectors will now check bridges and recommend penalties.

• The rail union SmartTD supports the move but says “there is more work to be done.”

  "The rail union SmartTD said ... [this] is a clear step forward in addressing rail worker safety concerns, saying though, quote, there is more work to be done."
  — Lex Doig (04:10)

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8. U.S. Open Tennis Results

[04:33–04:57]

• Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) won the Men’s title, defeating Yannick Sinner (Italy), and is now world number one.
• Aryna Sabalenka successfully defended her Women’s title.

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Notable Quotes

• "We could solve Chicago very quickly, but we're going to make a decision as to where we go over the next day or two."
  — President Trump (00:53)

• "[Illinois] would not be, quote, intimidated by a wannabe dictator."
  — Gov. J.B. Pritzker (Reported by Korva Coleman, 00:59)

• "The Universal Postal Union says postal traffic to the US came to a near halt, dropping 81% after August 29th."
  — Chantelise Duster (02:22)

• "The rail union SmartTD said ... [this] is a clear step forward in addressing rail worker safety concerns, saying though, quote, there is more work to be done."
  — Lex Doig (04:10)

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Timestamps for Major News Segments

• Pres. Trump’s Chicago Comments: 00:18–00:59
• Chicago Protests & Gov. Pritzker Response: 00:59–01:32
• Florida Jury Selection (Trump Assassination Attempt): 01:32–02:10
• International Postal Disruption: 02:10–03:06
• Trump Religious Liberty Speech Preview: 03:06–03:11
• Jerusalem Shooting: 03:11–03:33
• Railroad Bridge Safety Expansion: 03:33–04:33
• U.S. Open Tennis Results: 04:33–04:57

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This concise update captures major developments in U.S. politics, public safety, trade, international events, infrastructure, and sports, providing listeners with a balanced five-minute briefing of the current news landscape.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

In Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. President Trump says he doesn't want to go to war in American cities. This comes after he posted an image of himself over the weekend sitting in front of a picture of the Chicago skyline with helicopters and flames behind him. The Post invoked the Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now. Trump also said Chicago was about to find out why it's called the Department of War, his alternate name for the Department of Defense. Now Trump says his administration is not going to war, but will clean up cities so there are no murders. And he would not say when troops might go into the Illinois city.

[Greg Allen]

We could solve Chicago very quickly, but we're going to make a decision as to where we go over the next day or two.

[Korva Coleman]

Huge crowds of people turned down in Chicago over the weekend to protest Trump's plans to deploy federal troops to Chicago and boost immigration operations. Illinois Governor J.B. pritzker said that his state would not be, quote, intimidated by a wannabe dictator. Jury selection begins today in Florida for the man charged with attempting to assassinate then candidate Donald Trump last year. A Secret Service agent says he spotted Ryan Ruth holding a rifle and fired on him while Trump was golfing at his West Palm beach Club in September. NPR's Greg Allen reports.

[Greg Allen]

A witness says he saw Ruth running from what prosecutors call a sniper's nest in the tree line near Trump's golf club in West Palm Beach. Ruth was arrested a short time later driving north on the interstate. Ruth faces five charges, including attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, which carries a maximum sentence of life. He'll be representing himself in court. U.S. district Judge Eileen Cannon granted Ruth's request to dismiss his federal public defenders, but said they will remain on standby. Last week, Judge Cannon denied Ruth's request to subpoena President Trump, saying his motion contained, quote, various insults and no pertinent facts. Greg Allen, NPR News, Fort Pierce, Florida.

[Korva Coleman]

A U.N. agency says postal traffic to the U.S. has fallen significantly. That's after the Trump administration suspended a trade exemption rule in late August. NPR Chantelise Duster has more.

[Chantelise Duster]

The Universal Postal Union says postal traffic to the US came to a near halt, dropping 81% after August 29th. That's when the de minimis trade exemption that allowed packages worth less than $800 to be exempt from tariffs ended. At least 88 postal operators have suspended some or all services to the US until there is a solution, the union says. The agency also says it is working on ways to get postal traffic flowing back to the U.S. the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the Trump administration has defended ending the trade exemption as a way to crack down on counterfeit products and fentanyl entering the country. Chandelyse Duster, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

President Trump speaks to the Religious Liberty Commission Today in Washington, D.C. he'll give remarks at the Museum of the Bible. This is npr. Israeli police say gunmen have killed at least six people in Jerusalem today. They opened fire at a bus stop in a large intersection that leads to Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem. The gunmen were shot by a civilian and a security officer. Hamas has praised the shooting. The U.S. department of Transportation says it will train more than 160 new railroad bridge inspectors. This will expand federal and state oversight of more than 70,000 railroad bridges in the country. Reporter Lex Doig has more.

[Lex Doig]

The announcement follows an Associated Press report produced by the Howard center for Investigative Journalism at Arizona State University that found the Federal Railroad Administration had just six employees overseeing railroad bridge safety. This allowed companies to largely inspect themselves with little oversight. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said his agency will now train existing federal and state track inspectors to also inspect railroad bridges. Those workers will be able to recommend civil penalties for companies when defects are found. The rail union SmartTD said on its website the development is a clear step forward in addressing rail workers safety concerns, saying though, quote, there is more work to be done. For NPR News, I'm Lex Doig.

[Korva Coleman]

Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz won the US Open men's tennis tournament yesterday. He defeated top opponent, Italian player Yannick Sinner. Alcaraz is now the top men's tennis player in the world. On Saturday, Aryna Sabalenka successfully defended her title, repeating as the winner of the women's US Open tennis tournament. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.

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