Up First from NPR

Episode: Fed Governor Fired, Trump Expands National Guard, Abrego Garcia Back in Custody
Date: August 26, 2025
Hosts: Steve Inskeep, Scott Horsley, Emmy Martinez, Alex Koma, Jasmine Garst

Episode Overview

This Up First episode covers three major stories shaping national headlines:

• President Trump’s controversial attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and the legal ramifications for central bank independence.
• The administration’s push to expand the National Guard’s presence in Washington, D.C., in response to D.C.’s longstanding cashless bail system, and the broader implications for federal control over local law enforcement.
• The ongoing legal saga of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an El Salvadoran immigrant at risk of deportation, as a federal judge intervenes to halt his removal to Uganda amid broader concerns about due process in U.S. immigration enforcement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump Moves to Fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook

[02:28–06:01]

• Background: President Trump announced via social media his intent to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook, citing allegations from ally Bill Pulte that Cook lied on mortgage applications in 2021.
  • Allegation Details: Pulte claims Cook claimed both of two different homes in separate states as “primary residences” to secure better loan terms.
• Legal and Political Context:
  • By law, Fed governors can only be removed “for cause” to shield the central bank from political interference.
  • Trump argues partisan loss of confidence is sufficient, while Cook’s attorney and congressional Democrats dispute his authority.
• Defenses & Criticism:
  • Cook denies wrongdoing and, via her attorney, vows legal action if removal is attempted.
  • Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren calls Trump’s move “an authoritarian power grab,” demanding that “it must be overturned in court.”
• Significance:
  • The move is widely seen as an attempt to bend the traditionally independent Federal Reserve to presidential control.
  • Expert perspective:
    • 95% of surveyed economists express concern about threats to Fed independence (Courtney Shupert, Macro Policy Perspectives).
    • “Three out of four economists surveyed said the president should play no role in setting interest rates.”
      —Scott Horsley [05:53]
  • Implication: If Cook is removed, Trump could fill the vacancy with an ally more likely to advance his agenda—especially lowering interest rates.

Notable Quotes

• “This lady, I don’t understand how she can be in charge of setting interest rates for our country. And here she is potentially lying on her applications to get better interest rates.”
  —Bill Pulte, quoted by Emmy Martinez [03:30]
• “Trump has really taken a sledgehammer to the protective barriers that are supposed to insulate the Fed.”
  —Scott Horsley [05:12]

2. Trump Seeks to Expand National Guard Role & Target D.C.’s Cashless Bail

[06:02–10:24]

• Context:
  • President Trump criticizes D.C.’s cashless bail system—used since 1992 for pre-trial detainees—as “soft on crime,” linking it to his push for greater federal intervention.
  • Threatens to withhold funding from cities that keep such policies and seeks to expand National Guard involvement in public safety duties.
• Expert Input:
  • Alex Koma (WAMU) explains cashless bail's purpose:
    • Eliminates the need for suspects to post bond, addressing historical racial and economic disparities in pretrial detainment.
    • Only 4% of released arrestees in D.C. were accused of violent crimes last year.
    • 90% still appear for their court dates; rearrest rates are low and consistent with national figures where cash bail has been abolished.
• Legal & Political Boundaries:
  • The president’s ability to change D.C. law or withhold funds is limited; only Congress has direct authority over D.C. statutes.
  • Local leaders remain vigilant, especially after Trump's recent use of the National Guard and increasing federal intervention.
  • Unique to D.C.: The president, not a governor, commands the local Guard, but in other states, such moves would likely face legal challenges from governors.
  • Koma: “No one is really sure how this part is going to work” [09:13] in reference to Trump’s Guard plans.
• Wider Ramifications:
  • Raises persistent constitutional questions about state vs. federal powers and the limits of executive authority in law enforcement.

Notable Quotes

• “I frankly think that [DC’s revised judge discretion] has worked better than any system. Cashless bail is not a new phenomenon in the District.”
  —Alex Koma [08:31]
• “The city lives in perpetual fear that, you know, he’s going to team up with Congress to revoke what limited self-governance the government does have here.”
  —Alex Koma [09:57]

3. Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s Deportation Battle and Judicial Intervention

[10:34–13:59]

• Background:
  • Abrego Garcia, from El Salvador, entered the U.S. as a 16-year-old in 2011, fleeing gang threats; has since avoided criminal convictions.
  • The government alleges gang affiliations (MS-13) and more recently human smuggling, both of which he denies.
  • He was mistakenly deported to El Salvador (where he faces documented danger), brought back, and now faces a new deportation to Uganda— a move his lawyers call “vindictive.”
• Judicial Stay:
  • Federal Judge Paulo Zinis sharply rebuked the Department of Justice:
    • “Until Abrego Garcia has had a chance to challenge the deportation in court, the government is absolutely forbidden from removing him from the US.” [11:34]
  • The judge set an expedited schedule for legal arguments.
• Key Legal Questions:
  • U.S. law prohibits his return to El Salvador due to a credible fear of persecution, but the government may try to deport him to a third country (Uganda) if an agreement exists.
• Significance:
  • The case exemplifies the Trump administration’s hardline stance on immigration and the ongoing legal, ethical, and humanitarian debates over due process and the rights of non-citizens.

Notable Quotes

• “Abrego Garcia’s detention was really one of the first high profile immigration cases of the Trump administration’s crackdown. And at its center are questions about due process for undocumented immigrants.”
  —Jasmine Garst [12:01]

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Bill Pulte:
  “I don’t know what cause is if that’s not cause. I mean, this lady, I don’t understand how she can be in charge of setting interest rates for our country. And here she is potentially lying on her applications to get better interest rates.” [03:30]
• Scott Horsley:
  “Trump has really taken a sledgehammer to the protective barriers that are supposed to insulate the Fed.” [05:12]
• Alex Koma:
  “I frankly think that that has worked better than any system. Cashless bail is not a new phenomenon in the District.” [08:31]
• Judge Paulo Zinis, via Jasmine Garst:
  “Until Abrego Garcia has had a chance to challenge the deportation in court, the government is absolutely forbidden from removing him from the US.” [11:34]

Important Segment Timestamps

• Fed Governor firing story:
  [02:28–06:01]
• Cashless bail & National Guard:
  [06:02–10:24]
• Abrego Garcia immigration case:
  [10:34–13:59]

Tone and Style

The episode adopts a direct, analytical tone, blending concise news delivery with insight from journalists, legal experts, and policy analysts. The hosts and correspondents emphasize factual reporting, legal context, and the implications for governance, federal power, and civil liberties, with notable moments of pointed critique and clear citation of sources.

Summary

This episode of Up First captures three urgent stories intersecting politics, law, and personal rights: the Trump administration’s attempts to reshape the Federal Reserve and city policing in D.C., as well as the legal ordeal of an immigrant fighting deportation. Each segment raises fundamental questions about the reach of executive power and the resilience of legal checks and balances in American government.