NPR News: 09-29-2025 5AM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now: September 29, 2025, 5AM EDT

Host: Dave Mattingly
Duration: 5 minutes
Theme: Top headlines in U.S. news with breaking reports from Michigan, Oregon, the Pentagon, the White House, the economy, and New York.

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1. Michigan Church Attack

[00:18 - 01:32]

• Summary: Authorities in Michigan responded to a violent attack at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, where a gunman rammed his pickup, opened fire, and set fire to the building.
• Key Details:
  • Attacker Identified: Thomas Jacob Sanford, a 40-year-old former U.S. Marine from Burton, Michigan.
  • Casualties: At least 4 dead, 8 injured; police shot and killed the gunman.
  • Ongoing Investigation: Authorities are searching the ruins for more victims; hundreds attended the service.
• Official Response:
  • Reuben Coleman, acting FBI special agent (Detroit):

    "This act of violence has no place...in our state or anywhere else in our country." [00:51]

  • Dave Mattingly (host):

    "The FBI is committed to continue finding out the facts and circumstances and motives behind this tragedy." [00:57]

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2. Oregon Sues Over National Guard Deployment

[01:32 - 02:13]

• Summary: The state of Oregon is suing the Trump administration to stop the deployment of National Guard troops to Portland.
• Key Details:
  • Governor's Stance: Oregon Governor Tina Kotek calls the move "an abuse of federal power."
  • Legal Action: Oregon Attorney General is pursuing a temporary restraining order to block the deployment.
  • Context: President Trump claims troops are needed for security at Portland’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Governor Tina Kotek:

    "Oregon is our home. It is not a military target, and we're going to fight back to make sure that we can keep Oregon safe." [01:46-01:52]

  • Report by Tiffany Camhi, Oregon Public Broadcasting.

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3. Defense Secretary’s Meeting at Quantico

[02:13 - 03:08]

• Summary: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will address U.S. military admirals and generals at Marine Base Quantico.
• Key Details:
  • Agenda: Addressing "homeland defense" and a plan to restore a “war ethos.”
  • Policy Moves: Includes raising fitness standards and cutting senior officer ranks by 20%.
  • Woke Critique: Hegseth believes the military is "too woke and focused on diversity," and has fired senior officers accordingly.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Tom Bowman (NPR):

    "Hegseth has repeatedly said the military is too woke and focused on diversity. He has fired multiple senior officers, citing these reasons or suggesting they got their jobs because of diversity." [02:50]

• Additional Note: President Trump said he plans to attend the meeting. [03:08]

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4. Looming Government Shutdown and the Economy

[03:08 - 04:24]

• Summary: With a potential government shutdown looming, President Trump is resuming talks with congressional leaders to avert a closure.
• Key Details:
  • Deadline: Congress must pass a spending bill by tomorrow night.
  • Tense Negotiations: Previous meetings with Democratic leaders were canceled by the President.
  • Economic Data at Risk: An impending shutdown could delay the release of employment data for September, impacting investor decisions.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Rafael Nam (NPR):

    "There is a potential wrinkle, however. There could be a government shutdown this week unless Republicans and Democrats can clinch a short term spending deal. A shutdown would delay the release of fall data by the government, including the jobs numbers, meaning investors may have to wait a little bit longer." [03:55]

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5. New York Mayoral Race Update

[04:24 - 04:56]

• Summary: New York City Mayor Eric Adams ends his re-election bid as an independent amid fallout from a dismissed corruption case, citing fundraising difficulties.
• Key Details:
  • Reason: The dismissed federal corruption case made his campaign untenable.
  • No Endorsement: Adams did not endorse another candidate. Remaining contenders include Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo.
• Memorable Moment:
  • Dave Mattingly:

    "In a video released yesterday on social media, Adams acknowledged a now dismissed federal corruption case against him has left many voters wary of him. He said that's made it difficult to raise enough money to run a serious campaign." [04:33]

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Host: "I'm Dave Mattingly in Washington." [04:56]

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End of Content Section – for further details, listeners are directed to tune in to NPR News or visit npr.org.

Transcript

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[Dave Mattingly]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dave Mattingley. Authorities in Michigan say the gunman who rammed his pickup truck into a church started shooting and then set the building on fire was was a 40 year old former US Marine. The attack at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Grand Blank left at least four people dead and eight others injured. Responding police shot and killed the gunman. Reuben Coleman is the acting special agent in charge with the FBI's Detroit field office. This act of violence has no place.

[Tom Bowman]

In our state or anywhere else in our country. The FBI is committed to continue finding.

[Dave Mattingly]

Out the facts and circumstances and motives behind this tragedy. The gunman was identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, who lived in nearby Burton, Michigan. Authorities have been searching the ruins of the church for other possible victims. Hundreds of people were attending the church service at the time of the attack. The state of Oregon is suing the Trump administration to try to block the president from deploying National Guard troops to Portland to combat crime. And as Trump did in Washington, D.C. tiffany Camhi with Oregon Public Broadcasting reports on what the governor is saying.

[Commercial Announcer]

Oregon Governor Tina Kotech says sending National Guard members to the state's largest city is an abuse of federal power. Kotech says she's working closely with Oregon's attorney general on litigation that alleges the move is unlawful.

[Dave Mattingly]

Oregon is our home.

[Commercial Announcer]

It is not a military target, and.

[Dave Mattingly]

We'Re going to fight back to make.

[Commercial Announcer]

Sure that we can keep Oregon safe. The suit seeks a temporary restraining order to block the deployment of armed forces. President Trump has been threatening to send troops to Portland for weeks, citing security concerns at the city's Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. For NPR News, I'm Tiffany Kamhai. In Portland.

[Dave Mattingly]

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will be addressing hundreds of US Military admirals and generals tomorrow at Marine Base Quantico in Virginia. NPR's Tom Bowman reports.

[Tom Bowman]

Secretary Hegseth and his staff have said little about the reason for ordering senior officers from around the world to attend the morning meeting. Sources tell Lenpr. Hegseth is expected to talk about homeland defense and tell the admirals and generals about the ongoing plan to restore what he calls a war ethos, a move that includes toughening physical fitness standards for the troops. Hegseth has repeatedly said the military is too woke and focused on diversity. He has fired multiple senior officers, citing these reasons or suggesting they got their jobs because of diversity. Hegseth has also said the military is top heavy with senior officers and wants to cut their numbers by 20%. Tom Bowman, NPR News.

[Dave Mattingly]

President Trump tells NBC News he plans to attend that meeting. This is NPR News from Washington. Later today at the White House, President Trump plans to meet with congressional leaders to see if they can come to some kind of an agreement to prevent a government shutdown. Congress has until tomorrow night to pass a spending bill to keep the government funded. The president canceled a meeting with Democratic leaders in Congress last week when he described their demands as unserious. The latest numbers on employment in the U.S. are due out at the end of the week. NPR's Rafael Nam has more.

[Rafael Nam]

Over the past several months, the US has been creating a lot fewer jobs than economists had expected. That has led to concerns that the economy may be weaker than many investors had anticipated. So investors are keenly waiting for the latest employment numbers for September, due out on Friday. There is a potential wrinkle, however. There could be a government shutdown this week unless Republicans and Democrats can clinch a short term spending deal. A shutdown would delay the release of fall data by the government, including the jobs numbers, meaning investors may have to wait a little bit longer. Rafael Nam, NPR News.

[Dave Mattingly]

New York Mayor Eric Adams is dropping his bid to seek re election as an independent. In a video released yesterday on social media, Adams acknowledged a now dismissed federal corruption case against him has left many voters wary of him. He said that's made it difficult to raise enough money to run a serious campaign. Adams did not endorse any of the other candidates. They include state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdami and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. I'm Dave Mattingly in Washington.

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