NPR News: 02-27-2026 10AM EST
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What is the significance of Bill Clinton's testimony before the House Oversight Committee?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Former President Bill Clinton is set to appear before the House Oversight Committee today. Lawmakers are expected to question him about his connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace told CNN that she plans to ask the former president about Epstein's private island.
The victims I've spoken to and their family members have not exonerated people like former President Bill Clinton, who's denied being on the island. But I will bring out some documents today that show that Jeffrey Epstein was directing victims and or witnesses to deny he ever was at the island. And I think there are going to be a lot of people that need to come before the Oversight Committee.
Today's closed-door deposition comes a day after former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified before the committee. NPR has learned that Vice President J.D. Vance is set to meet today with Oman's foreign minister, who has served as the mediator in ongoing U.S.-Iran nuclear talks. NPR's Franco Ordonez reports the administration has yet to provide details about its specific objectives for taking military action against Tehran.
President Trump looks focused on two potential types of targets. One is bigger, aimed at destabilizing or overthrowing a regime. Another would be more limited, such as strikes against nuclear targets or the ballistic missile program. Matthew Kroenig, a senior director at the Atlantic Council, says if he were advising the president, he'd suggest the latter.
I would advocate for a more limited strike and communicate to the regime that this is just a limited strike to try to induce them to engage in token retaliation and hope that the conflict can de-escalate.
Trump is not the first U.S. president to deal with this issue. Former President Barack Obama was widely criticized for the nuclear deal that he reached. George W. Bush labeled Iran part of his axis of evil. Franco Ordonez, NPR News.
Stocks on Wall Street opened sharply lower this morning after a report showing inflation at the wholesale level was higher than expected last month. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the Dow fell nearly 800 points in early trading.
Wholesale prices in January were up 2.9 percent from a year ago. They jumped by half a percent between December and January, which is a bigger increase than forecasters were expecting. Retailers and wholesalers who absorbed some price hikes in the past are now passing more of that cost along to customers. The fintech company Block is cutting more than 40 percent of its workforce. CEO Jack Dorsey says the company formerly known as Square can get by without those 4,000 workers. thanks to efficiency gains from artificial intelligence. A federal judge has ruled the IRS broke the law more than 42,000 times when it shared confidential taxpayer information with immigration authorities. The ruling comes in a lawsuit brought by the Center for Taxpayer Rights.
Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.
This is NPR News. Anthropic is facing a deadline today to reach an agreement with the Pentagon or risk losing a major government contract tied to its artificial intelligence technology. The company's CEO says it cannot agree to Defense Department demands that would allow broader military use of its AI systems. Anthropic argues proposed contract language does not do enough to limit potential uses involving mass surveillance or autonomous weapons. The Pentagon disputes that claim, saying it intends to use the technology within existing legal boundaries. President Trump's name and image are now appearing on federal buildings. A move critics say blurs the line between government messaging and political promotion.
NPR's Tamara Keith reports the shift is a break with presidential norms.
Trump's face looms large on banners outside of agency buildings, including the Justice Department. Then there's the newly renamed Trump Kennedy Center and Trump Institute of Peace. The Trump Gold Card, Trump Rx, and Trump Accounts.
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