Scott Simon

And the IMF's chief economist, Pierre-Olivier Garincha, says that's going to lead to higher inflation, at least in the short run, and slower economic growth.

Other countries are also taking a hit from Trump's tariffs. The IMF stopped short of predicting a global recession, but says it expects trade growth to slow sharply in the coming year. So what does this mean then for businesses here and also around the globe? It means a lot of questions.

You know, we started this month with the president imposing very high tariffs on goods from all around the world. Many of those tariffs have since been suspended, but most imports still face a tax of at least 10%. And of course, goods from China are facing tariffs of 145%. That has brought a lot of trade between the world's two biggest economies to a near standstill.

I talked with Jonathan Silva, who runs a company in Massachusetts that manufactures high-end board games in China. He's got three or four truckloads of Finnish games that are basically stranded now because of those triple-digit tariffs. And his customers, like Target and Costco, have halted more than $16 million worth of orders in just the last couple of weeks.

This is the time of year when Silva would ordinarily be placing orders with Chinese manufacturers for games to be delivered before next Christmas. Instead, those plans are stuck in tariff limbo.

Any sign of those cooler heads? Well, possibly. As you all mentioned, Treasury Secretary Scott Besant has emerged as kind of the administration's good cop on trade. And yesterday, Bloomberg and others reported that Besant was telling investors he sees the current level of tariffs between the U.S. and China as unsustainable and suggesting there could be some de-escalation.

That was welcome news on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged more than 1,000 points yesterday. Markets were also probably relieved that Trump said after the closing bell yesterday that he has no intention of firing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. As big a drag as this trade war is for the global economy, the IMF's Karincha says it doesn't have to be that way.

That'd be good not only for businesses and consumers in the U.S. who want to buy stuff from China, but for American farmers and factories that want to sell their products around the world. All right.

You're welcome.

How does it look now? Yeah, not so strong. The IMF lowered its forecast for GDP growth in the U.S. by almost a full percentage point as a result of that trade war. Businesses and consumers in the U.S. now have to pay an extra tax on almost everything we import.

good morning leila good morning just waking up yes i'm so tired today oh i'm so sorry but i sound like this all the time you're the first person i've spoken to though wow i'm touched do you know i run into like listeners who will say that they'll say you're the first person who talks to me in the morning oh that's sweet yeah There might be variants on that.

Starting today, the tax on the imported metals is 50%, and that is double what it was yesterday. It's the president's latest move and is constantly shifting trade war.

You're the first person I like who I talked to today.

How will new tariffs affect the cost of U.S.-made products that use imported aluminum and steel?

The president would like Congress to vote down money that it previously voted up. $8 billion are for the U.S. Agency for International Development. $1.1 billion are set aside to support the next two years of public broadcasting, mainly local stations. The process of taking back the money is called rescission. Congress has 45 days to approve these requests or let them die.

NPR covers itself like anybody else, so we will give you the facts, and no NPR newsroom or corporate executives had any input into this story.

Domestic businesses consider the cost. I'm Steve Inskeep with Leila Fadal, and this is Up First from NPR News. The White House formally asked Congress to claw back some spending it had previously approved. The administration made that request after failing to cut spending very much on its own.

As with so much else about this war, there are conflicting accounts of what happened. Israeli military officials say the troops fired warning shots, quote, near a few individual suspects, but Israel says they did not fire at crowds. Airstrikes continued overnight in Gaza as Israel expands its military campaign and continues to restrict aid into the enclave.

What would a vote in Congress mean for public broadcasting and foreign aid?

And I'm Steve Inskeep. Your next listen can be Consider This from NPR News. Up First gives you the three big stories of the day. Consider This goes deep into a single story in less than 15 minutes. Listen now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

If they're allowed to get away with this, then it means that the immigration laws are meaningless, all of them.

I mean, if they're allowed to get away with this, then it means that the immigration laws are meaningless, all of them.

Good morning, Michelle.

Well, investors were thrilled. The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared more than 1,100 points yesterday. For the importers I talked to, the reaction was more determination and a feeling that, all right, it's time to get back to work. A lot of importers had been in a holding pattern since those 145% tariffs took effect last month. Now the tariff's been cut to 30%, at least temporarily.

And for Jonathan Silva, who runs a Massachusetts company making high-end board games in China... That was enough to green light nine truckloads of games that had been parked in China to start their journey to the U.S.

Silva is hoping to bring a lot more merchandise in before the Christmas season, but he's just not sure how much he'll be able to manufacture and ship before this 90-day window closes.

Well, think about it. A huge number of U.S. businesses rely on factories in China. And when those triple-digit tariffs took effect last month, it was like pinching off a garden hose. Now the hose is partially unkinked, and there's a lot of pent-up pressure. Bonnie Ross is a clothing importer who works with a lot of discount chains.

She says they're all going to be rushing to bring in merchandise, but the capacity of the hose, you know, the factories, the cargo ships, the ports, is still limited.

Shipping costs could certainly go up, and that's on top of the remaining tariffs, which are still 30%. Ross thinks those costs will be shared by factories, retailers, and in the end, yes, consumers. Forecasters at the Yale Budget Lab say the economic damage from these lower tariffs will be less, but they're still projecting the U.S.

will have higher inflation and slower growth than it would have without this trade war.

Yeah, I think the market reaction suggests this was a bigger drop in tariffs than investors had been expecting. And that's just another sign of how unpredictable the tariff landscape is under the Trump administration. Import taxes can go up or down or sideways, and businesses and consumers just have to try to make the best of it.

That uncertainty about future tariffs also makes it hard to decide, is it worth moving a factory out of China or running the expense of building a plant in the U.S.? Board game maker Jonathan Silva says no matter what happens to tariffs, he is going to explore those options. He doesn't want the risk anymore of having all his production in China.

Silva is still bracing for difficult months ahead, but at least now he thinks his business can survive this year, which was very much in doubt when the triple-digit tariffs were in place.

You're welcome.

Good morning, Leila.

It's likely to mean both higher prices and slower economic growth. We've seen a lot of forecasters warn that this could tip the United States into recession. Certainly other countries that rely on exporting to the U.S. are looking at a big economic slowdown.

That's why markets have nosedived all around the world in recent days and why investors are so desperate for any sign that maybe there's an off-ramp here. Now, Trump did have that phone call yesterday with Japan's prime minister. The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, says her side is willing to make a deal.

But as things stand right now, products from the EU are going to be slapped with a 20 percent tariff tomorrow. Japanese goods are facing a 24 percent tariff and imports from China could be looking at tariffs of over 100 percent.

If we do fall into recession and see a spike in unemployment, the Fed will probably have to lower interest rates. But that's not where we are right now. In fact, the jobs report we got last week showed a stronger labor market than many forecasters had expected. And, of course, we're still not out of the woods on inflation.

Prices are climbing faster than most people would like, and these high tariffs could push prices even higher. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned he and his colleagues could end up caught in a tug of war between higher unemployment and higher inflation.

Right now, the Fed is not inclined to cut interest rates and speed the economy up. It's more likely to keep rates elevated to avoid rekindling inflation. But if we do start to see a lot of layoffs as these tariffs kick in, then that balancing act could change.

We'll have to wait and see. There is some truth to the president's complaint about other countries making it hard for the U.S. to tap into their markets, although in many cases the tariffs that Trump is levying in response exaggerate the scale of those trade barriers. Supporters say the president is merely employing hardball negotiating tactics, but critics have a different view.

Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, for example, describes Trump's tactics here as predatory, especially when tariffs are used to bully some of America's closest allies.

Summers told me recently that he had been disappointed there was not more vocal pushback from businesses and political leaders unhappy with the president's approach. A lot of people have been cowed by Donald Trump. We have started to hear some of that pushback this week from people like JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and hedge fund manager Bill Ackman.

And if stock prices fall a lot further or if other prices start to climb because these tariffs more people may feel empowered to speak out against this trade policy. We've also seen a handful of lawmakers in the House and Senate who've taken steps to reclaim congressional authority over trade policy, which Congress had delegated to the president.

Trump has said he'll veto any such legislation, though, so it would take a sizable majority on Capitol Hill to overcome that.

You're welcome.

Releasing this many men in just a few weeks makes clear what could have been done over the rest of the last four years had the administration acted then with the same urgency and commitment that it's acting now.

Well, A, tariffs are taxes. They generally push up prices. They're a potential drag on spending. And they invite retaliation against U.S. exports. On top of that, you've got the unpredictable way the Trump administration has rolled out his tariff agenda on one day, off the next, back on again. All that just adds to the uncertainty and makes it very hard for businesses to plan.

Since the Second World War, the U.S. has generally pushed to lower trade barriers, not raise them. But there have always been a few domestic industries that have enjoyed special protection, and those offer some clues about how Trump's protectionist instincts might play out in other parts of the economy. One of the most protected industries in this country is sugar. The U.S.

has high trade barriers against imported sugar. As a result, the price of sugar in this country is usually about twice what it is on the world market. Now, that might not be a big deal if you're just putting a spoonful of sugar in your coffee every morning, but it's a very big deal if you buy sugar by the truckload like Kirk Vashaw does.

He's the CEO of Spangler Candy, which makes Dum Dums, Bit of Honey, and Candy Canes in Bryan, Ohio. His is one of the last hard candy manufacturers that still operates in this country.

So lesson one, trade barriers drive up costs. And while that's meant higher profits for U.S. sugar producers, it's been very expensive for all the businesses and consumers who buy sweets. In some cases, it's driven them out of the country.

Yeah, and a good example of that is the so-called chicken tax. Back in the 1960s, Germany slapped a tariff on imported chickens from the U.S., so the U.S. retaliated with the tax on imported pickup trucks. And that pickup truck tariff is still in place decades later. And the tariff is 25%, 10 times what the U.S. had been charging on imported cars.

That's why you see a lot of imported cars in the U.S., but very few imported pickup trucks. There's a deep protectionist moat around the U.S. pickup market. And Chief Economist Eugenio Aleman of Raymond James says that's why domestic automakers have put so much of their focus on building pickup trucks and SUVs.

And so that's a second lesson from these protected industries. Industries that are protected by high trade barriers typically have less incentive to invest and innovate and compete in worldwide markets. And, you know, this week, President Trump is widening that moat around pickup trucks to protect domestic autos with a 25 percent tariff as well.

You're welcome.

Good morning, Michelle.

The stakes here are enormous. The president has imposed the highest tariffs this country has seen since the Great Depression. And while he has backed off on some of those import taxes, the White House maintains he could reimpose them any time with just a social media post. So a dozen states and five businesses challenged the president's authority to unilaterally levy those taxes.

And last night, a specialized trade court handed those challengers a decisive victory. The unanimous three-judge panel ruled that under the Constitution, it's Congress that has exclusive power to regulate trade and impose tariffs. And the court said the 1977 emergency law that Trump has been relying on does not give the president unfettered power to impose taxes on imports from around the world.

They rejected Trump's claims that fentanyl trafficking or persistent trade deficits justify taxing nearly everything the U.S. buys from other countries. And in fact, the judges skipped right over issuing a preliminary injunction and gave the plaintiffs a summary judgment.

You know, investors have never liked these tariffs. Every time the president raises import taxes, the stock market tumbles. Every time he backs down, the stock market soars. So Thank you very much. Oregon is one of the states that brought this case, and Oregon's Attorney General, Dan Rayfield, says striking down these tariffs is a win for working families.

Rayfield also says this ruling shows that laws still matter and that trade decisions cannot be made on a president's whim. How is the administration responding? Well, the administration wasted no time saying it would appeal this decision. That will go to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit here in Washington.

The White House also issued a statement saying, quote, it's not for unelected judges to decide how to properly address a national emergency. I'll note the three judges who ruled against the president here were nominated to the court by Presidents Reagan, Obama, and Trump himself.

No. The industry-specific taxes on steel and aluminum and cars and car parts remain in place. Those were authorized under a different statute. And Trump has threatened to use that statute to add additional tariffs on imported computer chips and pharmaceuticals and copper.

But as for the sweeping tariffs on nearly everything we import, from coffee and bananas to French wine and Chinese toys, for the moment at least, those taxes do not pass legal muster.

Boom.

Well, President Trump has been urging the Fed for some time to lower interest rates. He always wants to see borrowing costs as low as they can be. But the president's making that more difficult, actually, with his trade war. Chairman Jerome Powell gave a speech in Chicago yesterday where he warned that Trump's tariffs will almost certainly push prices in the U.S. higher, at least in the short term.

And that suggests interest rates may need to stay elevated in order to avoid rekindling inflation. Now, you know, the president's social media post this morning criticizing that move and saying that the Fed is too late to cut interest rates certainly raises the temperature between Trump and Powell. The Fed chairman's term does run through next May.

And Powell has been adamant that he plans to serve out that term. He has tried to keep a low profile and avoid antagonizing the president. But that's a favor that Trump has not returned.

Well, people are spending money in large part to avoid Trump's tariffs. A lot of the spending that we saw in March was at auto dealers. Auto sales were up almost 6% last month. And that suggests people were maybe advancing their car purchases to beat the tariffs that took effect at the beginning of April. And with good reason. The Center for Automotive Research says those new import taxes

will add between $4,000 and $9,000 to the price of a new car. So if you can get in early, they can save some serious money. Even domestic cars typically contain a lot of imported parts, so they're going to get more expensive as well.

Well, you know, if people splurged in March to get ahead of the tariffs, we're likely to see some payback in the months to come with reduced spending. Gene Sirocco heads the Port of Los Angeles, which is one of the busiest container ports in the country. It handles a lot of cargo traffic coming in from Asia. Of course, China's been hit with these triple digit tariffs in the Trump era.

And Sirocco is projecting at least a 10 percent drop in incoming cargo in the second half of this year.

The irony here is before Trump launched this trade war, we were seeing real progress on inflation, which might have paved the way for the interest rate cuts that the president says he wants to see. Core inflation last month was the lowest it's been in four years. But hopes that Jerome Powell and his colleagues on the Fed could engineer a soft landing have really been battered by Trump's tariffs.

Forecasters are now projecting a double whammy of both higher prices and slower economic growth. That's all we seem to be doing, Scott.

You're welcome.

Hey, I'm Scott Schaefer.

We host Political Breakdown. With the 2024 election over and President Trump in the White House, there's going to be a lot to keep up with this year.

Join us for Political Breakdown every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from KQED, part of the NPR Network.

The irony is not lost on me that we're here to discuss the state of American education while the current administration is actively discussing how to dismantle the main federal agency responsible for ensuring safe, quality education for all students.

You might even say that he goaded China into into a bad position, they responded, they have shown themselves to the world to be the bad actors.

Good morning, Layla.

The message from the market could not be any clearer. The market likes global trade and does not like anything that interferes with that. When President Trump was running interference with his deep tariffs, the market sank. When he suspended some of those tariffs, the market soared. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped more than 2,700 points yesterday. The S&P 500 Index was up more than 8.5%.

But... Keep in mind, that's only about two-thirds of what the market had lost since the president first announced these tariffs last Wednesday. So even with this partial ceasefire, the trade war has left a mark.

That's right. There's still a 10 percent tariff on nearly everything the U.S. imports, and that's significantly higher than we were paying a few months ago. But the tariffs Trump has suspended would have been higher still. So let's say you go to the grocery store and you're buying some Italian cheese to put on your pasta tonight.

This time yesterday, there was a 20% import tax on that Pecorino Romano. Today, the tariff is half of that. So are you grateful you can grate for less or disappointed that the tariff is still higher than it was before Trump took office? I spoke to Philip Marfugi, who runs the Ambriola Company. That's a big cheese importer in New Jersey. He would rather see no tariffs.

Americans are already unhappy about the cost of groceries. Even a 10% import tax is not going to help with that. Marfuji says some companies may shift to smaller packages to try to mask the cost of these tariffs. And since imported cheese is going to cost more, he suspects domestic dairy producers will raise their cheese prices as well.

When it comes to China, the trade war is still very much in force. And that is a headache for people like Bonnie Ross. She imports clothing from China to sell at discount stores like Burlington and Deedee's. Ross notes that over the last week, Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods have gone from 20 percent to 54 percent to 104 percent and now 125 percent.

Aside from the cost, which is significant, there's also just the uncertainty. Bonnie Ross typically places big clothing orders five months out so there's time to make and move the clothes across the ocean. How do you do business in an environment where you don't know what the tariff's going to be this afternoon, let alone during back-to-school shopping season next September?

You know, for the moment, at least, investors are relieved by this 90-day pause on at least some of the president's tariffs. But it has been a very rocky seven days. And the roadmap could change at any moment with another stroke of the president's big Sharpie pen.

You're welcome.

It's been just over a month since President Trump ordered worldwide tariffs, effectively dropping a giant rock into the oceans on which global trade flows. And we are still waiting to see where the resulting waves wash up. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell says if those tariffs last, they could have a profound effect on the economy.

But, you know, the Trump administration has already backtracked some. Just this morning, the president is announcing a new trade deal with the UK. So Powell says it's not clear those tariffs are going to stick around.

Fed policymakers voted unanimously yesterday to keep interest rates where they've been since the end of last year. They'll have another chance to adjust rates, though, in June and then again in July.

They're watching for any sign of increased pressure on prices, which could rekindle inflation, or any weakening in the job market that could lead to higher unemployment. We know the trade war has taken a toll on consumer confidence. People are clearly worried about higher inflation and the prospect of widespread layoffs. But just last week, we learned that employers added 177,000 jobs in April.

So Palin and his colleagues just don't feel a great sense of urgency right now to goose the economy by cutting rates.

Now, one early warning sign we have seen is the drop in cargo traffic from China. Trump's triple-digit tariffs on Chinese goods have put a big dent in shipments across the Pacific Ocean. We could start to see some empty store shelves in a few weeks because of that.

But as we learned during the pandemic, when there's a problem with supply chains, there's not a whole lot the central bank and its interest rate tools can do about that.

Not really. Trump was back on social media this morning criticizing the Fed for not lowering interest rates. The president highlighted the recent drop in oil prices and called Powell a fool for not moving more aggressively. This is nothing new for this president, who has frequently browbeat the Fed, but the central bank was set up to be insulated from that kind of political pressure.

And it has a powerful ally in the stock market, which reacted very badly last month when Trump threatened to fire the Fed chairman. Trump has since backed off those threats. He will have a chance to replace Powell a year from now. But until then, the central bank has largely shrugged off kibitzing from the White House.

You're welcome.

Good morning, Lila.

I think they're surprised by the magnitude. For example, we're talking about a 20% tax on goods coming in from the European Union, much higher than the U.S. charges today. In other ways, though, this is not surprising.

Despite the United States' wealth and power, Trump has been complaining for decades that this country is being taken advantage of, and he's determined to fight back with tariffs, even as financial markets have been flashing red, saying, don't do it. Now, Canada and Mexico, two of our biggest trading partners, are being spared these additional tariffs for now.

But Trump is slapping stiff due taxes on imports from economies around the world, even for products we cannot produce in the U.S., like the coffee and banana you might be having for breakfast this morning.

Trump calls these reciprocal tariffs, saying they're simply designed to match the trade barriers that other countries impose on U.S. exports.

But the White House later acknowledged it would be too hard to calculate the actual trade barriers from every other country. So they just picked an arbitrary number they thought would be high enough to chip away at each country's trade surplus with the U.S.

And the result is a huge tariff increase, a 24 percent tax on imports from Japan, a 34 percent tax on imports from China, in addition to the 20 percent tariffs that were already in place. Now, other countries might absorb some of that cost, but a big part will be paid by businesses and consumers here in the U.S.

Economists say it will likely mean higher prices and slower growth. Consumers are nervous, so are exporters. Tim Fiore conducts a monthly survey of factory managers for the Institute for Supply Management. He says they're already bracing for retaliation.

Domestic manufacturers are supposed to be the beneficiaries of this trade war, but factory orders, output, employment were all down last month in anticipation.

This is an enormous gamble. The U.S. launched a similar worldwide trade war back in the 1930s. It did not end well. The notorious Smoot-Hawley tariffs are widely considered to have worsened the Great Depression. And economists say Trump's new import taxes are even more draconian than those almost a century ago.

You're welcome.

Good morning.

Not so far. The first quarter was all about people bracing for the president's trade war. April, which marks the start of the second quarter, is when those tariffs really started to bite. And that has rattled financial markets. It's also made consumers nervous that prices are going to go up. Consumer spending has not dried up, but

Chief Economist Greg Daco of EY Parthenon says people are being more careful about their spending, especially when it comes to things like eating out.

As we know, consumer spending is the lifeblood of this economy. So When families start to cut back like that, it can really put the brakes on economic growth.

So far, the job market's been very resilient. Unemployment in March was just 4.2%. We're going to get the April jobs numbers tomorrow. Forecasters expect to see some slowdown in hiring. In general, workers say they're feeling a little less confident about job security. Seth Lillevivat is in that camp.

He's still working for a biotech company in San Diego, but his employer has already had two rounds of job cuts this year.

Lillevivat's also a little worried about the drop in his retirement savings. The S&P 500 index is down about 7% since inauguration day. So Lillevivat's being more conservative about his own spending. That means no more stopping for coffee and pastries after swim practice every week. And he has put off a little home improvement project that he had been planning for this year.

Right now, that boat is getting tossed around a little bit by the economic headwind. So it's no wonder, Michelle, some people are feeling a little seasick.

Not necessarily, although the risk of a recession has certainly increased since the president launched his trade war. We've already seen a substantial slowdown in cargo traffic, especially from China, where those crippling tariffs are in effect. Gene Sirocco, who runs the ordinarily busy port of Los Angeles, says, That's going to hit the paychecks of a lot of transportation and warehouse workers.

Greg Daco says whether we actually fall into recession could depend on whether Trump's tariffs remain in place or get watered down. Even if the tariffs are rolled back, Daco warns, we'll likely be looking at fairly sluggish growth for the rest of this year.

You're welcome.

You want to follow what's happening in Washington, D.C., but you don't want to be scrolling your phone all day. I'm Scott Detrow, and NPR has a podcast that can help. It's called Trump's Terms. Stories about big changes the 47th president is pursuing on his own terms. They're short, they're focused episodes that tell you calmly, factually, what is happening and what isn't.

Listen to Trump's Terms from NPR.

Israel rained down paper leaflets across parts of Gaza's north, telling residents to leave their homes.

Berzea Betraoui is in Jerusalem. Ayo, thanks for being with us.

What do you hear from people inside of Gaza?

Following the news out of Washington, D.C. can be overwhelming. I'm Scott Detrow, and NPR has a podcast that can help. It's called Trump's Terms. Stories about big changes the 47th president is pursuing on his own terms. Each episode is short, usually around five minutes or so. We keep it calm and factual. We help you follow what matters, and we leave out what doesn't.

Listen to Trump's Terms from NPR.

does not seek to strangle or humiliate China. But he said that China's threat is real. Let's hear what he said.

Interestingly, he also complained that China has great economic leverage over its neighbors, and this complicates defense calculations for the U.S., How were his remarks received by those there? Well, you know, Scott, U.S. officials have been reassuring China for many years that they don't want to contain it or strangle it.

China has never really been convinced, and I think they're even less convinced this time. China did not send its defense minister this year, perhaps because they feel the atmosphere is too hostile. The U.S. wants other nations to ramp up defense spending, and many of them are doing that, but perhaps not to the levels that Washington wants.

Another country that's very concerned is South Korea, because the new alignment could see the U.S. withdraw troops from that country, basically leaving it to North Korea, and they see North Korea as the threat, not China. Is the focus on China going to affect U.S. military presence in the region? Yes, it is doing that. Already the U.S.

military is reorganizing and downsizing and spreading out some of its military units to make them harder for Chinese missiles to hit. And then it's also putting missiles within the first island chain in the western Pacific to try to control the sea lanes there. Now, Hegseth noted that the U.S.

has missiles in the northern Philippines, also in Japan's southwest islands, both northeast and southeast of Taiwan.

Well, there was a lot of domestic focus. He slammed previous administration's defense policies as weak, and he praised President Trump for being a great dealmaker and policymaker. Now, a lot of the admission that the U.S. is going to put its own interests first, I think, is understood by people in the region.

But when they're given marching orders to fall into line with the U.S., that's where I think many governments seem to chafe at the suggestion. And Pierre's Anthony Kuhn joining us from Singapore.

Well, Secretary Hegseth was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, which is the region's main annual security forum. A friend described it to me as Davos for men in uniform. And he said that China is intimidating and harassing its neighbors, including Taiwan. It's using gray zone tactics that are short of war but are coercive. And at the same time, he insisted that the U.S.

What do you hear from people who are heading south?

How does the truce seem to be holding?

Thousands of displaced Lebanese citizens return to their homes in the southern part of the country.

Lauren, let me ask you about the renewed fighting this week in Syria because rebels say they now control much of Aleppo. What do you know about this?

And Paris Lauren Frayer in southern Lebanon. Thanks so much.

At least two of them will likely have to form a coalition to win a majority in the country's parliament. NPR's Fatima al-Kassab joins us from Dublin. Thanks for being with us.

What do we know about the results so far?

And I know you've spoken with voters. What did they tell you that was on their minds?

And we'll check in on Texas Republicans who have strengthened their majority in the statehouse.

And did any of the parties in particular campaign on lowering housing prices?

When do you think we might get a full picture of the vote?

NPR's Fatima al-Kassab from Dublin, thanks so much for being with us.

Those are some of the priorities for Texas state lawmakers for the coming year.

The Israeli military has ordered Lebanese refugees to keep away from the southern part of the country for now.

And that's up first for Saturday, November 30th, 2024. I'm Scott Simon. And I'm Eric Deggans. Our producer is Fernando Naro, with help from Chris Thomas. Our director is Michael Radcliffe. Our editors are Didi Skanki, Miguel Macias, Acacia Squires, and Matthew Sherman.

Evie Stone is our senior supervising editor. Sarah Lucy Oliver is our executive producer.

That's what he does. Tomorrow on the Sunday Story from Up First, host Aisha Roscoe speaks with Montana Public Radio's Nick Mott. about the Endangered Species Act that was passed more than half a century ago.

And I'll be listening to you tomorrow morning, Eric. All righty.

And here's Lauren Frayer in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatea. Lauren, thanks for being with us.

What do you see?

Historically, Myanmar's military has been suspicious of outside intervention, but have they asked for help now?

The death toll continues to climb. We're still just two days in. Any idea of how bad it might get?

Sweeping tariffs come into effect in days. What you need to know about who will be footing the bill.

So we said, of course, you're in Thailand. Thailand got pretty shaken up too, didn't it?

Reporter Michael Sullivan in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Michael, thanks so much.

Next week, President Trump's new tariffs, 25%, go into effect for all imported cars and auto parts. And in a few days, he is expected to announce more tariffs, what he's calling reciprocal tariffs on goods from all over the world. So who's paying for this?

So please stay with us. We have the news you need to start your weekend.

Wherever you live, it is likely that there is a theater or children's museum near you that is being supported in part by the federal government.

That's because since President Trump took office a couple of months ago, his executive orders relating to gender and DEI, diversity, equity, and inclusion have had a profound impact on arts and culture. NPR correspondent Elizabeth Blair joins us. Elizabeth, thanks for being with us.

Give us an overview, please, of all the changes.

The epicenter of the quake was roughly 10 miles from Myanmar's second biggest city, Mandalay, home to some 1.5 million people. Michael Sullivan is in Chiang Rai, Thailand, and joins us now. Michael, thanks for being with us. Hi, Scott. It's early in the evening where you are. What do we know about rescue efforts?

Let's talk about that executive order because, of course, the Smithsonian Museum, It's a complex of museums. There's Air and Space, American Art, American Indian Museums, also the Cooper Hewitt in New York, and for that matter, the National Zoo. So what else does this executive order say?

That's after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake shook Southeast Asia. I'm Scott Simon.

President Trump also made big changes to the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, what's known as the Kennedy Center, made himself the chair of the board. Do we know what his vision is?

Let's talk about the way President Trump uses that term woke because it's now become a kind of code for disparaging efforts to make organizations more inclusive. Of course, it's often through art that people learn about different perspectives. How is the president's campaign against wokeness affecting the arts?

Elizabeth, there must be so many different answers to this, but what are artists making of these changes?

Elizabeth Blair, correspondent on the Culture Desk, thanks so much.

And I'm Scott Simon.

Andrew Craig is our director, with support from our technical director, Andy Huther, and engineers David Greenberg, Zach Coleman, and Arthur Halliday-Lorent.

Tomorrow on the Sunday Story, meme coins. From a kind of cryptocurrency joke to a speculative frenzy. Find out how it all works.

Stay with us. We have the news you need to start your weekend.

But Trump has asked the Supreme Court to delay its implementation so he can resolve the issue.

We're learning more about the roughly 10,000 North Korean soldiers fighting alongside the Russians in Eastern Europe.

Weight loss drugs such as Ozempic have been in short supply in recent years because of their popularity. But the FDA has declared the official shortage of one of those medications, Zepbound, to be over. And that has caused some mixed feelings, especially among patients prescribed the drug.

He's asked the Supreme Court to delay implementation of the law banning the app until after his inauguration. I'm Scott Simon. I'm Daniel Estrin, and this is Up First from NPR News. The law forces TikTok to be shut down or sold next month.

U.S. officials say they're dying in high numbers.

Our editors are Cara Platoni, Shannon Rhodes, Miguel Macias, Nick Spicer, Fernando Roman, and Matthew Sherman.

Evie Stone is our senior supervising editor. Sarah Lucy Oliver is our executive producer. And Julia Redpath was with us this week as well. Luis Clemens is our deputy managing editor. Tomorrow on The Sunday Story from Up First, we go for a walk in the park.

And if you really do go to the park this weekend, why not bring along a portable radio and listen to Weekend Edition? Do those things still exist, portable radios, Scott?

Maybe with that little antenna you put up. You could just bring your smartphone. That might be easier. Go to stations.npr.org to find your local NPR station.

Of course, that includes heads of state from all over the world. And Lauren, you're there in St. Peter's Square along with our colleagues Sylvia Poggioli and Ruth Sherlock. Lauren, let's start with you. Tell us, please, what you're seeing.

And Silvia Poggioli, you covered Pope Francis on so many papal trips around the world. What signs did you see of his global legacy there today?

We'll have more on the ceremony and how it reflects on Pope Francis' legacy.

Sylvia, a solemn religious day, of course, but politics don't take the day off. President Trump was there, so was Ukraine's President Zelensky and former President Biden. How did all that work?

So please stay with us. We have the news you need to start your weekend.

And Silvia Paglioli, you covered this entire papacy from the moment that Pope Francis first stepped out onto the steps to greet the people to today. What are your thoughts?

And Pierre-Sylvia Poggioli with Sherlock and Lauren Frayer. Thank you all.

It's been eight weeks since Israel's blockade cut off aid to Gaza. That includes medical supplies and food.

Now the UN's Food Agency says that it has run out of supplies to distribute in Gaza, and this has deepened the humanitarian crisis that's faced by roughly two million Palestinians who are there. And Piers Hadil Al-Shulchi joins us. Thank you for being with us.

No aid since the beginning of March. What's the current situation like?

And Adil, what are you able to hear from Palestinians in Gaza? What are they eating?

Israel is trying to use aid to pressure Hamas into a new deal and return the hostages. Any progress on that?

The part have passed away on Monday. At the age of 88, I'm Scott Simon in Washington, D.C.

And this week, a far-right Israeli cabinet member got a very warm reception here in the U.S. Tell us about his visit.

And Piers Adilo Schultz in Tel Aviv, thanks so much for being with us. You're very welcome.

And I'm Scott Simon.

Dee Parvaz is our editor, and she had help from Martha Ann Overland, Tara Neal, and Carrie Connors.

Our senior supervising editor is Shannon Rhodes. Evie Stone is our executive producer, and Jim Kane is our deputy managing editor.

And for more news, interviews, sports and music, you can tune in to Weekend Edition on your radio. Go to stations.npr.org and find your local stations.

This was a very different handover than what we saw last week, wasn't it?

And I'm Scott Simon, and this is Up First from NPR News.

Greg, are the releases on both sides an indication that the ceasefire is holding, it's working?

The mosque releases four female soldiers as the ceasefire with Israel enters its second week.

And here's Greg Myrie in Tel Aviv. Thanks so much for being with us, Greg. Sure thing, Scott.

And blocks virtually all new foreign assistance.

And Paraglobal Health correspondent Fatma Tanis joins us now. Fatma, thanks for being with us.

And please tell us about this memo.

We'll have more on that story also.

What kind of programs are likely to be affected?

What might happen to people who work for these programs?

What kind of reaction from aid groups?

And what's ahead as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces a Senate confirmation hearing next week.

And Pierce Fatima Tanis, thanks so much for being with us.

President Trump has nominated him as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Palestinian group held them as hostages ever since. NPR's Greg Myrie is in Tel Aviv. Greg, thanks for being with us.

And that's up first for Saturday, January 25th, 2025. I'm Scott Simon.

And this episode was edited by Jerome Sokolofsky, Scott Hensley, Shannon Rhodes, Rebecca Davis, and Matthew Sherman.

Evie Stone is our senior supervising editor. Sarah Lucy Oliver is our executive producer. And Jim Cain, I've got to get his middle name someday, is our deputy managing editor.

And for more news, interviews, and analysis, you can tune into Weekend Edition on your radio. Go to stations.npr.org and find your local station.

And I'm Scott Simon, and this is Up First from NPR News.

Now the National Security Council, which Rubio oversees in addition to remaining Secretary of State, is undergoing a dramatic restructure. NPR's Greg Myrie joins us. Greg, thanks for being with us. Hi, Scott. Now the Trump administration hasn't made any announcement, but NPR has been reporting this story. What do we know?

Another major shakeup at the White House National Security Council.

And Greg, remind us of the role of the National Security Council.

But these firings are seen as a way to eliminate bureaucracy and duplication. What might be the impact on national security?

Now, there was a lot of reshuffling among the national security team during President Trump's first term. Is this that all over again?

Also Friday, Defense Secretary Hegseth announced new restrictions for reporters who cover the Pentagon. What can you tell us about that?

And for your national security correspondent, Greg Myrie, thanks so much, Greg. Sure thing, Scott. It was a moment that changed the course of U.S. history. A video showing George Floyd being murdered by a Minneapolis police officer went viral and triggered massive demonstrations across the country.

But how did a moment of apparent national unity generate a backlash? We'll have reporting on how George Floyd's death fueled conspiracies and political extremism. So please stay with us. We have the news you need to start your weekend.

And I'm Scott Simon. But wait, wait. We've got one more thing for you today here at Up First. We take keeping you informed very seriously.

Test your knowledge of the week's news against the show's panelists by listening every weekend. And here is this week's lightning fill-in-the-blank news quiz.

And I'm Scott Simon, and this is Up First from NPR News. Scott Bessant once had ties to Democrats, but has emerged as a key Trump advisor in the past year.

What about labor secretary?

Matt Gaetz this week pulled himself out of consideration for attorney general. Of course, he was the subject of a prolonged House Ethics Committee investigation with very serious allegations, including sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, obstructing government investigations. What does his decision to remove himself from the process tell us now?

Ron, police in Monterey, California, have shared with news organizations, including NPR, the report of the accusation of sexual assault against Pete Hegseth, who, of course, is Mr. Trump's nominee for secretary of defense. Do you see this as affecting his nomination bid?

Plus Trump's nominees for several other top positions.

And Trump has indicated he wants to nominate Linda McMahon to lead the U.S. Department of Education. She is the wife and business partner of Vince McMahon, the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment. Mr. Trump says he wants to shut down the Department of Education. How is this nomination being received?

For more background on Trump's Treasury pick, Scott Bessant, we turn to NPR Chief Economics Correspondent Scott Horsley. Scott, thanks for being with us.

Good morning. Happy to be here.

And what can you tell us about Scott Bessant?

Well, he's not super well-known. He runs a hedge fund, the Key Square Group. He also spent a number of years working for billionaire Democratic donor George Soros. In fact, when he went out and launched his own fund, Soros was an investor. But he has been a big cheerleader for the Trump agenda. He's been writing op-eds in the Wall Street Journal and on the Fox News website.

That's despite decades of research that shows the mineral helps prevent tooth decay.

He's also a longtime friend of Vice President-elect J.D. Vance. Trump has described Besson as one of the top analysts on Wall Street and a nice-looking guy, too. He does have a sort of distinguished silver-haired gravitas that Trump often looks for. Besson is originally from South Carolina, and he and his husband spend most of their time there.

What kind of reception has Scott Besson likely to get in the Capitol?

Well, he'll probably get a friendly reception from the new GOP Congress if he's confirmed. One of his first jobs will be getting an extension of Trump's 2017 tax cuts, parts of which are set to expire next year. He'll likely be pushing on an open door when it comes to cutting taxes, although...

That would probably add to the federal debt, which we learned just yesterday has now surpassed $36 trillion. Besson has also championed Trump's call for deregulation and for increased domestic energy production as a way to bring down costs.

Of course, tariffs are another big part of Trump's economic platform. What has Scott Besson said about that?

Besant has defended Trump's proposal to slap taxes on all imports, even though most economists say that would likely raise prices for U.S. businesses and consumers. Unlike some of the others in Trump's orbit, though, Besant doesn't seem to be a dyed-in-the-wool protectionist.

In an interview with the Financial Times last month, he suggested that Trump views tariffs as a bargaining chip and said, quote, my general view is that at the end of the day, he's a free trader. So we'll see about that.

Of course, the Treasury Secretary typically works closely with the Federal Reserve. What do you foresee there?

Yeah, that could be a source of some friction. You know, Trump has frequently criticized the Fed chairman, Jerome Powell, even though he appointed him to the chairman's post. Trump thinks Powell and his colleagues were too quick to raise interest rates the last time Trump was in the White House and too quick to lower interest rates in the run-up to this fall's election.

The Fed is supposed to be insulated from political pressure from the White House, but Trump has repeatedly flouted that norm and And Besson went so far as to suggest that Trump name a shadow Fed chairman to sort of undermine Powell, although he later walked that back. Now, Powell is set to remain as Fed chairman into 2026 and says he's not going anywhere.

Powell is a staunch defender of the Fed's independence. He's also a savvy politician, though, and he's trying very hard not to antagonize the incoming administration.

And Pierre Scott Horsley, thanks so much.

You're welcome.

But yesterday, the Florida Surgeon General issued guidance opposing the practice.

Reporter Stephanie Colombini from member station WUSF in Tampa joins us now. Stephanie, thanks for being with us.

Tell us about what's happened now in Florida.

Scott Bessant, a hedge fund manager, will be expected to try to sell Trump's populism to Wall Street.

Like what?

But the president-elect has put forth a replacement.

As you mentioned, fluoride levels in a lot of these studies have been higher than what's recommended for U.S. drinking water, given that what's been the reaction.

Stephanie, what happens next in Florida?

NPR senior editor and correspondent Ron Elving joins us. Ron, good to have you.

Stephanie Columbini with Member Station WUSF, thanks so much for being with us.

And I'm Scott Simon.

Our director is Michael Radcliffe.

Hannah Gloven is our technical director, with engineering support from Nisha Hynas, Andy Huther, and Arthur Halliday-Lorenton.

And Jim Kane is our Deputy Managing Editor.

Several cabinet nominations last night, Treasury, Labor, Moore. Which name stood out to you?

Felicia, how can you say that? And for more news, interviews, sports, and music, you can tune into Weekend Edition on your radio. Go to stations.npr.org to find your local NPR station.

Oh, that was beautiful.

That has my heartwarming endorsement.

And I'm Scott Simon, and this is Up First from NPR News.

Who's General Kane, man set to replace him?

Secretary Hegseth also fired the top admiral of the Navy, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to hold the job. And that's, of course, along with a lot of other firings. Tell us about that.

More than 5,000 civilians also being let go from the DOD, aren't they?

The militant group has also returned the body of Sherry Bibas, whose remains were initially misidentified in an earlier handover. We'll have the latest.

NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman, thanks so much for being with us, Tom.

Today, another release of living Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

And here's Kat Lonsdorf joins us now. Kat, thanks for being with us.

What can you tell us about the hostages released today?

And what were today's releases like?

In exchange for these hostages, and the four bodies returned earlier this week, Israel has agreed to release more than 600 Palestinians from Israeli jails. What details do you have about that?

President Donald Trump fires the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Kat, there was a mix-up with one of the bodies Hermas released earlier this week. It was supposed to be that of an Israeli mother returned with the bodies of her two young sons who were slain, but it wasn't. What's the latest?

That's amid protests by corrections officers. Some are on strike. Guards at two prisons walked off the job last week.

This is the last scheduled release of hostages who are alive from Gaza in the first phase of the agreement. What's next?

And here's Kat Lonsdorf in Tel Aviv. Thanks so much, Kat.

Inmates say they feel abandoned and unsafe.

North Country Public Radio's Emily Russell joins us. Emily, thanks for being with us. Good morning, Scott. And what has prompted the prison strikes in New York this week?

I gather tensions also on the rise of two prisons in northern New York this week. What happened there?

What are you able to hear from inmates and groups that speak for them?

He was fired last night by President Trump.

And Emily, please remind us about that incident and how it might figure into this week's arrests.

And how has the governor of New York responded to all this?

And Parapanagon correspondent Tom Bowman joins us with more details about this and other Department of Defense shakeups. Tom, thanks for being here.

North Country Public Radio's Emily Russell. Emily, thanks so much for being with us. Thanks, Scott.

And I'm Scott Simon.

Our editors are eagle-eyed. They really ought to see someone about that. Andrew Sussman, Dee Dee Skanky, Gigi Dubin, Shannon Rhodes, and Melissa Gray. She says eagles are fine, but she's partial to owls.

In wonder, of course, in wonder. That's the nicest way to say it. And right along with them, the mighty Jim Cain is our deputy managing editor.

And for more news, interviews, sports, and music, you can tune in to Weekend Edition Saturday and Sunday. On your radio, go to stations.npr.org to find your local station.

Tomorrow on the Sunday story from Up First.

And for more news, interviews, sports, and music, you can tune in to Weekend Edition on your radio. Just go to stations.npr.org to find your local NPR station. They're looking for you.

I'm Scott Simon.

Lawmakers voted late last night to approve the short-term spending package just as the federal government was about to shut down.

NPR political correspondent Susan Davis joins us. Sue, thanks for being with us. You're welcome. Just after midnight, renegotiated legislation was approved. What's in it?

The federal government will stay open at least until mid-March.

And this was something of a political aim for Donald Trump, who isn't, of course, not going to be president for another month. What did the president-elect get out of this legislation?

He wanted any spending package to also raise the debt ceiling, but the debt ceiling is going to stay where it is for now.

Let me ask you about the status of Elon Musk following all this. Richest man in the world. Also now one of the most powerful men in politics.

And House Speaker Mike Johnson, up for reelection or replacement on January 3rd? Yeah. Are his prospects good?

And para-political correspondent Susan Davis, thanks so much. You're welcome.

They have identified the man as a Saudi doctor who has lived in the country for about two decades. His motive remains unclear. Reporter Rebecca Collard joins us. Thank you for being with us. Hi. And begin, please, by telling us some of the details of yesterday's incident.

And Netflix tries once more to stream major sports events, this time with two NFL games on Christmas Day.

And nothing determined yet about any possible motive, I guess.

And I gather Chancellor Scholz visited the market earlier today. What did he have to say?

Reporter Rebecca Collard in Berlin, thanks so much.

Netflix will try to bring two live NFL games to viewers around the world.

And that's up first for Saturday, December 21st, 2024. I'm Scott Simon.

Our producer is Martin Patience, who had help from Andrew Craig, Elena Tworek, and Gabe O'Connor.

Our editors are Kelsey Snell, Nick Spicer, Shannon Rhodes, Will Jarvis, and Matthew Sherman.

Evie Stone is our senior supervising editor. Sarah Lucy Oliver is our executive producer. And also along with us this week, Julia Redpath.

The Supreme Court's late-night order to stop the deportation of the Venezuelan men followed an emergency appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union.

We're joined now by NPR's Ximena Bastillo. Ximena, thanks for being with us.

What's the order say?

And what spurred this order?

The overnight Supreme Court ruling came as the Trump administration was preparing to deport the men being held in Texas under a rarely used wartime act. We'll have the latest.

In a minute, please remind us what the Supreme Court said when the issue was first brought to them.

How does the government's latest attempt to remove people using that Alien Enemies Act line up with what the Supreme Court had previously ordered?

Amanda Bastio, thanks so much.

That suggestion has been condemned by legal experts as akin to dropping citizens into a black box. NPR's criminal justice reporter Meg Anderson joins us. Meg, thanks for being with us. Thank you for having me. We know that hundreds of immigrants have already been sent to El Salvador. What kind of conditions do they face there?

And the U.S. and Iran are today holding a second round of talks to discuss Tehran's nuclear program.

And what does that mean for those people?

And Meg, we also know that President Trump and Attorney General Bondi are exploring the idea of sending what they call homegrown criminals abroad. Would their situation be any different?

And what does the federal government say about all this?

NPR's Meg Anderson, thanks so much.

The U.S. and Iran are holding a fresh round of nuclear talks in Rome today.

Joined now by NPR's international affairs correspondent, Jackie Northam. Jackie, thanks for being with us.

And what's the latest?

These talks come after President Trump appeared to confirm a report in The New York Times that he'd held off a potential Israeli military strike against Iran's nuclear installations. How's that played into this round of talks?

What does Iran hope to get out of these talks?

The administration accuses the men of being gang members. I'm Scott Simon.

And here's Jackie Northam. Thanks so much for being with us.

And that's Up First for Saturday, April 19, 2025. I'm Scott Simon.

Hold up. Hold up. Wait, wait. If you're pleased, we got one more thing for you today. Here at Up First, we take keeping you informed seriously.

Test your knowledge of the week's news against the show's panelists by listening every weekend. Here's this week's lightning fill-in-the-blank news quiz.

It should bring about a pause in fighting, as well as the release of dozens of Israeli hostages and many more Palestinian prisoners and detainees over the next six weeks. And Piers Hadil El-Shalchi joins us from Tel Aviv. Hadil, thanks so much for being with us.

What else can you tell us about the agreement?

Ideal efforts have been underway for months. Why a deal now?

Also five years after America's first COVID case, is the country better prepared for the next major public health crisis?

What's been reaction there so far?

And if the deal holds, what can we expect in coming days?

And Pierce Adiel Al-Shulji in Tel Aviv, thanks so much.

Monday marks five years since the U.S. recorded its first case of COVID-19.

So please stay with us. We've got the news you need to start your weekend.

NPR's Will Stone has been on the story from the beginning and joins us now. Will, thanks for being with us. Sure thing, Scott. You were in Seattle when that first COVID case, January 2020, in the U.S. was confirmed, weren't you?

And five years later, how well prepared is the U.S. for another crisis like COVID?

And what could some of the consequences of that be?

Well, are there some notes of hope when it comes to pandemic preparedness?

And what has the incoming administration said about bird flu?

And para-health correspondent Will Stone, thanks so much. Thank you. Finally, today, the U.S. government versus Pepsi.

It's a case that gets to the heart of prices we pay at the grocery store, and it's a case that NPR's Alina Silyuk is following closely. Alina joins us in our studio. Thanks so much for being with us. Hello, hello. What's the case the government's trying to make?

But, I mean, cheaper prices are the whole point of big wholesalers, aren't they? How can it be that they buy more, you pay less, it's somehow illegal?

The ceasefire, only the second of the ongoing war, officially begins tomorrow. I'm Scott Simon.

And what does Pepsi say?

Which happens at noon on Monday when Donald Trump takes the oath of office. Is this case high on the new administration's to-do list?

And Piercelina Seljuk, thanks so much for being with us.

And I'm Scott Simon.

Ed McNulty is our editor, along with Shannon Rhodes, Jerome Sokolofsky, Jane Greenhalgh, and Emily Kopp.

Evie Stone is our senior supervising editor. Sarah Lucy Oliver is our executive producer. And Jim Cain is our deputy managing editor.

And for more news, interviews, and analysis, you can tune into Weekend Edition on your radio. Go to stations.npr.org to find your local NPR station. Do it now.

And I'm Scott Simon, and this is Up First from NPR News.

And the death toll went up throughout the night. Laurel County, where most fatalities are reported?

Deadly storms and tornadoes tear through several states, leaving devastation.

For some of the areas that were hit by flooding just last month, also affected by last night's storms.

President Trump is trying to use a wartime law to deport the detainees who are accused of being gang members.

WKY's Karen Tzar, thanks so much.

But the president is facing legal resistance at the highest level, the U.S. Supreme Court. NPR immigration reporter Ximena Bastillo has been covering those legal challenges and joins us. Ximena, thanks for being with us.

Yesterday, the court issued its latest order on Trump's immigration policies. This is related to the Alien Enemies Act. What did they say?

Voters in both Poland and Romania head to the polls to elect new presidents, but what's at stake for the region?

The Trump administration has criticized federal judges who've taken steps to block its policies. Presidents even called for their impeachment. How did he respond to this latest order?

Justices also heard arguments related to questions about birthright citizenship. How did these play out?

Elsewhere, Jimena, the White House is putting off complying with the orders of two federal judges on big immigration cases. One of those judges again took the administration to task yesterday. Please tell us.

And Pierce Jimenez-Bastillo, thanks so much. Thanks, Scott. Poland and Romania hold presidential elections tomorrow.

And Pierre Central Europe correspondent Rob Schmitz joins us now from Berlin. Rob, thanks for being with us. Thanks for having me, Scott. Let's begin in Poland, please. The far-right Law and Justice Party, which had chipped away at the country's democratic institutions for years, lost control of parliament a couple of years ago. So how does this presidential race figure into all this?

And why are political analysts calling this one of the most important presidential elections in a generation?

One of the worst affected areas was the city of London, Kentucky, where there are reports of multiple casualties. We're joined now by Karen Tzar from member station WUKY. Karen, thanks for being with us.

Rob, let's move on to Romania. Voters there cast ballots tomorrow in the second round of their presidential election. What should we know?

And is there a clear frontrunner? Yeah.

NPR Central Europe correspondent Rob Schmitz, thanks so much for being with us. Thanks for having me.

And I'm Scott Simon.

Our editor is Martin Patience, and he had help from Jacob Fenston, Nick Spicer, and Ed McNulty.

What areas of your state seem to be hit worse?

Our senior supervising editor is Shannon Rhodes. E.B. Stone is our executive producer. And Jim Cain is our deputy managing editor.

And for more news, interviews, sports, and music, you can tune in to Weekend Edition on your radio Saturday and Sunday. Go to stations.npr.org to find your local NPR station.

And some of his fellow Democrats view that as wrong.

Another spending cycle, another barely avoided government shutdown after the Senate just managed to pass a partisan stopgap spending bill.

And our congressional correspondent, Barbara Sprunt, joins us. Barbara, thanks for being with us.

This was an abrupt shift from the minority leader, Chuck Schumer. What happened?

I'm Scott Simon, and this is Up First from NPR News.

No government shutdown, for now.

Barbara, would it be fair to say that Senator Schumer's colleagues just didn't see this coming?

Barbara, what's the implication of this rift among Democrats at a time when, after all, Republicans control the House, the Senate and the White House?

That move led to infighting in a party already in turmoil. We'll have more on that.

And here's Barbara Sprint. Thanks so much.

But it's been tough to sugarcoat nosediving stocks and consumer confidence, trade wars, and a looming recession.

And we'll hear from the wife of a Palestinian graduate student and activist who faces deportation.

It's an accusation that rang across the campus of Columbia University last year. Mahmoud Khalil was a prominent part of those protests as a student there.

His wife, Noor Abdallah, who is pregnant, gave her first broadcast interview to our colleague, Morning Edition co-host Leila Fadl.

Tell us about the scene. Noor Abdallah was with her husband when he was detained last weekend.

The government is accusing him of supporting Hamas, which could amount to a violation of U.S. law. What does she say about those accusations?

And Birthe Lafadl, thanks so much for being with us.

And I'm Scott Simon.

Our editors are Dee Parvez, Shannon Rhodes, Ed McNulty, Kelsey Snell, and Harizu Razvani.

And the engineers who help us out, David Greenberg, Zach Coleman, and Arthur Halliday-Lorentz.

Tomorrow on the Sunday Story with Ayesha, what's it like to report on a war in a place that is also your home? We'll hear from NPR producer Anas Baba, who has been covering the war in Gaza and covering events that Israel has banned foreign journalists from seeing firsthand.

Please, we're here waiting for you.

And what's President Zelensky's response been?

And I'm Scott Simon, and this is Up First from NPR News. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calls for security guarantees in any peace agreement.

And why is unity in Europe such an important theme for Mr. Zelensky?

And here's Joanna Kakisis in Kiev. Joanna, thanks so much for being with us.

This past week, it has taken aim at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

And Piers, Laurel Malmsley has been following all the twists and turns at the Bureau. Laurel, thanks for being with us.

Catch us up. What's been happening with this agency?

And where does that leave events now this weekend?

Laurel, remind us, the Bureau was created in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, but what does it do?

And more on last month's fatal plane crash outside of Washington, D.C.

Why has the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau become such a target for some now?

What kind of opposition against this is going on now?

And Parasauro Wamsley, thank you so much for being with us. Take care.

They're trying to figure out why a Blackhawk military helicopter crashed into a commercial jet above the Potomac River two weeks ago. 67 people were killed.

Aviation reporter David Shaper joins us now. David, thanks for being with us. My pleasure, Scott. I gather this latest information offers some detail on what the Black Hawk helicopter pilots may not have heard.

President Trump has called for a speedy end to Russia's war in Ukraine.

Now that President Trump has abruptly changed U.S. foreign policy toward that country's war with Russia.

We've also heard that the helicopter may have been flying too high at an altitude that put it near the path of the plane. Any new information on that?

NPR's Ukraine correspondent Joanna Kakisis joins us from Kyiv. Joanna, thanks for being with us.

We've also heard about the speculation that the two pilots just may not have seen each other's aircraft. The crew of the helicopter in particular may have mistaken another plane for the one into which they crashed. What do investigators say about that now?

And this has been a very important few days, the Security Conference in Munich, hasn't it, for Ukraine?

Aviation reporter David Schaefer, thanks so much.

And I'm Scott Simon.

Our director, director, director is Danny Hensel.

Our technical director today, David Greenberg. Engineering support from Stacey Abbott, Simon Laszlo Jansen, and Arthur Halliday-Lorentz.

Jim Cain is our deputy managing editor.

And for more news, interviews, sports and music. You can tune in to Weekend Edition Saturday and Sunday. Why don't they do it Monday and Tuesday, too? It's such a good show. On your radio, go to stations.npr.org to find your local NPR station.

It's other people. You answered it.

I'm Scott Simon.

South Korean President Yoon Sung-yeol declared martial law 11 days ago, only to reverse his order hours later in the face of public outrage.

And Bears Anthony Kuhn joined us now from Seoul. Anthony, thanks for being with us.

Parliament has tried to impeach Yoon just a week ago. How did the vote go this time? Why was it different?

South Korea's president has been impeached.

Anthony, how does South Korea choose a new president now?

Has South Korea's democracy passed a stress test? Is there lasting damage?

The impeachment has significant implications for U.S. foreign policy. We'll have more on that story.

And how does it affect the U.S.-South Korean relationship and shared policy goals?

NPR's Anthony Kuhn, thanks so much for being with us.

A new lawsuit by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton challenges that practice, as well as the SHIELD laws that blue states pass to protect their doctors. NPR's Alyssa Nadworny covers reproductive rights and joins us now. Thanks for being with us. Good morning. What does the lawsuit say?

And coffee prices soar after a bad drought hits Brazil.

The patient in question received pills under a shield law. Tell us more about that shield law.

And Alyssa, what is New York's position?

And Alyssa, what do we know about the doctor in this case?

And how could this case potentially affect women in getting access to abortion medications?

And, Piers, Alyssa Nedworny, thanks so much.

To some of us, the only form of water I drink is in coffee, as a matter of fact, Aisha.

And that's it first for Saturday, December 14th, 2024. I'm Scott Simon.

Our producer is Martin Patience, with help from Danny Hensel, Andrew Craig, Chris Thomas, and Gabe O'Connor.

Our editors are Catherine Laidlaw, Emily Kopp, Shannon Rhodes, and Matthew Sherman.

Evie Stone is our senior supervising editor. Sarah Lucy Oliver is our executive producer.

Really? I wondered what he was doing. Tomorrow on the Sunday Story from Up First.

And for more news, interviews, sports, and music, you can tune in to Weekend Edition on your radio. You can go to stations.npr.org to find your local NPR station.

China's countermeasures go into effect today. I'm Scott Simon.

NPR's John Rewitz joins us from Beijing. John, thanks for being with us. Happy to be here. How did things get to this point?

And a lot of people are certainly wondering any end in sight.

A raging terror war between the U.S. and a key trading partner, China, is escalating.

John, is that what you hear from companies and exporters too?

Also, if you're feeling a little anxious about the economy, you've got something in common with some of America's most powerful CEOs. We'll tell you what's making them nervous.

Will it be? I mean, do we know where we go from here?

And here's John Roach in Beijing. Thanks so much, John. You're welcome, Scott.

Might have noticed some people stocking up on things, fearing price hikes are just around the corner.

NPR business correspondent Maria Aspin joins us now. Maria, thanks for being with us.

Please catch us up.

As is everyone right now. How does this ripple through the business world?

So please stay with us. We have the news you need to start your weekend.

And those business spending decisions affect us all, don't they?

And there's Murray Aspin. Thanks so much for being with us.

The Trump administration's move to deport immigrants who are in this country legally is getting a lot of legal pushback.

This is not the only high-profile case getting attention this week. NPR's Adrian Florido joins us. Adrian, thanks for being with us.

And what did Mahmoud Khalil's lawyers say?

What about Khalil's rights to due process and freedom of speech?

And briefly, Adrian, the Supreme Court ruled on the case of Kilmer Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to a Salvadoran prison. How does this fit into the question of executive power?

And here's Adrian Florido. Thanks so much.

Thank you. And that's up first for Saturday, April 12th, 2025. I'm Scott Simon.

Martin Patience produced this podcast with help from Fernando Naro-Roman and Jordan Marie Smith.

Andrew Craig is our director with expert support from technical director Andy Huther and engineers Jay Ciz, Zach Coleman, and David Greenberg.

Tomorrow on the Sunday Story, the First Amendment is a cornerstone of U.S. democracy. And PR's Morning Edition co-host Leila Fadl will share what she's hearing from some who feel right to free speech is changing under the Trump administration.

Please don't waste a minute. Do it now.

For reasons scientists are still figuring out, I'm Scott Simon.

And yesterday, the state's governor called for an independent investigation into why some fire hydrants have gone dry. NPR's Liz Baker has been covering the fires. Liz, thanks very much for being with us.

How do things look right now?

Liz, what's it look like on the ground?

New reports put a number on a warming planet and point to some, but not all, of the likely culprits.

NPR's Liz Baker, thanks so much for being with us.

Alejandra Barunda from NPR's Climate Desk joins us now to tell us what scientists think is happening. Thanks so much for being with us.

Let's put some numbers on this extraordinary heat.

But you said last year was actually hotter than scientists had anticipated? Yes.

So a number of possibilities, but no one thing could be held responsible for those numbers. What else is on the suspect list?

And what did they find?

So let me understand this. Clearer skies, sunnier skies caused by less pollution... ends up promoting climate change?

Leandra Barunda of NPR's Climate Desk, thanks so much for being with us.

And finally, TikTok.

But the Justice Department says unless TikTok loses its Chinese owner, ByteDance, it must shut down in the United States. And here's Bobby Allen was in court for the arguments and joins us here in our studios. Bobby, thanks for being with us. Morning, Scott. What did TikTok say?

And how did the government respond to the free speech argument?

Bobby, could you discern if the justices seem to be leaning one way or another?

So, Bobby, the ban's supposed to go into effect in eight days. What do you see between now and then?

And if the law is upheld, any indication ByteDance would sell TikTok?

And I'm Scott Simon.

Ed McNulty is our editor, along with Matthew Sherman, Eric Whitney, Neela Banerjee, and Cara Platoni.

Evie Stone is our senior supervising editor. Sarah Lucy Oliver is our executive producer. And Jim Cain is our deputy managing editor.

And for more news, interviews, and analysis, you can tune in to Weekend Edition on your radio. Go to stations.npr.org to find your local station. Do it right now.

It was some of the most intense fighting between the nations in decades. NPR's Dia Hadid has been following these events from Mumbai and joins us now. Dia, thanks for being with us.

And I'm Scott Simon, and this is Up First from NPR News.

What's happened?

Now, this seems pretty remarkable because you and your team just hours ago reported that Pakistan had announced a new military operation against India.

India and Pakistan agree to a full and immediate ceasefire.

We want to hear what brought this together so quickly, but also if you could remind us how this conflict began.

How did the ceasefire come about?

Plus, NPR learns the Department of Agriculture is demanding states hand over the data of those receiving food stamps.

Do you have a sense of why they agreed to a ceasefire?

NPR's Diya Hadid in Mumbai. Diya, thanks so much for being with us.

Millions of Americans rely on food assistance every month.

But the move comes as the Trump administration amasses data for immigration enforcement. We're joined now by Jude Jaffe-Block from NPR's Power and Influence team. Thanks for being with us, Jude.

What kind of data is the USDA asking for?

And the Trump administration tightens its control over the independent agency that regulates America's nuclear reactors. Experts worry the move could put safety at risk.

How could this data foster the administration's efforts to deport people who were in the country illegally?

And Jude, isn't access to sensitive personal information one of the big legal hurdles that this administration keeps running into?

Where do things go from here, Jude? Does the federal government have access to this data right now?

NPR's Jude Jaffe-Block, who reported this story with NPR's Stephen Fowler. And you can read a fuller version of their story on NPR.org. Jude, thanks so much.

The White House will now sign off on new rules regarding safety.

We're joined now by NPR science correspondent Jeff Brumfield. Jeff, thanks for being with us.

This agency, of course, known as the NRC, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, what's changing?

Sounds like even more changes might be coming, too, I gather. You've seen a draft of an executive order that President Trump may sign regarding the NRC. What does that say?

Jeff, why does the administration seem so eager to get involved with nuclear safety?

Certainly a lot of people would be concerned about whether these changes could somehow help make a nuclear emergency more likely.

And there's Jeff Brumfield. Thanks so much.

And I'm Scott Simon.

Martin Patience is our editor. He had help from Ed McNulty, Dee Parvez, and Miguel Macias.

Our senior supervising editor is Shannon Rhodes. Evie Stone is our executive producer. And Luis Clemens is our deputy managing editor.

And for more news, interviews, sports, and music, you can tune in to Weekend Edition on your radio, Saturday and Sunday. Go to stations.npr.org to find your local NPR station.

Listen to Trump's Terms from NPR.

I'm Scott Simon.

Is the Department of Government efficiency a potential political liability for congressional Republicans? Because after all, federal jobs are getting cut in their states.

Everybody's got a podcast. Now, California Governor Gavin Newsom started one this week. His first guest was not another progressive Democrat, but right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. And they agreed on a few things.

President Trump now says his cabinet secretaries will be the ones to make staffing decisions, not Elon Musk and his Doge entity.

This coming Friday, March 14, is the deadline to avoid a government shutdown. How far apart are the parties?

It'll be good to talk to you then, too. And Piers Ron Elving, thanks so much.

Federal employees clocking in on Monday could see another email sent at the behest of Elon Musk asking them, quote, what did you do last week?

We'll also hear how federal employees at one agency feel about those efforts.

And Pierre's Andrea Hsu joins us now. Andrea, thanks so much for being with us.

Managers ask their employees to keep them up to date all the time, tell them what they've been doing. That seems pretty ordinary, but you've heard from workers at the VA are quite mad about these emails. Why are they so upset?

Andrea, did the mental health workers with whom you spoke answer their emails, list their accomplishments?

So please stay with us. We've got the news you need to start your weekend.

So the stress that mental health workers are feeling isn't all about the emails.

What does the Trump administration say?

Many of the people with whom you've spoken, mental health workers, thought about leaving.

And Vera Zandria Hsu, thanks so much for being with us.

Tuesday will mark five years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

NPR health correspondent Will Stone joins us now. Will, thanks for being with us. Sure thing, Scott. Long COVID can be debilitating for many people. Are scientists any closer to understanding it? They are.

What are you hearing from patients, Will? More resources, more funding?

President Trump said he wants his captain secretaries to work with Elon Musk on staffing decisions.

NPR health correspondent Will Stone, thanks so much for being with us. Thank you. Thank you.

And I'm Scott Simon.

Our editors are Dee Parvez, Ed McNulty, Melissa Gray, and Scott Hensley.

And the engineers who helped get this on the air, David Greenberg, Zach Coleman, and Arthur Halliday-Lorent.

But Izzy, NPR senior editor and correspondent Ron Elving joins us. Ron, thanks for being with us.

And tomorrow on The Sunday Story with Ayesha, a close look at the origins of birthright citizenship, a constitutional right President Trump wants to end for children born in the U.S. to parents who enter the country illegally.

Don't just sit there. Tune in now.

Hey, I'm Scott Schaefer.

We host Political Breakdown. With the 2024 election over and President Trump in the White House, there's going to be a lot to keep up with this year.

Join us for Political Breakdown every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from KQED, part of the NPR Network.

Well, what are we seeing? Are they putting a leash on that doge?

Following the news out of Washington, D.C. can be overwhelming. I'm Scott Detrow, and NPR has a podcast that can help. It's called Trump's Terms. Stories about big changes the 47th president is pursuing on his own terms. Each episode is short, usually around five minutes or so. We keep it calm and factual. We help you follow what matters, and we leave out what doesn't.

I think they don't want to do what we do.

A federal judge has halted Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, from getting access to some Treasury Department records, those containing sensitive personal data for millions of Americans.

And a couple of days ago, a different judge blocked the federal employee buyout effort. All three rulings are temporary.

I'm Scott Simon.

We're joined now by NPR national political correspondent Don Gagne from Detroit. Don, thanks for being with us. I am glad to be here. Hi.

It's been less than two weeks since over two million federal employees received an email telling them they could resign by February 6th. or stay in those positions without any assurances they would have a job. That deadline's been pushed to Monday, but where do things seem to stand now?

Elon Musk's team has been tearing through a number of federal agencies.

President Trump wants to close the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Of course, in Detroit, you are on the Canadian border. How have President Trump's threats to place steep tariffs on Canadian goods being received in Canada, even as talks continue?

Tuesday, while meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Trump had this to say about the future of the Gaza Strip.

Don, you, of course, have been reporting in the Arab American community in Dearborn, Michigan. What reaction has there been there?

This pause is also temporary and, in a moment, the latest on what's happening to USAID.

And Pierce, John Gagne, thanks so much for being with us.

But the Trump administration paused all foreign assistance and put the agency's 13,000 employees on administrative leave.

NPR Global Health Correspondent Fatma Tanis joins us. Fatma, thanks so much for being with us.

You've been speaking to many USAID employees. How do they react?

Oh, are your Philadelphia Eagles. Oh, are your Kansas City Chiefs.

How does yesterday's order from a federal judge about the agency affect USAID and its workers?

So please stay with us. We have the news you need to start your weekend.

What is the administration focusing on USAID?

Where does this leave many of the aid groups who worked with USAID?

And Piers Votmatanis, thanks so much for being with us.

And you do it with great sincerity, Aisha. The Chiefs are playing for history. The Eagles, revenge. Also a chaotic week in the NBA. Meadowlark Media's Howard Bryant joins us. Howard, thanks so much for being with us.

I'm fine, thanks, my friend. Super Bowl, of course, tomorrow in New Orleans. Kansas City Chiefs going for their third straight title. No team in NFL history has been able to win three Super Bowls in a row. In fact, they began that string two years ago by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles, who they coincidentally play tomorrow. Revenge time.

I mean, maybe it's a cliche, but that defines a great team, doesn't it? They can play not up to their best and still win.

I have to ask, what do you make of this what I'll call conspiracy theory that seems to have taken hold of so many NFL fans that the league is tipping the scales in favor of the Chiefs?

I have to ask you about the NBA this week. Trade deadline, a triple team trade between the LA Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and Utah Jazz. It's been called one of the most shocking trades in NBA history. How so?

Howard, one last question. Tomorrow, nachos, pizza, or tofu cubes?

All right. With your advice, Howard Bryant of Meadowlark Media. Thanks so much. Happy Super Bowl. Good to be with you, my friend. Talk to you soon.

And I'm Scott Simon.

Our director is the mighty Andrew Craig.

And there's more star power this Super Bowl weekend. Our technical director is Andy Huther.

Engineering support from David Greenberg, Zach Coleman, and Arthur Halliday-Lorent.

Mercy.

Heavens to Sarah Lucy.

Zoinks, zoinks, zoinks.

And for more news, interviews, sports, and music, you can tune into Weekend Edition on your radio. Saturday and Sunday, go to stations.npr.org and find your local NPR station. Track it down.

We'll tell you what to expect at the store checkout. I'm Scott Simon.

But shortly after he was elected, the president did admit it would be hard to bring prices down once they have gone up.

NPR's Scott Newman is looking at which items in our grocery cart might get hit first. Scott, thanks for being with us. Good to be here.

What food could see the biggest price increases? Seafood. The U.S. imports around 80% of the seafood we consume. That's fish, but also other things like shrimp and scallops. We get a lot of it from Asian countries that have high tariff rates, India with a 26% rate and Indonesia with a 32% rate.

So if these countries pass along to consumers even a portion of their higher costs, the price of seafood could skyrocket. And what else might be affected? Well, I spoke with food industry analyst Phil Lempert. He also edits a site called supermarketguru.com.

So another item on my list is coffee. Something like 80% of the coffee consumed in the U.S. each year comes mostly from Brazil and Colombia. They only have 10% tariffs, but as most of us know, coffee prices are already high, and this might force us to rethink our morning routines. Then there's alcohol. The U.S.

gets a lot of its imported beer from Mexico, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Canada, and a lot of its wine from European Union countries that will now have a 20% tariff.

And I guess it looks like a lot of Asian countries will face higher tariffs also.

Right. We already mentioned seafood, but another major export from Asia is rice. About a third of the rice the U.S. consumes comes from there. Jasmine rice from Thailand, which will have a 36 percent tariff, and basmati from India, which faces a 26 percent tax. Kenneth Rogoff, a Harvard economics professor, says some minority communities that rely on imported food are probably going to be affected.

Scott, do you have an idea of how much prices are going to rise because of the tariffs?

It's too early to say. There are just too many factors at play. For example, you wouldn't immediately think that steel and aluminum tariffs on China would have any impact on groceries. But for canned goods like soup and vegetables, those cans are mostly made out of steel. And of course, beer cans are mostly aluminum. Then there's palm oil. Indonesia, a leading supplier, will have a 32% tariff.

Palm oil is used in everything from cooking oil and snacks to cosmetics and shampoo. Domestic suppliers, too, could see the higher costs of their foreign competition as an opportunity to raise their own prices.

And peer correspondent Scott Newman, thanks so much. Thank you, Scott.

That was then-candidate Donald Trump on the campaign trail. We'll look at how his new tariffs are going to affect grocery prices.

And our congressional correspondent, Claudia Grisales, has been following the bill's progress. Thanks so much for being with us.

And Senate Republicans unveiled this plan earlier in the week. What can you tell us about it?

Because Republicans control the Senate, but only 53 seats. Could they ultimately pass this plan with a simple majority? I mean, can they get there?

Also, a big hockey record tied and college basketball.

What are some of the divides between Senate and House Republicans?

How do Republicans overcome the divide? Is that where President Trump steps in?

And Pierce Claudia Grazales, thanks so much for being with us today.

A hockey legend's goal record, which many people said was unbreakable, was matched after 26 years. And of course, looking ahead to college basketball finals, Howard Bryant of Metterlach Media joins us. Howard, thanks for being with us. Good morning, Scott. How are you? I'm fine, thanks, my friend. Let's try April Hysteria. Women's tournament, final set after South Carolina beat Texas 74-57, UConn

throttled UCLA 85-51. Who do you think has the edge in the final tomorrow?

Men's tournament, Final Four tonight. Florida faces Auburn. Houston faces Duke. All the number one seeds in play. First time in the Final Four since 2008. So, I mean, what was March about?

And, of course, last night in the NHL, Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals tied the NHL's all-time scoring record held by Wayne Gretzky. He scored two goals last night. 39 years old, still playing at such a high level.

That's right.

Okay. Howard Bryant of Meadowlark Media, thanks so much for being with us.

And that's up first for Saturday, April 5th, 2025. I'm Scott Simon.

Martin Patience produced this podcast with help from Gabe O'Connor and Elena Twarek.

Daniel Hensel is our fine director, with expert support from technical director Andy Huther, engineers Jay Sizz, Zach Coleman, and Simon Laszlo Janssen.

Tomorrow on the Sunday Story, the Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants means those communities are living through uncertain times. We'll hear from immigrants in several states on how they're coping.

But hold up. Wait, wait, so to speak. Before you go, we have one more thing for you today.

And they do it so well. Each week they create a news quiz. We want to give up first listeners the chance to play along.

$40,000?

And I'm Scott Simon, and this is Up First from NPR News.

He wants to slash spending for many federal agencies, but increase spending for defense and border security.

NPR's Daniel Kurtzleben joins us. Danielle, thanks for being with us.