NPR News: 09-23-2025 3PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – Episode Summary

Episode: NPR News: 09-23-2025 3PM EDT
Date: September 23, 2025
Host: Lakshmi Singh

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Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now update, hosted by Lakshmi Singh, covers major breaking stories: the conviction in a Trump assassination plot, conflicting messages on acetaminophen and autism, international recognition of Palestinian statehood, border bribe allegations, and Elon Musk's proposed Houston tunnels. The episode delivers concise, up-to-the-minute reporting on top national and international headlines.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Conviction in Trump Assassination Plot

[00:19–01:20]

• Ryan Ruth found guilty on all counts for plotting to assassinate Donald Trump during his 2024 campaign in Florida.
• Jury in Fort Pierce deliberated only a few hours before announcing the verdict.
• Ruth represented himself in court.
• Key Testimony:
  • Two witnesses (friends) attested to Ruth's peaceful nature.
  • A former Marine sniper (prosecution's expert witness) confirmed the location staked out by Ruth was ideal for an attack:

    “He said the spot prosecutors called a sniper's hide just outside the golf club’s fence offered what he called a clear shot at the sixth hole, where Trump was soon to arrive.” — Greg Allen [01:14]

• Ruth now faces life in prison.

2. Trump–FDA Dispute over Tylenol & Autism

[01:20–02:12]

• President Trump advised pregnant women against taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) citing autism risk:

  "With Tylenol, don't take it, don't take it." — Donald Trump [01:38]

• The FDA responded with caution, noting only a "possible association" between acetaminophen and autism, not a proven link.
• The FDA plans to add a new warning label to acetaminophen products, but specifics are yet to be determined.
• Letter from FDA commissioner to physicians clarifies there is no established causal relationship.

3. Recognition of Palestinian Statehood by UK, Canada, Australia

[02:12–03:14]

• Hundreds in Ramallah, West Bank, held “muted celebrations” marking the recognition by the UK, Canada, and Australia.
• The atmosphere was mixed: celebration, mourning for Palestinian lives lost, and concern for prisoners in Israeli jails.
• Student reaction:

  “[Recognition] gave Palestinians a seat at global institutions like the UN but... most other Palestinians say they want to see more concrete actions to end Israel’s war in Gaza.” — Rowan Ziadeh (via Emily Fang) [02:57]

• Spanish and French flags also waved, referencing previous recognitions.

4. Trump’s Border Czar Responds to Bribery Allegations

[03:14–04:17]

• Tom Homan, former border czar, denied all allegations of accepting bribes to influence federal contracts:

  “Absolutely. Look, I did nothing criminal. I did nothing illegal… I’m glad the FBI and DOJ came out and said … that nothing illegal happened and nothing, you know, no criminal activity. You’re talking about a guy who spent 34 years enforcing the law.” — Tom Homan [03:23]

• MSNBC and The New York Times reported he was recorded accepting $50,000 from undercover agents, but NPR had not independently verified this as of broadcast.
• The White House publicly defended Homan.

5. Elon Musk’s Tunnel Proposal in Houston

[04:17–04:36]

• Musk’s Boring Company is in discussions to build tunnels under Houston to help prevent flooding.
• Company reps claimed two tunnels could be constructed for $760 million, privately discussing the idea before formal bids.
• Musk publicly argued his tunnels would be cheaper than other solutions:

  “Musk responded on X, saying his tunnels would be cheaper than those the county has studied.” — Lauren McGaughey [04:30]

6. Market Update

[04:36–04:56]

• Brief update on Wall Street:
  • Dow Jones down 112 points (to 46,268)
  • Nasdaq down 243 points (over 1%)
  • S&P down 45 points

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Trump plot conviction:

  “The spot prosecutors called a sniper's hide…offered what he called a clear shot at the sixth hole, where Trump was soon to arrive.” — Greg Allen [01:14]

• On Tylenol and autism:

  “With Tylenol, don't take it, don't take it.” — Donald Trump [01:38]

• On Palestinian statehood recognition:

  “It gave Palestinians a seat at global institutions like the UN but... most other Palestinians say they want to see more concrete actions to end Israel’s war in Gaza.” — Rowan Ziadeh (via Emily Fang) [02:57]

• On bribe allegations:

  “Look, I did nothing criminal. I did nothing illegal…” — Tom Homan [03:23]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Trump Assassination Plot Conviction: [00:19–01:20]
• Tylenol & Autism (Trump vs FDA): [01:20–02:12]
• Palestinian State Recognition: [02:12–03:14]
• Border Czar Bribe Allegations: [03:14–04:17]
• Elon Musk Houston Tunnels: [04:17–04:36]
• Market Update: [04:36–04:56]

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Tone and Style

The reporting maintains NPR’s classic, measured, and impartial tone, presenting facts clearly and attributing comments directly to sources or speakers. The brief, direct nature of the news delivery ensures listeners stay informed on critical developments with minimal commentary.

Transcript

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[NPR Host]

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Ryan Ruth, the man charged with plotting to assassinate then candidate Donald Trump in Florida last year and has been found guilty on all counts. He now faces life in prison. A jury in four. Pierce deliberated a few hours before the verdict was announced. Ruth's was the second assassination attempt during Trump's presidential campaign. NPR's Greg Allen has more on the trial in which Ruth represented himself in court.

[Greg Allen]

Ruth was arrested after a Secret Service agent says he spotted him holding a rifle near where Trump was golfing at his West Palm beach club in September. Ruth presented three witnesses Monday. Two were friends who testified to what he claimed is his peacefulness, gentleness and non violence. The third, a former Marine sniper serving as an expert witness, did little to help Ruth's defense. He said the spot prosecutors called a sniper's hide just outside the golf club's fence offered what he called a clear shot at the sixth hole, where Trump was soon to arrive. Greg Allen, NPR News, Fort Pierce, Florida.

[NPR Host]

President Trump and the Food and Drug Administration are offering different messages about whether a common painkiller is a cause of autism. NPR's John Hamilton has more on the apparent disagreement.

[FDA Representative]

At a press briefing Monday, Trump offered unequivocal advice to pregnant women regarding acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol.

[Donald Trump]

With Tylenol, don't take it, don't take it.

[FDA Representative]

Pregnant women who do, he said, put their child at risk of developing autism. But a statement from the FDA took a different tone. It describes a possible association between acetaminophen and autism. And in a letter to physicians, the FDA commissioner stated that a causal relationship has not been established between the drug and the disorder. The agency says it plans to require a new warning label on products containing acetaminophen, but it remains unclear what it will say. John Hamilton, NPR News.

[NPR Host]

Hundreds of Palestinians in the west bank marched in muted celebration today after the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia announced they would formally recognize a Palestinian state. More on this from NPR's Emily Fang.

[Emily Fang]

Palestinians gathered in the city of Ramallah to cheer the recognition, but also to mourn the tens of thousands of Palestinians killed and to call attention to the plight of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Some marchers waved Palestinian flags and a few waved the flag of Spain, which is recognized a Palestinian state last year and that of France, which also has joined the list of countries. Rowan Ziadeh is a student at nearby Birzeit University. She applauds the wider recognition of Palestinian statehood. She said it gave Palestinians a seat at global institutions like the UN but but Ziadeh and most other Palestinians say they want to see more concrete actions to end Israel's war in Gaza. Emily Fang, NPR News.

[NPR Host]

This is npr. President Trump's border czar, Tom Homan is disputing bribe allegations that surfaced in recent days.

[Tom Homan]

Absolutely. Look, I did nothing criminal. I did nothing illegal. And this hit piece after hit piece after hit piece. And I'm glad the FBI and DOJ came out and said and, you know, said that nothing illegal happened and nothing, you know, no criminal activity. You're talking about a guy who spent 34 years enforcing the law.

[NPR Host]

He spoke out himself yesterday on Fox News, the Ingraham Angle, hours after the White House strongly defended him. MSNBC and the New York Times were among the news organizations that reported Homan had been recorded accepting 50,000 in cash from undercover federal agents in exchange for agreeing to help win contracts. NPR has not independently verified the allegations yet. Elon Musk wants to build millions of dollars of tunnels under Houston to alleviate flooding. That's according to a new investigation by the Texas newsroom in collaboration with The Houston Chronicle, ProPublica and the Texas Tribune. The Texas Newsroom's Lauren McGaughey has more.

[Lauren McGaughey]

According to emails obtained by the Texas newsroom, reps with Musk's tunneling firm, the Boring Company, said they could install two narrow tunnels for $760 million. The conversations happened privately and ahead of the formal bidding process. Musk responded on X, saying his tunnels would be cheaper than those the county has studied.

[NPR Host]

That's Laura McGaughey reporting. At the last check on Wall street, the Dow Jones industrial average down 112 points, now at 46,268. The Nasdaq has lost 243 points, now down more than 1%, and the S&P down 45 points. This is NPR News.

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