Trump and Zelenskyy Feud, DOGE Savings Claims, Hamas Releases Four Hostage Bodies

Summary

Up First from NPR – February 20, 2025

NPR's "Up First" delivers the three biggest stories of the day with in-depth reporting and analysis. In this episode, hosts Michelle Martin and Steve Inskeep delve into President Trump's escalating feud with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, scrutinize Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) budget-saving claims, and report on Hamas's release of four Israeli hostages' bodies. Below is a comprehensive summary of the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode.

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1. Trump and Zelenskyy Feud

Overview:
President Donald Trump has intensified his personal attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling him a "dictator" and pressuring him over peace negotiations concerning the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Key Points:

• Personal Attacks:
  Trump labeled Zelenskyy a dictator, echoing Russian rhetoric that questions Zelenskyy's legitimacy. In a social media post, Trump also mocked Zelenskyy as a "modestly successful comedian" who deceived the U.S. into funding the war.

  "Trump called Zelensky a dictator." (00:25)

• Peace Negotiations:
  Despite both leaders agreeing that the war should end, their strategies diverge sharply. The U.S. has been pressuring Ukraine to submit to peace talks that currently exclude Kyiv from the discussions.

  "They're so far apart on how to get there?" (00:25)

• Historical Context:
  The strained relationship dates back to the first Trump administration, notably the 2019 call where Trump solicited investigations into Vice President Joe Biden, leading to Trump's first impeachment.

  "Trump never really respected Zelensky and continues to carry a lot of negative baggage about him." – Andrea Kendall Taylor, Center for New American Security (04:19)

• Zelenskyy's Response:
  Zelenskyy has been cautious in his responses, asserting that Trump is amplifying Russian misinformation while maintaining respect for the U.S. president.

  "As much as he respects Trump, the US President appears to be amplifying Russian disinformation." (05:02)

• Future Developments:
  International leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are expected to engage with Trump, emphasizing Europe's exclusion from negotiations and concerns over the longevity of any potential deal.

  "We're really just waiting to see what happens with that." – Franco Ordonez (13:02)

Conclusions:
The Trump-Zelenskyy feud complicates U.S. involvement in peace negotiations, potentially undermining Ukraine's position. Historical mistrust and personal attacks detract from collaborative efforts to resolve the conflict, raising concerns among European allies about the effectiveness and durability of peace agreements.

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2. DOGE Savings Claims Under Scrutiny

Overview:
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has claimed to have saved billions from the federal budget. However, NPR's investigation reveals significant discrepancies in these claims.

Key Points:

• Initial Claims vs. Reality:
  DOGE announced a "$55 billion" savings through measures like fraud detection, workforce reductions, and programmatic changes. However, NPR's analysis found that the actual savings amount to only $2 billion upon verification.

  "A DOGE website kept promising receipts and this week the website published some. But those receipts add up to far less in savings than claimed." (00:46)

• Transparency Issues:
  DOGE's tracking of savings is less transparent compared to other government data sources. NPR's Kat Lonsdorf had to sift through over 130,000 contracts to verify DOGE's claims, only to find significant overstatements.

  "The DOGE website, Michelle, is actually less transparent about these contracts than other public government data sources." – Kat Lonsdorf (07:34)

• Critical Errors:
  A major typo in DOGE's reporting erroneously inflated a contract listing from $8 million to $8 billion, contributing to half of the overstated savings figure. Despite the typo being corrected weeks prior, DOGE only updated their website recently and has not provided clarity on their processes.

  "Half of the savings claimed in these receipts comes from what Doge said was actually a typo." – Kat Lonsdorf (08:10)

• Further Discrepancies:
  Beyond the typo, more than half of the listed contracts have not been canceled, a third do not result in any actual savings, and only $2 billion can be confidently attributed to verified terminations.

  "All the contracts listed haven't actually been canceled yet... a third of the entries don't actually result in any savings." – Kat Lonsdorf (08:21)

• Expert Opinions:
  Jessica Riedel from the Manhattan Institute emphasizes that meaningful federal budget cuts require competent administration and congressional action, rather than unilateral executive efforts like DOGE.

  "Trump's overarching vision to remake the federal government by making it a lot smaller and a lot more aligned with his worldview." – Kat Lonsdorf (09:55)

Conclusions:
DOGE's ambitious savings claims fall short upon scrutiny, revealing issues of transparency and accuracy. The effort appears more symbolic than substantive, aligning with President Trump's broader agenda to reduce federal government size without delivering substantial financial savings. Experts argue that genuine budgetary reforms necessitate legislative action and meticulous fiscal management.

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3. Hamas Releases Bodies of Four Israeli Hostages

Overview:
In a somber development, Hamas has released the bodies of four Israeli hostages, including a mother and her two young sons. This marks the first such release under the current ceasefire.

Key Points:

• Details of the Release:
  Hamas released the remains of Shiri Bibis and her two sons, Ariel and Kafir, along with the body of 84-year-old Oded Lifshitz. These individuals were taken hostage during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel.

  "Hamas says that they are the bodies of Shiri Bibis and her two young sons, Ariel and Kafir, as well as the body of 84 year old Oded Lifshitz." – Jessica Riedel (10:35)

• Circumstances of Death:
  Hamas claims that all four hostages were killed by Israeli strikes during their captivity in Gaza. Israel plans to conduct forensic examinations to confirm identities and determine causes of death.

  "Hamas says all four were killed by Israeli strikes during their time in captivity in Gaza." (11:35)

• Public Reaction and Ceremonies:
  In Gaza, Hamas held a controlled ceremony for the deceased, which was notably somber and less propagandistic compared to previous releases. In Israel, the transport of the caskets through Tel Aviv was met with public solidarity and respect.

  "In Gaza, large crowds gathered in Khan Yunus... In Israel, large crowds gathered along the route to show solidarity and respect." – Jessica Riedel (11:51)

• Significance of the Release:
  The release of these bodies is unprecedented in the current ceasefire, signaling a potential shift in Hamas's handling of hostages. The individuals released had become symbolic figures in Israel, representing the human cost of the conflict.

  "The Bes family had become this household name here." – Jessica Riedel (10:38)

• Future Hostage Exchanges:
  The ceasefire agreement outlines further releases, with six live hostages expected to be freed in exchange for over 600 Palestinians from Israeli jails. However, negotiations for subsequent phases have yet to commence.

  "Saturday is going to be a big day... They’ll be released in exchange for more than 600 Palestinians released from Israeli jails." – Jessica Riedel (13:02)

Conclusions:
The release of the four Israeli hostages' bodies by Hamas underlines the tragic human toll of the ongoing conflict. While it reflects a willingness from Hamas to engage in partial compliance with the ceasefire, significant challenges remain in negotiating the release of remaining hostages. The international community continues to monitor these developments closely, hoping for a sustainable resolution to the hostilities.

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Final Thoughts

Today's "Up First" episode from NPR provides critical updates on international relations, government accountability, and ongoing conflicts. The escalating tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy highlight the complexities of U.S. foreign policy, while the investigation into DOGE's savings claims underscores the need for transparency in government operations. Additionally, the release of hostages' bodies by Hamas serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring human impact of geopolitical strife.

For those seeking to stay informed with comprehensive and reliable news, subscribing to "Up First+" offers sponsor-free listening and enhanced content. Support your local NPR station and stay connected with the stories that shape our world.

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This summary is based on the transcript of the "Up First" podcast episode released on February 20, 2025. For more detailed information, consider listening to the full episode available on the NPR app or NPR's website.

Transcript

[Steve Inskeep]

I finally got a good night's sleep.

[Michelle Martin]

Really?

[Steve Inskeep]

How come? How'd you do it?

[Michelle Martin]

Whatever. You can tell me.

[Steve Inskeep]

No, I slipped. I slept. Well, what you do is you sleep badly for several nights in a row and then you're so tired.

[Michelle Martin]

You're so tired you crash. Yes, exactly.

[Steve Inskeep]

Works every time.

[Michelle Martin]

Well, I get that.

[Steve Inskeep]

Not quite every time. President Trump is pressuring Ukraine's president with personal attacks.

[Michelle Martin]

Trump called Zelensky a dictator. Zelensky accused Trump of spreading misinformation. They both agree the war in Ukraine should end. So why are they so far apart on how to get there?

[Steve Inskeep]

I'm Steve Inskeep with Michelle Martin, and this is up first from NPR News. Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency claims to have trimmed billions of dollars from the federal budget.

[Franco Ordonez]

What Musk and Doge are doing is more cosmetic, symbolic changes that won't save money, but might sound good.

[Steve Inskeep]

Our correspondent added up the receipts and found a different number. What's the real bottom line?

[Michelle Martin]

And HA released the bodies of four Israeli hostages today. What's known about them and the circumstances in which they died? Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

[Stephen Fowler]

This message comes from Grammarly. The work week can be fast paced and it's hard to focus on getting everything done. Let Grammarly be your AI writing partner. It works where you do and can help you write and quickly edit with suggestions. 93% of professionals report that Grammarly helps them get more work done. Get more done with Grammarly. Download Grammarly for [e-mail] podcast. That's Grammarly.com podcast. This message comes from Schwab. At Schwab, how you invest is your choice, not theirs. That's why when it comes to managing your wealth, Schwab gives you more choices. You can invest and trade on your own. Plus get advice and more comprehensive wealth solutions to help meet your unique needs. With award winning service, low costs and transparent advice, you can manage your wealth your way. At Schwab. Visit schwab.com to learn more. This message comes from HubSpot, where you can create content fast, get better leads and crush reporting all in one place. Visit HubSpot.com marketers to see how companies like yours are generating 110% more leads in just 12 months.

[Michelle Martin]

President Trump is escalating his personal attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Calling him a dictator, Trump is pressuring.

[Steve Inskeep]

The Ukrainian to submit to peace talks that so far have not included Ukraine. The US Also pressed Zelenskyy to sign an agreement that would share Ukraine's mineral rights with the United States. Zelenskyy has said Ukraine needs to be included in any negotiations. And it's in this context that the American president made a stream of remarks about the Ukrainian leader.

[Michelle Martin]

NPR White House correspondent Franco Ordonez is here to tell us more about this. Good morning, Franco.

[Franco Ordonez]

Good morning, Mich.

[Michelle Martin]

So tell us more about these dictator comments. What's the backstory here?

[Franco Ordonez]

Yeah, I mean, what Trump called Zelensky a dictator without elections, basically echoing Russian talking points that Zelensky is an illegitimate leader and that Ukraine needs new elections now. In that same social media post, Trump also mocked Zelenskyy as a, quote, modestly successful comedian who basically tricked the US into spending billions and billions of dollars on the war. Trump also appeared to blame Zelensky for the R invasion. All this as Alinsky has raised concerns about, as Steve said, Ukraine being excluded from US Negotiations with Russia over ending the war. Here's Trump talking about it on Tuesday.

[Kat Lonsdorf]

Today I heard, oh, well, we weren't invited.

[Jessica Riedel]

Well, you've been there for three years.

[Michelle Martin]

You should have ended it.

[Kat Lonsdorf]

Three years.

[Michelle Martin]

You should have never started it. You could have made a deal.

[Franco Ordonez]

Now, just to be very, very clear, Ukraine did not start the war. Russia did. But Trump also suggested that Zelensky's popularity had fallen as low as 4%. It's actually over 40%, 50%.

[Michelle Martin]

So. Okay, it's over 50%. Okay. I think it would be helpful here to go back into the history dating back to the first Trump administration. Talking about the history between these two men remind us of that. And how does this play into what's happening now?

[Franco Ordonez]

Yeah, I mean, it was that first call with zelensky back in 2019 where Trump asked for a favor to dig up dirt on Vice President Biden that kicked off Trump's first impeachment. I did speak with Andrea Kendall Taylor at the center for New American Security, and she says Trump never really respected Zelensky and continues to carry a lot of negative baggage about him and Ukraine.

[Jessica Riedel]

That definitely colors the lens through which he is approaching these negotiations with Russia.

[Franco Ordonez]

And his sidelining of Zelenskyy in the process. Now, of course, it's a complex relationship, and like many of Trump's relationships with foreign leaders, it can really be hot or cold depending on the circumstances.

[Michelle Martin]

How is Zelenskyy responding to these latest attacks?

[Franco Ordonez]

I mean, very carefully. He's long used flattery to try to win favor with Trump, but he's been pushing back, you know, after Trump questioned Zelenskyy's poll number. Zelensky told reporters that as much as he respects Trump, the US President appears to be amplifying Russian disinformation.

[Michelle Martin]

What's next? What are we looking for?

[Franco Ordonez]

Well, the French President Emmanuel Macron will be in Washington next week to meet with Trump. Also, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is also expected to visit. Now, like many leaders, Macron and others are concerned about Europe not being part of these negotiations with Russia. The big worry across Europe is that even if a deal is reach, it won't be lasting and that Russia will likely invade again as he has before. The worry across Europe is that even if a deal is reached, it won't be lasting and Russia will likely invade again and possibly another European nation, that is.

[Michelle Martin]

NPR's Franco Ordonez. Franco, thank you.

[Franco Ordonez]

Thank you, Michelle.

[Michelle Martin]

The Trump administration has posted a new online tracker that lists what it describes as the dollar saved by the Department of Government Efficiency.

[Steve Inskeep]

That is the cost cutting effort championed by Elon Musk and President Trump. Musk made a stream of claims on social media in recent weeks about big savings. A DOGE website kept promising receipts and this week the website published some. But those receipts add up to far less in savings than claimed.

[Michelle Martin]

NPR's Stephen Fowler did the math. He is here with us now to tell us what he found. Good morning, Steven.

[Kat Lonsdorf]

Good morning.

[Michelle Martin]

Okay, so what this online DOGE document claim to track.

[Kat Lonsdorf]

So Monday a Savings page on doge.gov went live. It says there's been savings so far of $55 billion. What's included in that? Doge says things like fraud detection, deletion, workforce reductions, programmatic changes, and regulatory savings. Exactly how those changes fit into the overall savings estimate is still tbd. They promise to keep adding more information. What we do have shared for now is a list of some of the government contracts Doge says were canceled in recent what they call a wall of receipts. That adds up to about $16 billion in alleged savings.

[Michelle Martin]

Important to note here that Elon Musk, the tech mogul and also I want to point out a government contractor who heads up this group, insists that the work is transparent. So two questions here. Is it transparent? And now that you've been reviewing these contracts, how do their numbers stack up with what you have found?

[Kat Lonsdorf]

The DOGE website, Michelle, is actually less transparent about these contracts than other public government data sources. So I had to search through 130,000 plus contracts that have been changed from January 20 to Monday to see if I could match them up with what DOGE shared, but the claims weren't off by just a little bit, but rather overstated by billions. Half of the savings claimed in these receipts comes from what Doge said was actually a typo entered into the federal contract database a few years ago that made a listing worth up to $8 million look like $8 billion. That typo was fixed in the system a few weeks ago, but only fixed on the Doge website yesterday. I will note here Doge has not responded to multiple request from NPR to get clarity about their process.

[Michelle Martin]

Okay, that's a pretty big typo, Steven. Okay, so what about the rest of the claims?

[Kat Lonsdorf]

Here's three big things I found. One, more than half of the contracts listed haven't actually been canceled yet. Two, a third of the entries don't actually result in any savings by Doge's own accounting. These are contracts that were already maxed out and couldn't see any more spending in the future. Three, the terminations I could verify only add up to about $2 billion saved, mainly through cuts that accompany the attempted dismantling of the Education Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and USAID.

[Michelle Martin]

Okay, so a purported $55 billion in savings shrinks to $16 billion, which, upon further examination, you found is just $2 billion. Well, one could argue that's still a lot of money, though.

[Kat Lonsdorf]

Well, for you or me, or even a nice business, yes. But the federal government spent more than $6.7 trillion with a T and a lot more zeros than the last fiscal year. Here's Jessica Riedel with the Manhattan Institute. She studied ways to cut wasteful spending from the budget. From a conservative policy perspective, it has.

[Stephen Fowler]

To be done legally through Congress, and it has to be done competently by people who understand federal budget and accounting. And what Musk and Doge are doing.

[Franco Ordonez]

Is more cosmetic, symbolic changes that won't save money, but might sound good.

[Kat Lonsdorf]

Basically, Riedel says any meaningful cuts to federal spending has to come from Congress having hard debates over how to do it quickly.

[Michelle Martin]

Stephen, if meaningful savings have to be achieved through difficult conversations in Congress and the Doge effort isn't actually saving much money, what is the point?

[Kat Lonsdorf]

Well, it's not about pinching pennies. It's about a manifestation of President Trump's overarching vision to remake the federal government by making it a lot smaller and a lot more aligned with his worldview.

[Michelle Martin]

That is NPR's Stephen Fowler. Stephen, thank you.

[Kat Lonsdorf]

Thank you.

[Michelle Martin]

Hamas has released the bodies of what it says are four Israeli hostages back to Israel, including the body of a mother and her two young sons.

[Steve Inskeep]

They will undergo forensic testing in Israel to confirm their identity. This is the first time that Hamas has released the bodies of hostages under the current ceasefire.

[Michelle Martin]

For more, we're joined by NPR's Kat Lahnsdorf in Tel Aviv. Good morning, Kat. It must be a difficult day there.

[Jessica Riedel]

Yeah, yeah, it is. It's pretty somber here.

[Michelle Martin]

So what can you tell us about the remains that were released? Who were they?

[Jessica Riedel]

So Hamas says that they are the bodies of Shiri Bibis and her two young sons, Ariel and Kafir, as well as the body of 84 year old Oded Lifshitz. All four of them were taken hostage in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel. Shiri's husband Yarden was also taken hostage with the rest of the family on that day. The Bes family had become a symbol here in Israel of the plight of the hostages in Gaza. The the two children, ages 4 and 9 months when they were captured, were the youngest hostages taken. So Bebus had become this household name here. Posters of their faces are plastered on sidewalks and commemorations had been held in the children's birthdays. Then the dad was released alive earlier this month. ODED liftschifts the other body released today was a retired journalist and peace activist. His wife had also been taken hostage, but was released earlier in the war.

[Michelle Martin]

Do we know how they died?

[Jessica Riedel]

Well, Hamas says all four were killed by Israeli strikes during their time in captivity in Gaza. Israel says it will take the bodies to an Israeli forensic institute here in Tel Aviv which will examine them and provide official identification and also seek to determine the cause of death.

[Michelle Martin]

This is the first time that Hamas has handed over bodies during this war. The previous releases have been of hostages who were alive. So would you mind just describing the scene? Like, what was it like both in Gaza and in Israel? Was it different?

[Jessica Riedel]

Yeah, it was definitely more somber and much less celebratory on both sides. In Gaza, large crowds gathered in Khan Yunus. In the south, masked Hamas gunmen presided over a ceremony on a stage with four coffins draped in black. There were large posters on both sides of the stage in Hebrew and English. One depicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a fanged vampire. Another said that if Israel resumed the war, more hostages would come home in coffins in Israel. Unlike previous releases, the Hamas ceremony was not broadcast on Israeli tv, and Israeli media outlets did not publish images from it out of respect for the families. Once the caskets were in Israeli custody, they were then draped with Israeli flags and then they were driven from Gaza to Tel Aviv, and large crowds gathered along the route to show solidarity and respect.

[Michelle Martin]

So you've obviously been following the ceasefire deal very closely, what's expected to happen next in the coming days and in the ceasefire deal.

[Jessica Riedel]

Yeah. So Saturday is going to be a big day. The remaining six live hostages that Hamas has committed to releasing in this first phase will be released, including two have been held for around a decade. And they'll be released in exchange for more than 600 Palestinians released from Israeli jails. This first phase of the deal ends on March 2nd. And so far, talks for the next phase haven't started yet. They were supposed to start weeks ago. So we're really just waiting to see what happens with that, you know. Meanwhile, there still will be dozens of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Around half of them are believed to be Alive.

[Michelle Martin]

That is NPR's Kat Lonsdorf in Tel Aviv. Thank you, Kat.

[Jessica Riedel]

Thank you.

[Michelle Martin]

And that's up first for Thursday, February 20th. I'm Michelle Martin.

[Steve Inskeep]

And I'm Steve Inskeep. Listen make your next listen. Consider this, or at least consider it. The team behind NPR's All Things Considered goes deep into a single news story and gets you deep in 15 minutes. Listen now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Michelle Martin]

Today's episode of up first was edited by Dana Farrington, Padmananda Rama, Dee Dee Skanke, Reena Advani and Janay Williams. It was produced by Ziad Bunch, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Stacy Abbott, and our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

[Stephen Fowler]

This message comes from NPR sponsor Rosetta Stone, an expert in language learning for 30 years. Right now, NPR listeners can get Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership to 25 different languages for 50% off. Learn more at RosettaStone.com NPR this message.

[Michelle Martin]

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[Kat Lonsdorf]

It's all the invisible extras without the.

[Michelle Martin]

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[Kat Lonsdorf]

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[Michelle Martin]

Their hundreds of stores around the country.