NPR News: 09-26-2025 6PM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now: September 26, 2025, 6PM EDT

Host: Ryland Barton

Duration: 5 Minutes

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Overview

This episode presents concise updates on the day’s most pressing national stories, including developments in federal indictments against former FBI Director James Comey, the deployment of federal agencies to address crime in Memphis, stricter commercial license requirements for non-citizen drivers, ongoing government funding negotiations, and the passing of activist Assata Shakur in Cuba. The tone is factual, urgent, and impartial, with direct quotes from key figures.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Indictment of Former FBI Director James Comey

• Context: President Trump’s newly appointed prosecutor in Virginia indicted Comey on charges of allegedly lying to Congress five years ago, following Trump’s demand for prosecution.
• Trump’s Response: Trump frames the indictments as “justice” rather than revenge and indicates more indictments against political opponents are expected.
  • Quote: “It’s about justice, really. It’s not revenge. It’s about justice.” — Donald Trump [00:52]
  • Quote: “They are sick, radical left people and they can’t get away with it. And Comey, Comey was one of the people. He wasn’t the biggest, but he’s a dirty cop.” — Donald Trump [00:52]
• Comey’s Stance: Maintains his innocence and expresses readiness to prove it at trial.
  • Quote: “Comey says he is innocent and he looks forward to proving it at trial.” — Tamara Keith [01:11]

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2. Federal Agencies Mobilize to Address Crime in Memphis

• Action: Starting Monday, 13 federal agencies, including the FBI and National Guard, will join Memphis police.
• Concerns: Community leaders debate increased safety against the optics of a military-like presence.
• Governor Bill Lee’s Approach: Emphasizes caution and flexibility.
  • Quote: “The operation itself will develop as the need is understood. On the ground.” — Bill Lee [01:48]
• Recent Crime Data: Despite a 25-year low in crime recently, officials want lasting reductions.
• Details: 300+ state troopers, $100M for crime-fighting tech; troops to be unarmed and not empowered to arrest unless requested.
  • Quote: “Troops he says will be unarmed unless local law enforcement requests otherwise and will have no power to make arrests.” — Christopher Blank [02:13]

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3. Tightening CDL Requirements for Non-Citizens

• Policy Change: Transportation Department limits commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) for non-citizens after fatal accidents attributed to ineligible drivers.
• Eligibility: Only three visa classes now qualify for CDLs nationwide.
• Federal Pressure: Threat of $160 million funding cut to California for non-compliance.
  • Quote: “Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also threatened to revoke $160 million in federal funding from California unless it complies.” — Joel Rose [02:52]
• State Response: Governor Newsom’s office defends California’s lower fatal crash rates.
  • Quote: “A spokesperson for Governor Gavin Newsom defended the state safety record, saying commercial driver’s license holders from California have a fatal crash rate almost 40% below the national average.” — Joel Rose [03:04]

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4. Government Funding & Health Care Stalemate

• Senate Leader Statement: Senate Majority Leader John Thune rejects Democrats’ push for increased health care funding, specifically on Medicaid restoration.
  • Quote: “Senate Majority Leader John Thune is rejecting Democratic demands to boost funding for health care, calling them unserious, but he says a government shutdown is still avoidable.” — Ryland Barton [03:12]

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5. NFL Headquarters Shooting & CTE

• Incident: Autopsy of Shane Tamura, suspect in the NFL HQ killings, reveals low-stage CTE.
• Background: Tamura’s suicide note asked for his brain to be studied; he’d played football from youth through high school.
• Expert Perspective: CTE in players with similar history is not surprising.
  • Quote: “If you start at six and you… play through high school, no researcher who’s paying attention to this is now surprised to find somebody who played that long having CTE.” — Chris Nowinski, Concussion Legacy Foundation [04:14]

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6. Death of Assata Shakur

• Announcement: Black liberation activist and fugitive Assata Shakur dies in Cuba, where she was granted asylum after escaping U.S. prison in 1979.
• Diplomatic Note: Her case remained a thorny issue in U.S.-Cuba relations.
  • Quote: “Her case had long been a thorny issue in the fraught relations between the US and Cuba.” — Ryland Barton [04:48]

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Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• “It’s about justice, really. It’s not revenge. It’s about justice.” — Donald Trump [00:52]
• “The operation itself will develop as the need is understood. On the ground.” — Bill Lee [01:48]
• “A spokesperson for Governor Gavin Newsom defended the state safety record, saying commercial driver’s license holders from California have a fatal crash rate almost 40% below the national average.” — Joel Rose [03:04]
• “If you start at six and you… play through high school, no researcher who’s paying attention to this is now surprised to find somebody who played that long having CTE.” — Chris Nowinski [04:14]

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Noteworthy Moments by Timestamp

• [00:18–01:11]: Trump reacts to Comey indictment; Comey responds.
• [01:18–02:20]: Announcement and breakdown of Memphis federal agency surge.
• [02:20–03:12]: Introduction and implications of stricter CDL rules.
• [03:12–03:43]: Congressional standoff over health care funding.
• [03:43–04:30]: Details of Shane Tamura’s CTE diagnosis and legacy issues for the NFL.
• [04:30–04:56]: Death of Assata Shakur and its international implications.

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Transcript

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[Ryland Barton]

News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. President Trump says he hopes more of his political enemies will be indicted. This comes after Trump hand picked a new federal prosecutor in Virginia who then returned an indictment against one of Trump's more outspoken critics, former FBI director James Comey. NPR's Tamara Keith reports.

[Tamara Keith]

Comey was indicted on two counts related to allegedly lying to Congress in testimony five years ago after Trump demanded that the Justice Department prosecute him. Trump says he expects more of the people who made his life miserable over the last eight years to be prosecuted.

[Donald Trump]

It's about justice, really. It's not revenge. It's about justice. It's also about the fact that you can't let this go on. They are sick, radical left people and they can't get away with it. And Comey, Comey was one of the people. He wasn't the biggest, but he's a dirty cop.

[Tamara Keith]

Comey says he is innocent and he looks forward to proving it at trial. Tamara Keith, NPR News, the White House.

[Ryland Barton]

A surge of 13 federal agencies will join Memphis police to help fight crime in the city starting Monday. Tennessee's Republican Governor Bill Lee says the influx will include the FBI, U.S. marshals and national Guard troops. Christopher Blank reports from member station wkno.

[Christopher Blank]

Since President Donald Trump approved the Memphis SAFE task force last Friday, wary community leaders have debated enhanced public safety versus the optics of a military presence. Governor Lee stressed a cautious approach.

[Donald Trump]

The operation itself will develop as the as the need is understood. On the ground.

[Christopher Blank]

Though the city's crime rate hit a 25 year low in the past eight months, officials are aiming for permanent reductions.

[Donald Trump]

We don't know how long it will take for that to work, but however.

[Steve Futterman]

Long it takes to start.

[Christopher Blank]

The governor pledged more than 300 state troopers and $100 million toward crime fighting technology. Troops he says will be unarmed unless local law enforcement requests otherwise and will have no power to make arrests. For NPR News, I'm Christopher Blank in Memphis.

[Ryland Barton]

The U.S. department of Transportation is tightening the requirements for non citizens to get commercial driver's licenses. NPR's Joel Rose reports. The department says all states must comply with the new rules.

[Joel Rose]

The Transportation Department is announcing the new rules after fatal crashes this year in florid Texas and Alabama. Officials say all three were caused by non citizen truck drivers who should not have received commercial driver's licenses. The rules will make it impossible for many immigrants to get those licenses because only three specific classes of visa holders are eligible. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also threatened to revoke $160 million in federal funding from California unless it complies. A spokesperson for Governor Gavin Newsom defended the state safety record, saying saying commercial driver's license holders from California have a fatal crash rate almost 40% below the national average. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington.

[Ryland Barton]

This is NPR News from Washington. Senate Majority Leader John Thune is rejecting Democratic demands to boost funding for health care, calling them unserious, but he says a government shutdown is still avoidable. Thune says Democrats need to scale back demands to reverse cuts to Medicaid. And an autopsy has detected that the man accused of killing four people last month in a building that included National Football League headquarters was suffering from a brain disorder. CTE Steve Futterman reports.

[Steve Futterman]

27 year old Shane Tamura targeted the NFL offices. He accused the league of concealing the potential dangers of football. After the shootings, Tamura killed himself. In a note, he said, steady my brain, please. The medical examiner found he was suffering a low stage level of of the degenerative brain disorder. CTE Tamura played youth football here in the LA area and continued through high school. Chris Nowinski is co founder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation.

[Ryland Barton]

If you start at six and you.

[Joel Rose]

Play through high school, no researcher who's.

[Donald Trump]

Paying attention to this is now surprised.

[Joel Rose]

To find somebody who played that long.

[Steve Futterman]

Having CTE Tamura shot himself in the chest, allowing for a complete study of his brain. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles.

[Ryland Barton]

A black liberation activist who was given asylum in Cuba after escaping from a US prison in 1979 has died. Assata Shakur had been serving a life sentence for killing a police officer. The Cuban government says Shakur died yesterday due to health conditions and advanced age. Her case had long been a thorny issue in the fraught relations between the US And Cuba. I'm Ryland Barton. This is NPR News from Washington.

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