Trump Pressures The Fed, Epstein Town Halls, France Recognizes Palestinian State

Summary

Up First from NPR – July 25, 2025

NPR's Up First delivers the three biggest stories of the day with insightful reporting and analysis. In today's episode, hosts Michelle Martin and Sacha Pfeiffer delve into President Trump's recent visit to the Federal Reserve, the Republicans' responses to questions about Jeffrey Epstein during town halls, and France's groundbreaking recognition of Palestine as a state.

---

1. President Trump's Pressuring of the Federal Reserve

Overview: President Donald Trump recently visited the Federal Reserve's renovation project, sparking discussions about his intentions. While the tour officially showcased construction efforts, Trump's persistent demands for lower interest rates raised questions about potential interference with the Fed's independent monetary policies.

Key Points:

• The Visit and Its Implications:

  • [00:02] Sacha Pfeiffer reports that Trump donned a hard hat during his tour of the Federal Reserve's renovation site, repeatedly urging Fed Chair Jerome Powell to lower interest rates.
  • [02:29] Russell Vogt comments, "It's a tough construction job... There's no question about it," highlighting the complexities of the renovation.

• Trump’s Criticism of the Fed:

  • During the tour, Trump presented Powell with a document and openly criticized the project’s cost and scope. He stated, "[02:54] Trump... generally speaking, he would fire someone who managed a project with cost overruns this large."
  • Despite the over-budget project due to factors like steel tariffs and Covid-related inflation, Trump remained dissatisfied, intertwining his criticism with his economic policy preferences.

• Monetary Policy Pressures:

  • [03:23] Emily Feng notes that interest rates were a central topic, with Trump branding Powell as "Too Late" in his repeated pleas for rate reductions.
  • [03:40] Russel Vogt emphasizes Trump's strong stance: "[05:22] He has every right to talk about what he thinks the Fed should do," but underscores the Fed's structural independence.

• Potential for Interference:

  • Discussions arose about the appropriateness of the White House's involvement, with Michael Martin questioning, "[04:27] ...what does the White House say about the criticism that what Trump is doing here is wildly inappropriate? It's interfering with that."
  • [05:45] Emily Feng adds, "It's not even clear that Trump could legally fire Powell," pointing to the constitutional safeguards of the Federal Reserve's autonomy.

Notable Quotes:

• Russell Vogt at [05:05]: "The president has a policy view about lower interest rates that is vitally important to the country economically and for the pocketbooks of the American people."

---

2. Republicans Addressing Jeffrey Epstein Concerns in Town Halls

Overview: As the U.S. House enters its summer recess, Republican lawmakers are confronting constituents' demands for transparency regarding the Jeffrey Epstein case during their telephone town hall meetings. This issue is particularly salient in swing states like Pennsylvania, where upcoming elections could hinge on voters' satisfaction with their representatives’ handling of the Epstein files.

Key Points:

• Town Hall Responses:

  • [06:16] Sacha Pfeiffer highlights that the Epstein investigation is a recurring topic across various government branches.
  • [06:46] Russell Vogt explains, "Republicans... have already held telephone town halls this week," where figures like Scott Perry and Ryan McKenzie have called for the release of more Epstein-related documents.

• Calls for Transparency:

  • Scott Perry stated, "I've requested the files. I have requested that the DOJ, and you can see the letter publicly that the DOJ released the file." [06:46]
  • Representative Eli Crane of Arizona supports a bipartisan resolution for transparency, stating, "[07:41] Now, Crane won his seat by nine points..."

• Democratic Perspectives:

  • [08:07] Russell Vogt shares insights from Representative Summer Lee, who emphasizes, "There's so much that's vying for Americans' attention and yet they were not distracted in this moment from this particular promise that Trump did not fulfill."
  • Despite other pressing issues like Medicaid cuts, Lee asserts that "Republicans are... just going to have to answer to their own voters on this issue."

• Voter Reactions and Political Implications:

  • [08:46] Russel Vogt suggests that responses from Republicans may not satisfy constituents, noting, "the responses probably won't be helpful to those who are not President Trump."
  • Analyst Sam Chen points out that while Trump remains untouchable, his allies may face backlash, potentially impacting their election prospects.

Notable Quotes:

• Tamara Keith at [07:26]: "I believe transparency should be the hallmark of every administration, whether they're Democrat or Republican."

---

3. France's Recognition of Palestine and Its Impact on Gaza

Overview: In a significant move, France has announced its intention to recognize Palestine as a state, marking the first G7 country to take such a stance. This development occurs amidst intense negotiations for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, where humanitarian conditions are deteriorating rapidly.

Key Points:

• Ceasefire Negotiations:

  • Negotiations for a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have stalled, with issues surrounding the extent of Israeli military presence in Gaza being a primary sticking point.
  • [10:04] Tamara Keith reports that despite initial optimism, talks hit a snag when Israeli negotiators withdrew from Qatar for consultations, leading to accusations of bad faith from both sides.

• Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza:

  • The UN warns that "one in five people in Gaza face starvation," with [12:02] Tamara Keith detailing the dire situation where civilians, including children, are resorting to extreme measures like consuming saltwater due to lack of food.
  • Aid organizations face obstacles in delivering essential supplies, as Israel controls the entry points into Gaza, causing delays and shortages of critical resources like fuel.

• France's Diplomatic Moves:

  • President Emmanuel Macron's decision to recognize Palestine aims to create a more balanced negotiating framework, stating that the current talks are unequal as they do not involve two recognized states.
  • This action has been met with strong opposition from Israel and the U.S., with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it a "reward to terror" and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeling it "reckless."

• Impact on Global and Regional Politics:

  • France's recognition could pressure other nations to follow suit, potentially reshaping the diplomatic landscape of the Middle East.
  • The move aims to push towards a more equitable peace process, though its effectiveness remains to be seen amidst ongoing conflicts and humanitarian concerns.

Notable Quotes:

• Amjad Al Shawa, a Palestinian aid worker, expresses desperation: "[13:15] ...he has not been able to get any fuel in, so they have no way to use the flour. And he is hoping and praying for a ceasefire just so he and his family can eat."
• Israeli Negotiator at [10:11]: "Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith."

---

Conclusion

Today's Up First episode shed light on critical issues ranging from presidential influence on the Federal Reserve, the Republican Party's handling of sensitive investigations, to international diplomacy affecting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. As these stories unfold, they underscore the intricate interplay between domestic politics and global affairs, highlighting the challenges faced by leaders and citizens alike.

---

Stay Informed: Subscribe to NPR's Up First for daily updates on the news that shapes our world.

Transcript

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

President Trump put on a hard hat to tour the renovation project at the Federal Reserve. He repeatedly mentioned to Fed Chair Jerome Powell that he wants interest rates lowered.

[Michelle Martin]

Was the visit really about the project or about jawboning?

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

I'm Sacha Pfeiffer. That's Michelle Martin. And this is up first from NPR News. Republicans nationwide are holding telephone town hall meetings with constituents, and many find themselves fielding questions about the release of information about Jeffrey Epstein.

[Tamara Keith]

I believe transparency should be the hallmark of every administration, whether they're Democrat or Republican.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

How are Republicans answering to their voters on this issue?

[Michelle Martin]

And France will soon recognize Palestine as a state. They say they want to speed the peace process by leveling the playing field at the negotiating table. Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

[NPR News]

This message comes from Mattress Firm. Summer nights should be refreshing, not restless. Mattress Firm has an assortment of mattresses and sleep solutions with cooling technology to help you stay comfortable all season long. Mattress Firm's sleep experts will match you with the right one because there's no one size fits all when it comes to sleep. Plus, you get 120 nights to try it, love it or your money back. Get matched at Mattress Firm's Fourth of July sale and sleep at night. Restrictions apply. See mattressfirm.com or stor. 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 Dell Technologies. The new Dell AI PC with Intel Core Ultra helps fast forward through busywork, leaving more time for you. Time. Get A new Dell AI PC starting at [e-mail] AI PC White House officials.

[Michelle Martin]

Say they still have a lot of questions about a renovation project at Federal Reserve headquarters.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

President Trump toured the construction site yesterday with Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and Bus. Both of them wore hard hats.

[Russell Vogt]

It's a tough construction job. They're building basements where they didn't exist or expanding them, and a lot of very expensive work. There's no question about it.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

Officially, that's what the visit was about. But there's no separating that tour from an ongoing pressure campaign by Trump and his allies to get the Fed to lower interest rates.

[Michelle Martin]

NPR senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith is here to tell us more about it. Good morning, Tam.

[Emily Feng]

Morning.

[Michelle Martin]

Okay, so tell us about this tour. What happened?

[Emily Feng]

It was contentious. Just the part we were able to see on camera included Trump presenting Powell with a document and the two men arguing over the cost and scope of the project. Trump, who has a background in real estate, even said that, generally speaking, he would fire someone who managed a project with cost overruns this large. And he said the word fired with a flair that he used to use on his show, the Apprentice.

[Michelle Martin]

So was this really about the construction project, or did they talk about monetary policy?

[Emily Feng]

Interest rates were front and center. Trump has been badgering Powell for weeks about this, even giving him the nickname Too Late. And then, with the Fed chairman standing right next to him, Trump was asked if there was anything Powell could say to make him back off some of the earlier criticisms.

[Russell Vogt]

Well, I'd love him to lower interest rates. Other than that, what can I tell you?

[Emily Feng]

While at the Fed, Trump repeatedly said he wanted interest rates lowered significantly.

[Michelle Martin]

So. So remind us again, what is the issue with the Fed building?

[Emily Feng]

Yeah, the project is very much over budget by hundreds of millions of dollars, in part due to steel tariffs, Covid inflation, and the challenges of retrofitting historic buildings with modern standards. But Trump didn't seem particularly satisfied. And neither were top aides who came with him on the tour, including Budget Director Russell Vogt, who made it clear that this is not going away.

[Russell Vogt]

This is our first site visit. We want to get to the bottom of what we can learn from it and how to do it better. And we're going to continue to ask questions, and we won't get ahead of anything else.

[Michelle Martin]

You know, just to remind that the Fed is supposed to be independent. I also want to remember that Trump actually appointed Chairman Powell in his first term. But. So what does the White House say about the criticism that what Trump is doing here is wildly inappropriate? It's interfering with that.

[Emily Feng]

Yeah. I just have to say this was all highly unusual. The last president to visit the Fed was President George W. Bush in 2006 for wearing in ceremony. So the sight of President Trump scolding the Fed chairman about interest rates on his own ground was pretty remarkable. Last night, I asked vote whether this was a pressure campaign, and vote acted like these were two unrelated matters.

[Russell Vogt]

The president has a policy view about lower interest rates that is vitally important to the country economically and for the pocketbooks of the American people. And he is a builder that looks at largesse and just automatically starts to think about how what he would do in that situation.

[Emily Feng]

He said the president has every right to talk about what he thinks the Fed should do.

[Michelle Martin]

So, Tam, though I still think the big question here is whether this focus on the building is all a pretext to fire the Fed chairman.

[Emily Feng]

Yeah. Trump said firing Powell would be a big move he didn't think was necessary.

[Russell Vogt]

You know, his term comes up soon. I think he's going to do the right thing. Everybody knows what the right thing is.

[Emily Feng]

He means lowering rates only. It's not even clear that Trump could legally fire Powell. And he's not the sole decider on interest rates. The entire Federal Reserve Board of Governors gets a vote.

[Michelle Martin]

That is NPR's Tamara Keith. Tam, thank you.

[Emily Feng]

You're welcome.

[Michelle Martin]

The U.S. house of Representatives is just starting its summer recess, but questions about Jeffrey Epstein are following lawmakers to their home districts.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

The push to release more files in the Epstein investigation has spread to several branches of government.

[Michelle Martin]

Why's Carmen, Russell Sluchansky has been listening to some of the town halls that have happened so far in Pennsylvania, and he is with us now to tell us more about them. Good morning, Carmen.

[Russell Vogt]

Good morning, Michelle.

[Michelle Martin]

Okay, so we know that Pennsylvania is an important swing state. President Trump won the state in last year's presidential election and Biden won before that. And it's home to some key competitive House races happening next year. So what have you been hearing so far about how much people care about this issue?

[Russell Vogt]

Well, Republicans in a couple of those key swing districts you mentioned have already held telephone town halls this week. One of them, Scott Perry, won his South Central district last year by only around 1%. And he responded to a question about the Epstein files by saying he's been, quote, out front on calling for more details. I have requested the files. I have requested that the doj, and you can see the letter publicly that the DOJ released the file. Not only that, that they provide a special prosecutor. Ryan McKenzie, a freshman representative in another swing district, had a very similar response.

[Michelle Martin]

So the House recess just started. But are we seeing the same thing happen in other states?

[Russell Vogt]

Well, yeah. For example, Representative Eli Crane of Arizona, who supports a bipartisan resolution calling for the release of the record, said this during his own telephone town hall this week with thanks to KJZ's Michelle Marisco for getting this audio.

[Tamara Keith]

I believe transparency should be the hallmark of every administration, whether they're Democrat or Republican.

[Russell Vogt]

Now, Crane won his seat by nine points in last year's election, so he's probably not particularly vulnerable going into 2026. But he is on a list of a few dozen Republicans Democrats think they can beat.

[Michelle Martin]

So, you know, we've seen this issue reveal some divisions within the Republican Party. What about Democrats? How are Democrats focusing on this in Pennsylvania, where you are?

[Russell Vogt]

Well, I called Representative Summer Lee, who represents the Pittsburgh area here in Pennsylvania and led a bipartisan panel effort to subpoena the DOJ files. And here's what she said.

[Emily Feng]

There's so much that's vying for Americans.

[Michelle Martin]

Attention and yet they were not distracted in this moment from this particular promise that Trump did not fulfill. They were not willing to turn away from this one.

[Russell Vogt]

Now, Lee added, there's plenty of other concerns for voters to be focused on right now, like cuts to Medicaid and federal agencies. But she says Republicans are, you know, just going to have to answer to their own voters on this issue.

[Michelle Martin]

And do you have a sense of whether these responses are likely to satisfy their constituents concerns?

[Russell Vogt]

Well, since these were telephone town halls, we didn't really get to hear how people reacted. But I reached out to Sam Chen, who has run several Republican congressional campaigns, who said that the responses probably won't be helpful to those who are not President Trump. Yeah, we call them Teflon Don for a reason. And it doesn't seem like anything really sticks to him. Trump liked candidates don't have his kind of teflonness when they campaign. And so a lot of them lose. That's a very unique thing to the president. And this is just the beginning of a summer break for Congress. So we still have weeks to go to see how it shakes out, that is.

[Michelle Martin]

Why's Carmen Russell Sluchansky. Carmen, thank you.

[Russell Vogt]

Thank you.

[Michelle Martin]

Going overseas now, Hunger is rampant in Gaza. More than 100 human rights and aid organizations have delivered a statement saying what they call Israel's total siege has, quote, created chaos, starvation and death.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

The United nations warns that one in five people in Gaza face starvation. Meanwhile, representatives for Israel and the US have left Qatar where they've been negotiating a possible ceasefire in Israel's war in Gaza.

[Michelle Martin]

With us now to tell us more about all of this is NPR's Emily Feng, who is in Tel Aviv. Emily, hello. Thanks for joining us.

[Tamara Keith]

Hi, Michelle.

[Michelle Martin]

So let's start with the ceasefire negotiations. They've been going on for more than two weeks now. Do we have a sense of where they stand?

[Tamara Keith]

There has been no results so far. You know, there had been hope building in Gaza, in Israel, where I am over the last week for a potential 60 day ceasefire. And the US's Middle east envoy, Steve Witkoff had traveled to Italy to meet with Israeli representatives this week as well. You know, one of the sticking points in these negotiations is just how much of an Israeli military presence will be in Gaza long term. But Hamas presented its response to this issue and other issues. And an Israeli source involved in the negotiations said that Israel found this response, quote, workable. And then the negotiations hit a bump on Thursday. Israeli negotiators, as you mentioned, suddenly left Qatar saying they needed to consult with leaders back home. The US Team also left. And then Witkoff said Hamas, quote, does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith. Hamas quickly said in a statement it was, quote, surprised by negative statements from Witkoff. Israel's state media, however, is assuring that there's no collapse to the talk. Just a pause. And Wyckoff said the U.S. will consider other alternatives from negotiations for stabilizing Gaza, but he didn't elaborate what those were.

[Michelle Martin]

So, in another development, France's President Emmanuel Macron says France will soon recognize Palestine as a state. Could that affect negotiations?

[Tamara Keith]

Well, that's precisely the argument from French officials about why they're recognizing Palestine. They argue that when Israel sits down to negotiate with Palestinians, it's an unequal relationship because. Because they're not sitting down as two equal states. And that's why France says there's no peace. Now. More than 140 countries already recognize Palestine as a state, but France, this is notable, is the first G7 country to do so. Israel and the US have strongly opposed this. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said France's decision, quote, rewards terror. And Secretary of State Marco Rubio called France's decision reckless.

[Michelle Martin]

So tell us more about the war in Gaza and the state of civilians there. Gaza health officials say the latest figure is 113 people have died of malnutrition there, and some of them certainly children.

[Tamara Keith]

Yeah, there's, there's no beating around the bush. The situation is dire in Gaza, and Pier's producer in Gaza, Anas Baba, has been sending me daily, almost hourly updates over the last week on how people there cannot find food to buy even if they have the money to pay for skyrocketing prices. He himself has been surviving and sometimes less than one meal a day. And he's saying that parents there have begun giving their children salt water because they simply do not have anything else to give. The UN says about 100,000 women and children in Gaza face severe malnutrition, that they need medical treatment immediately. And this mass hunger has led to the more than 2 million people in Gaza facing severe risk and led to growing global condemnation of Israel for its controls on letting in food to Gaza. Aid organizations say they have trucks with food at Gaza's borders, but they cannot get permission from Israel's military to enter.

[Michelle Martin]

So, Emily, Israel is saying that aid is going in, and Israeli officials have blamed Hamas for hampering aid efforts. So what can you tell us about the situation?

[Tamara Keith]

Israel says it's allowing aid to get in mostly through this US And Israeli design distribution system. And Israel claims it's the UN that's not been capable of getting their trucks into Gaza to distribute food. So we reached out to the UN Office, which coordinates aid in Gaza, and they push back. They said Israel decides who and what gets into Gaza and when. They say there are routinely delays and they need the Israeli military to stop bombing Gaza to let their drivers in. They're asking that Israeli troops stay away from their aid routes as well, because Israeli troops have shot dozens of people needing food who have approached the UN Trucks just this week alone. And this week I spoke to Amjad Al Shawa, who runs a Palestinian aid organization on the ground in Gaza. He says he's been able to get some flour and medical supplies, but he has not been able to get any fuel in, so they have no way to use the flower. And he is hoping and praying for a ceasefire just so he and his family can eat.

[Michelle Martin]

That is NPR's Emily Fang. She's in Tel Aviv. Emily, thank you.

[Tamara Keith]

Thanks, Michelle.

[Michelle Martin]

And that's up first for Friday, July 25th. I'm Michelle Martin.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

And I'm Sacha Pfeiffer. What happens when the independence of the Justice Department is threatened?

[Emily Feng]

The Department of Justice is essentially whatever the president wants it to be right.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

Now, and its new leaders say they take their cues from the White House.

[Michelle Martin]

We are so proud to work at.

[Emily Feng]

The directive of Donald Trump.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

Tune in to the Sunday Story from Up first for a look at the changing leadership of the DOJ and how that impacts the rule of law in America. That's the Sunday Story from the up first podcast.

[Michelle Martin]

Today's episode of up first was edited by Roberta Rampton, Padmananda Rama, Hannah Block, Janae Williams and Ellis Wolfley. It was produced by Ziad Buch, Nia Dumas, Christopher Thomas, and Claire Murashima. And today is Claire's last day with us. We will miss her a lot and we wish her the best with her next chapter. So goodbye, Claire, and thanks for all the tiktoks. We get engineering support from Stacy Abbott. Our technical director is Carly Strange. And Our Executive producer is Jay Shaylor. We hope you'll have a great weekend.

[NPR News]

This message comes from Strawberry Me. You've worked hard to get where you are, but what's next? Strawberry Me Career coaching helps professionals like you take the next big step with confidence by matching you with a certified career coach who understands your goals and challenges. This isn't just advice, it's a personalized, results driven approach to uncover hidden strengths, overcome obstacles and accelerate your career growth. Visit Strawberry Me NPR to claim your $50 credit. This message comes from NOCD. Have you ever had an unwanted thought that gets stuck in your head? It could be ocd. OCD can cause distress in all areas of life, from relationships to how you view yourself, but it's also highly treatable. NOCD's licensed therapists are specially trained in identifying and treating OCD. If you think you're struggling with OCD, visit nocd.com to schedule a free 15 minute call. That's no c d com this message.

[Tamara Keith]

Comes from Mint Mobile. Mint Mobile took what's wrong with wireless and made it right. They offer premium wireless plans for less and all plans include high speed data, unlimited talk and text, and nationwide coverage. See for [e-mail]. switch.