NPR News: 10-05-2025 9PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – Episode Summary

Date: October 5, 2025, 9PM EDT
Host: Jeanine Herbst
Length: 5 minutes
Theme: The episode delivers concise updates on the ongoing federal government shutdown, state versus federal clashes over National Guard deployments, mass protests in Europe regarding Israel and Gaza, new cases for the Supreme Court’s term, and the latest box office news.

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1. Federal Government Shutdown Stalemate

[00:20 – 01:18]

• Context:
  The U.S. federal government has been shut down for five days with neither Democrats nor Republicans willing to negotiate a solution.

• Key Points:

  • Senate Vote Upcoming: A vote is scheduled for Monday to potentially reopen the government.
  • Partisan Impasse:
    • Senate Republican Leader John Thune asserts a stalemate persists, urging Democrats to act:

      "The Democrats just need to open up the government. Right now we're at a stalemate."
      — John Thune ([00:39])

    • Democrats are refusing quick approval of a funding bill, seeking negotiations over health care benefit extensions.
    • Thune emphasizes these talks won’t happen under shutdown conditions, while Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer insists negotiations are urgent.
    • Schumer accuses Republicans of causing the shutdown:

      "It's a Republican shutdown because they've refused to talk with us."
      — Chuck Schumer ([00:55])

  • Economic Warning:
    Kevin Hassett, a top economic adviser to President Trump, warns:

    "If the president decides that the negotiations are absolutely going nowhere, then there will start to be layoffs."
    — Kevin Hassett ([01:12]) (No timeline for layoffs is given.)

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2. National Guard Deployment Controversy

[01:18 – 02:12]

• Context:
  President Trump’s deployment of state National Guard units—specifically from California and Oregon—to Oregon amidst legal pushback.

• Key Points:

  • Legal Battles:
    • Oregon judge issues a restraining order to block the federalization or deployment of National Guard troops.
    • California Governor Gavin Newsom announces plans to sue the Trump administration in response to Guard members being sent against the state’s wishes.
    • Trump previously called up Guard units from Washington, D.C. and Illinois, facing opposition from governors.
  • Potential Illegality:
    NPR’s Tom Bowman highlights legal concerns:

    "Sending Guard troops to protect ICE agents and other federal officers doing their jobs could run afoul of the law."
    — Tom Bowman ([01:53])

    • Refers to a 19th-century federal law prohibiting use of military troops for domestic law enforcement.
    • Federal judges in California and Oregon have ruled against such deployments.

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3. European Protests Over Israel-Gaza Conflict

[02:12 – 03:12]

• Context:
  Large demonstrations in Amsterdam and other European cities mark the second anniversary of the October 7th Hamas attack, urging stronger governmental action against Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.

• Key Points:

  • Amsterdam March:
    • Protesters in Amsterdam (hundreds of thousands) demand the Dutch government oppose Israel’s war in Gaza.
    • Many dressed in red, chanting: "Free Palestine, Free, free Palestine."
    • Organizers labeled the event a "red line march".
  • Dutch Government Response:
    • Netherlands imposed travel bans on two far-right Israeli ministers for alleged calls to violence and ethnic cleansing ([02:32]).
    • Announced plans to ban imports from Jewish settlements in occupied Palestinian territories.
  • Quote:

    "The Dutch government has taken steps to express dissatisfaction with Israel. In July, it imposed travel bans... accusing them of inciting violence against Palestinians and calling for an ethnic cleansing of Gaza."
    — Terry Schultz ([02:32])

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4. Supreme Court Term Preview

[03:12 – 03:52]

• Context:
  The Supreme Court’s new term begins tomorrow.

• Key Points:

  • Several cases touch on the scope of presidential power, including:
    • Trump’s authority to dismiss members of independent regulatory agencies
    • Challenges to limiting birthright citizenship

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5. Weekend Box Office Highlights

[03:52 – 04:58]

• Taylor Swift Dominates ([03:52]):
  • Album Film:
    Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” opens with $33 million over its three-day initial run.
    • Features: personal reflections, lyric videos, backstage footage, and the premier of “Fate of Ophelia.”
    • Follows her previous record-setting concert film:

      "The concert film of her eras tour is the highest grossing concert film of all time."
      — Eva Pukach ([04:33])

• Other Top Films:
  • Second place: “One Battle after Another” (Paul Thomas Anderson, $11 million, stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, and Regina Hall).
  • Third place: “The Smashing Machine” (Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, $6 million).

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• "The Democrats just need to open up the government. Right now we're at a stalemate."
  — John Thune ([00:39])
• "It's a Republican shutdown because they've refused to talk with us."
  — Chuck Schumer ([00:55])
• "If the president decides that the negotiations are absolutely going nowhere, then there will start to be layoffs."
  — Kevin Hassett ([01:12])
• "Sending Guard troops to protect ICE agents and other federal officers doing their jobs could run afoul of the law."
  — Tom Bowman ([01:53])
• "The concert film of her eras tour is the highest grossing concert film of all time."
  — Eva Pukach ([04:33])

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Episode Flow Overview

• Government shutdown and political deadlock
• Expansion of federal authority versus states’ rights in National Guard deployments
• European mass protests on Israel-Gaza marking the Hamas attack anniversary
• Preview of Supreme Court’s focus on presidential powers
• Taylor Swift’s box office triumph and other film news

NPR’s brisk five-minute format captures the urgency and cross-section of headlines for listeners needing a rapid, factual briefing.

Transcript

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[Jeanine Herbst]

In Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. It's day five of the federal government shutdown, and Democratic and Republican leaders on Capitol Hill say neither side is willing to talk. Here's Luke Garrett has more.

[Luke Garrett]

The Senate will vote on whether to reopen the government Monday, but leader John Thune tells Fox News the two parties are at an impasse.

[Terry Schultz]

The Democrats just need to open up the government. Right now we're at a stalemate.

[Luke Garrett]

Most Democrats are withholding their support of a short term funding bill in order to negotiate health care benefit extensions. Thune says this won't happen during a shutdown. But Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tells CBS talks need to happen now.

[NPR Sponsor Announcer]

It's a Republican shutdown because they've refused to talk with us.

[Luke Garrett]

Meanwhile, one of President Trump's top economic advisers, Kevin Hassett, tells CNN could start losing their jobs. If the president decides that the negotiations are absolutely going nowhere, then there will.

[Eva Pukach]

Start to be layoffs.

[Luke Garrett]

But Hassett did not say when. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington.

[Jeanine Herbst]

California's Governor Gavin Newsom says President Trump is deploying members of his state's National Guard to Oregon, a day after a judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing the administration from sending Oregon National Guard troops to Portland, a city Trump calls. The city's mayor and the state's governor say that's not true. Newsom says he plans to sue. It's the latest state National Guard Trump has federalized or deployed, including Washington, D.C. and Illinois, where Trump called up 300 Guard members against the wishes of the state's governor. NPR's Tom Bowman has more.

[Tom Bowman]

Sending Guard troops to protect ICE agents and other federal officers doing their jobs could run afoul of the law. Already, federal judges in California and Oregon have said using Guard troops in those states and violates a 19th century law that bars federal troops from law enforcement duties.

[Jeanine Herbst]

NPR's Tom Bowman reporting. Hundreds of thousands of people march through Amsterdam today protesting the Dutch government's position on Israel. Dere Schultz reports Similar events were held in other European cities to rally support for Palestinians and mark the second anniversary of Hamas's October 7th attack on Israel, the trigger of the war.

[Terry Schultz]

Organizers called it a red line march, urging the government of the Netherlands to take a stronger stance against Israel's war in Gaza Many of the participants wore red carrying signs accusing Israel of genocide and chanting, free Palestine, Free, free Palestine. The Dutch government has taken steps to express dissatisfaction with Israel. In July, it imposed travel bans on two far right Israeli cabinet ministers, accusing them of inciting violence against Palestinians and calling for an ethnic cleansing of Gaza. The Netherlands intended intends to ban imports of goods produced by Jewish settlers in Israeli occupied Palestinian territories. For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz.

[Jeanine Herbst]

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. A new Supreme Court term starts tomorrow, the first Monday in October. A number of cases deal with presidential power. President Trump is being challenged on his ability to fire members of independent regulatory agencies and to limit birthright citizenship. Taylor Swift is once again topping the charts, this time at the box office with the film complement to her 12th album, the Life of a Showgirl. NPR's Eva Pukach reports. The movie was only slated to play for three days.

[Eva Pukach]

The official release party of a Showgirl took in an estimated $33 million at the domestic box office for the three day event. The film featured personal reflections from Swift, lyric videos, behind the scenes footage and premiered the music video for the Fate of Ophelia, the first single off the album. This was Swift's second partnership with AMC Theaters, the first, the concert film of her eras tour is the highest grossing concert film of all time. Eva Pukach and PR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Meanwhile, also at the weekend box office, in second place, the thriller One Battle after Another, written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson with $11 million. That movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Regina Hall. In third place, DWAYNE the Rock Johnson's drama the Smashing Machine debuted with $6 million. I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington.

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