NPR News: 09-26-2025 2AM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now – September 26, 2025, 2AM EDT

Host: Shea Stevens
Duration: ~5 minutes
Main Theme: Brief overview of the latest pressing national and international news stories, focusing on new legal actions, major policy developments, and significant business updates.

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1. Federal Indictment of Former FBI Director James Comey

[00:19–01:08]

• Summary:
  Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted by a federal grand jury days after President Trump called to expedite investigations into his political adversaries.

  • The indictment claims Comey lied under oath in a 2020 Senate hearing.
  • The allegations relate specifically to leaks to the news media during the Senate testimony on Russian interference and FBI conduct.
  • Timing was urgent as the statute of limitations was about to expire.

• Quote:

  • "It's important to note the statute of limitations on these charges had been set to expire just in a matter of days. So the Justice Department was racing against the clock..." – Kerry Johnson [00:41]

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2. President Trump Announces Sweeping New Tariffs

[01:08–01:56]

• Summary:
  President Trump imposed a new slate of tariffs (25–100%) on several imported goods:

  • 25% tariff: imported large trucks (aimed to protect domestic manufacturers like Kenworth and Mac)
  • 50% tariff: imported kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities
  • 30% tariff: upholstered furniture
  • 100% tariff: imported branded or patented pharmaceutical products not made in the USA
  • Tariffs justified on grounds of national security; take effect October 1st.

• Quote:

  • "Trump says the new import taxes must be applied for national security and other reasons and will take effect October 1st." – Ayanna Archie [01:44]

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3. Executive Order on TikTok US Ownership

[01:56–02:08]

• Summary:
  President Trump signed an executive order supporting a plan to transfer TikTok’s US operations to American ownership.
  • A group of investors is set to buy TikTok from its Chinese owner, ByteDance.
  • Details of the proposed deal have not yet been released.

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4. Dallas ICE Facility Attack – Details Released

[02:08–03:14]

• Summary:
  The FBI revealed additional information about the gunman, 29-year-old Joshua Yan, who attacked a Dallas ICE facility:

  • Authorities found “definitively anti-ICE” handwritten notes at Yan’s home, planning the attack months in advance.
  • Motive: To terrorize ICE employees and disrupt operations, which he labeled as “human trafficking.”
  • Yan used a bolt-action rifle; three detainees were shot (one fatality), no agents were harmed.
  • Yan did not expect to survive the attack.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “He hoped his actions would terrorize ICE employees and interfere with their work, which he called human trafficking. What he did is the very definition of terrorism.” – Nancy Larson, U.S. Attorney [02:39]
  • "Yan's notes indicate that he, quote, did not expect to survive this event." – Penelope Rivera [02:54]

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5. Amazon FTC Settlement

[03:14–03:33]

• Summary:
  Amazon agrees to pay $2.5 billion to settle Federal Trade Commission claims:
  • FTC accused Amazon of misleading customers into signing up for Prime memberships and complicating cancellations.

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6. Senator Ted Cruz Targets Climate Change Litigation

[03:33–04:26]

• Summary:
  Senator Ted Cruz is opposing lawsuits that seek to make fossil fuel companies liable for climate change damages.

  • At a Senate hearing, Cruz alleged (without provided evidence) that China is financially supporting these lawsuits to weaken the US energy sector.
  • Environmental advocates call Cruz's claims unsubstantiated and politically motivated to shield oil and gas firms.
  • Industry groups dismiss the lawsuits as baseless.

• Notable Quote:

  • "And the biggest winner in all of this, China. Who's paying the bills?" – Ted Cruz [04:04]

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7. Trump Hints at Lifting Fighter Jet Embargo on Turkey

[04:26–04:57]

• Summary:
  President Trump suggested possible removal of an embargo on advanced US fighter jets to Turkey.
  • Embargo began in his first term.
  • Trump met Turkish President Erdogan, citing Turkey's key role in mediating conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza and its influence in Syria (notably aiding in Assad’s ouster).

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8. Market Update

[04:57]

• Summary:
  US stock futures remained flat in after-hours trading.

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Noteworthy Moments

• The urgency around the Comey indictment underscores heightened political tensions and a “race against the clock” [00:41].
• President Trump’s tariff orders are historically broad, impacting several major sectors from auto manufacturing to pharmaceuticals [01:20–01:56].
• The Dallas ICE attack is officially categorized as terrorism, illustrating rising domestic threats linked to US immigration policy [02:39].

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For further details on any segment, refer to the corresponding timestamps.

Transcript

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[Shea Stevens]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. A federal grand jury has indicted former FBI Director James Comey only days after President Trump urged the Justice Department to expedite investigations allegations into his enemies. As NPR's Kerry Johnson reports, the indictment alleges Comey lied under oath during a 2020 Senate hearing.

[Kerry Johnson]

During that Senate testimony, Jim Comey answered questions about the FBI's investigation into possible Russian interference in the 2016 election and about leaks to the news media. It's important to note the statute of limitations on these charges had been set to expire just in a matter of days. So the Justice Department was racing against the clock and the charges seem to relate to that news media leak issue.

[Shea Stevens]

NPR's Carrie Johnson reporting. President Trump has announced a series of new tariffs ranging from 25 to 100% on a variety of products. NPR's Ayanna Archie has that report in.

[Ayanna Archie]

A social media post. President Trump lays out a new 25% tariff on imported large trucks. He said this is needed to protect trucking companies that manufacture in the US like Kenworth and Mac. He's also putting a 50% tariff on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities and a 30% levy on upholstered furniture. And branded or patented pharmaceutical products that aren't made in the USA will face a 100% tariff. Trump says the new import taxes must be applied for national security and other reasons and will take effect October 1st. Ayanna Archie, NPR News.

[Shea Stevens]

President Trump has signed an executive order that supports a proposed deal to put TikTok under US ownership. The deal will allow a group of investors to buy the app from ByteDance, which is TikTok's China based owner. Details of the proposal have not yet been released. The FBI has revealed more details about the gunman who attacked migrant detainees outside a Dallas ICE facility. Officials say 29 year old Joshua Yan acted alone. KERA's Penelope Rivera has more.

[Penelope Rivera]

Federal officials say they found handwritten notes at Yan's residence that show he planned this shooting months before. U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy Larson said Yan's words were, quote, definitively anti ice.

[Nancy Larson]

He hoped his actions would terrorize ICE employees and interfere with their work, which he called human trafficking. What he did is the very definition of terrorism.

[Penelope Rivera]

Officials also said Yan's notes indicate that he, quote, did not expect to survive this event. Yan opened fire with a bolt action rifle, shooting three people, killing one of them. All three victims were detainees, not agents at the facility. For NPR News, I'm Penelope Rivera in Dallas.

[Shea Stevens]

You're listening to NPR. Amazon has agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle a Federal Trade Commission claim that it duped customers into signing up for prime memberships. The FTC says the online retailer also made it hard for customers to ca cancel those memberships. Texas Senator Ted Cruz is pushing back on lawsuits pending around the country that are aimed at forcing fossil fuel companies to pay for damages from climate change. NPR's Michael Copley reports that Cruz is taking steps to help the industry fight back.

[Michael Copley]

Cruz claimed at a Senate hearing this summer China is funding the litigation to cripple U.S. oil and gas companies. The lawsuits accuse the companies of misleading the public about the dangers of burning fossil fuels. Cruz said if the community lawsuits are successful, US Energy production would fall and prices would rise.

[Ted Cruz]

And the biggest winner in all of this, China. Who's paying the bills?

[Michael Copley]

But Cruz's office hasn't offered evidence supporting the senator's allegation. Environmental advocates say Cruz's unsubstantiated claim was designed to give lawmakers political cover to shield oil and gas companies from climate litigation. An industry trade group says the climate lawsuits are baseless. Michael Copley, NPR News.

[Shea Stevens]

President Trump has hinted that he might lift an embargo on selling advanced fighter jets to Turkey. Trump halted those sales during his first term in office. The president met with Turkish President Recep Erdogan Thursday and sees him as a key intermediary in the effort to end the wars in Ukraine and in Gaza. Turkey also has influence in neighboring Syria and backed the rebels that overthrew the Assad regime last year. US Futures are flat in after hours trading on Wall Street. This is NPR News.

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