NPR News: 09-23-2025 6PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – 6PM EDT, September 23, 2025

Main Theme

This five-minute news update covers significant national and global developments, including President Donald Trump’s address to the United Nations, the Federal Reserve’s response to a slowing economy, controversy surrounding "Jimmy Kimmel Live," the conviction in an attempted presidential assassination, a major philanthropic announcement from the Gates Foundation, and the sentencing in a high-profile fraud case involving Elvis Presley's Graceland.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump’s Criticism of the United Nations

[00:18 – 01:20]

• President Trump delivered a critical speech at the UN General Assembly.
• He argued the organization is underperforming and mismanaged, using failing equipment as a metaphor for broader dysfunction:
  • “It has such tremendous, tremendous potential, but it's not even coming close to living up to that potential.” — President Trump [00:48]
• Trump’s most pointed criticism centered on migration, accusing the UN of supporting illegal migration into the US and blaming “political correctness” for undermining Western countries:
  • “The United Nations is funding an assault on Western countries and their borders.” — President Trump [00:58]
• He claimed the UN spends “hundreds of thousands of dollars” aiding illegal migration, sparking debate and highlighting US-UN tensions.

2. Federal Reserve Response to Economic Slowdown

[01:20 – 02:18]

• Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell announced that economic uncertainty and a weaker job market are leading companies to cut back on hiring.
• The lackluster job market prompted the Fed to cut its benchmark short-term interest rate for the first time in nine months.
  • “Uncertainty around the path of inflation remains high. We will carefully assess and manage the risk of higher and more persistent inflation. We'll make sure that this one-time increase in prices does not become an ongoing inflation problem.” — Jerome Powell [01:56]
• Tariffs have contributed to some price increases, with more expected should trade tensions continue.
• The Fed’s committee projects further rate cuts totaling a half percentage point by year’s end.

3. "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Broadcast Controversy

[02:18 – 03:14]

• "Jimmy Kimmel Live" is returning after a suspension due to the host's comments following the killing of Charlie Kirk.
• Over 60 ABC affiliates, especially those owned by Nexstar and Sinclair, will not broadcast the show, substituting other programming.
• The show’s suspension was prompted by complaints from these broadcasting groups.
• Notable reaction from a fan:
  • “It shows you what we can all do when we all unify on one accord immediately like this. This happened in less than a week.” — Samurai Barnett [03:00]
• Program sources anticipate Kimmel will deliver a conciliatory statement upon his return.

4. Assassination Attempt Conviction

[03:14 – 03:51]

• Ryan Ruth was found guilty of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at a Florida golf course in 2024.
• After the verdict, Ruth attempted to assault someone in court with a pen but was quickly subdued.
• The jury reached a verdict in about two hours; Ruth represented himself and faces a possible life sentence.
• Sentencing is scheduled for December.

5. Gates Foundation $1 Billion Health Commitment

[03:51 – 04:30]

• The Gates Foundation pledged nearly $1 billion to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.
• The announcement, delivered by Bill Gates at a New York event, also aimed to set new global health and poverty eradication goals.
• Ongoing and past foreign aid cuts, particularly under the Trump administration, have led to clinic closures, layoffs, and disrupted access to lifesaving medication worldwide.
  • Gates warned: “Millions of children are at risk of dying if the funding drops too low.” [approx. 04:20]
• The Foundation urges governments to restore global health funding.

6. Graceland Fraud Sentencing

[04:30 – 04:56]

• Lisa Janine Finley sentenced to over four years in federal prison for attempting to defraud Elvis Presley's family by trying to auction Graceland.
• Finley falsely asserted Presley's daughter used Graceland as collateral for a $4 million loan.
• She pleaded guilty to mail fraud; identity theft charges were dropped through a plea agreement.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• President Trump on the UN:
  “It has such tremendous, tremendous potential, but it's not even coming close to living up to that potential.” [00:48]
  “The United Nations is funding an assault on Western countries and their borders.” [00:58]

• Jerome Powell on inflation:
  “Uncertainty around the path of inflation remains high. We will carefully assess and manage the risk of higher and more persistent inflation.” [01:56]

• Samurai Barnett (fan) on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" returning:
  “It shows you what we can all do when we all unify on one accord immediately like this. This happened in less than a week.” [03:00]

• Bill Gates (paraphrased through NPR):
  “Millions of children are at risk of dying if the funding drops too low.” [approx. 04:20]

---

Segment Timeline

• 00:18 – US President Trump criticizes the United Nations at the General Assembly
• 01:20 – Fed Chair Powell addresses economic uncertainty and rate cuts
• 02:18 – "Jimmy Kimmel Live" returns amid station boycotts
• 03:14 – Conviction in Trump assassination attempt
• 03:51 – Gates Foundation’s $1B global health pledge
• 04:30 – Sentencing in the Graceland fraud case

---

This episode delivers a brisk yet comprehensive snapshot of major events and policy developments, balancing political, economic, cultural, and philanthropic news.

Transcript

[NPR Announcer]

This message comes from Carvana. Why spend time wondering what your car is worth? Instantly track its value on Carvana Value Tracker, answer a few quick questions and stay up to speed on your car's value. Track your car's [e-mail] Live from NPR.

[Ryland Barton]

News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. President Trump bashed the United nations today in a lengthy speech to world leaders gathered in New York at the U.N. general Assembly. NPR's Franco Ordonez reports. The speech comes as Trump is increasingly isolated inside the body.

[Franco Ordonez]

President Trump touted that the US has entered a golden age while scolding the body for rampant waste and corruption. He used a faulty teleprompter and broken escalator as a metaphor for larger problems of the United Nations.

[President Donald Trump]

It has such tremendous, tremendous potential, but it's not even coming close to living up to that potential.

[Franco Ordonez]

But his most pointed criticism was on migration.

[President Donald Trump]

The United nations is funding an assault on Western countries and their borders.

[Franco Ordonez]

Trump accused the UN of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to support illegal migration into the US including providing shelter and transportation. And he blamed political correctness on the issue for what he said was ruining their countries. Franco Ordonez, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell says an uncertain economic outlook has caused many companies to beat cut back on hiring. NPR's Scott Horsley reports. The lackluster job market led to the led the Fed to cut its benchmark short term interest rate last week for the first time in nine months.

[Scott Horsley]

Hiring slowed to a crawl over the summer and the Fed hopes to prevent a sharper slowdown by cutting interest rates. The central bank still keeping a watchful eye on inflation, though. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell told an audience in Rhode island that President Trump's tariffs have already resulted in some price hikes and more are expected.

[Jerome Powell]

Uncertainty around the path of inflation remains high. We will carefully assess and manage the risk of higher and more persistent inflation. We'll make sure that this one time increase in prices does not become an ongoing inflation problem.

[Scott Horsley]

On average, members of the Fed's rate setting committee expect to cut interest rates by an additional half percentage point by the end of this year. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

[Ryland Barton]

Jimmy Kimmel Live will be back on the air tonight, but not everywhere. ABC put the show on hold last week over remarks that Kimmel made on air after the killing of Charlie Kirk. And and as Steve Futterman reports, many ABC stations will be keeping it off.

[Steve Futterman]

The air for now, more than 60 ABC affiliates, over 20% of ABC stations will not be broadcasting. Jimmy Kimmel show when it returns. Stations that are owned by two large broadcast groups, nexstar and Sinclair, will substitute other programming. It was complaints from those two groups last week that helped lead to Kimmel's show being suspended. Here on Hollywood Boulevard, where the show is taped, Kimmel fans like Samurai Barnett are happy he's back.

[Samurai Barnett]

It shows you what we can all do when we all unify on one accord immediately like this. This happened in less than a week.

[Steve Futterman]

Sources with the program say they expect Kimmel to make a conciliatory statement on tonight's show.

[Ryland Barton]

Steve Butterman reporting. This is npr. Ryan Ruth has been found guilty of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at a Florida golf course last year. After the verdict today, Ruth tried to stab in the neck with a pen, but was quickly restrained by officers. The jury took about two hours to reach their decision. Ruth represented himself in court and faces up to life in prison, with sentencing scheduled for December. The Gates foundation announced that it will give nearly $1 billion to fight global diseases like HIV, AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. NPR's Fatma Tanis reports. And a note, the Gates foundation is also a financial supporter of npr.

[Fatma Tanis]

The announcement came from Bill Gates himself at an event in New York on Monday evening, which was aimed at setting goals for improving global health and ending poverty worldwide. Efforts to fight diseases like aids, tuberculosis and malaria have been seriously hampered by the Trump administration's foreign aid cuts as well as those of other countries. Clinics have shut down, aid groups have laid off thousands of employees, and patients have not been able to access life saving medication. Gates urged governments to reverse cuts to global health programs. He warned that millions of children are at risk of dying if the funding drops too low. Fatma Tanis, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

A woman was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison today for attempting to defraud Elvis Presley's family by trying to auction off his storied home in Memphis. Graceland. Prosecutors say Lisa Janine Finley falsely claimed Presley's daughter borrowed nearly $4 million and had pledged Graceland as collateral. She pleaded guilty earlier this year to mail Frau and had been indicted on identity theft, but the charges were dropped in a plea deal. This is npr.

[NPR Announcer]

Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR News Now. [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org.