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NPR News Now

NPR News: 03-29-2026 1PM EDT

29 Mar 2026

Transcription

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What are the current challenges facing President Trump amid the war with Iran?

0.031 - 15.195 Noor Rahm

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor Rahm. As thousands of U.S. troops arrive in the Middle East one month into the war with Iran, President Trump is also dealing with mounting problems here at home. NPR's Maura Liason reports.

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15.415 - 33.159 Maura Liason

Congress and the President have not been able to work out a compromise to fund the Department of Homeland Security. That's causing long lines at airports because TSA agents, who are not being paid, are quitting their jobs or staying home from work. The president has signed an emergency order allowing him to pay the TSA agents.

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33.179 - 54.973 Maura Liason

In addition, President Trump is dealing with the economic fallout from the war in Iran. As long as Iran restricts shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices will continue to rise. And that has caused the war to become even more unpopular and Trump's approval ratings to drop even further. Polls show Trump's base is still solidly behind him, but there are cracks in his MAGA coalition.

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55.294 - 63.67 Maura Liason

An AP poll last week showed one quarter of Republicans saying the war has already gone too far. Mara Liason, NPR News.

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63.65 - 70.517 Noor Rahm

Kelly Grieco has been closely following the war in Iran. She's a senior fellow and military analyst at the Stimson Center.

Chapter 2: How is the war in Iran affecting domestic issues in the U.S.?

70.997 - 74.661 Noor Rahm

She was asked what she's watching for as the war enters its second month.

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74.681 - 88.915 Kelly Grieco

I think this is the most dangerous moment in the war so far, as the administration is sending forces to the region and looks like it's seriously contemplating some kind of ground action. I'm very concerned that it's going to do that. And I'll just say that, you know,

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88.895 - 102.754 Kelly Grieco

If it takes one of these islands, these small islands in the strait or towards Karg, all of those forces are going to be under the range of drones and missiles and artillery. It would be a very dangerous and costly operation.

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102.974 - 124.693 Noor Rahm

She was interviewed on NPR's Weekend Edition. Police in Israel turned away the Vatican's top official in Jerusalem from praying in one of Christianity's holiest sites today. The Latin Patriarch had already canceled public Palm Sunday events in keeping with wartime restrictions, but it was barred from holding smaller private prayers the first time in centuries, according to church leaders.

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125.194 - 127.238 Noor Rahm

NPR's Carrie Kahn reports.

128.77 - 148.241 Carrie Kahn

The bells of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre ring out in the Old City, but you can't get close to the site where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified and resurrected. Israeli officials are limiting public gatherings in Jerusalem's holy sites to under 50 people. The Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque has been closed to just staff during the entire war.

148.741 - 171.556 Carrie Kahn

Judaism's Holy Western Wall allows 50 worshippers at a time. This year's Palm Sunday procession had been canceled in accordance to the rules, but Police Sunday even prevented Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierre-Baptiste Pizzabala and another official from entering the site in what church officials say is, quote, a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure.

Chapter 3: What are the implications of the recent military actions in the Middle East?

172.097 - 176.063 Carrie Kahn

Israel's president apologized. Carrie Khan, NPR News, Jerusalem.

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176.444 - 199.024 Noor Rahm

This is NPR News in Washington. A fire broke out at a dance club early this morning in southwestern Germany near the French border. About 750 people ran to escape the flames. Police say no one was injured. Finland's defense minister says unmanned aerial vehicles committed a territorial violation early today.

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199.004 - 204.934 Noor Rahm

Terry Schultz reports this comes after several drones crashed in the Baltic states over the past few days.

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205.175 - 226.023 Terry Schultz

Finland's air force sent fighter jets into the air to try to identify the objects detected in the airspace over the southeastern part of the country. It said two drones were later found on the ground near the city of Kovala. Their origin was not given and police have cordoned off the areas for further investigation. Defense Minister Antti Hakkinen says the incident is being taken very seriously.

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226.643 - 247.029 Terry Schultz

On Friday, the defense ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania issued a joint statement noting several drones had entered their territory recently, blaming this on Ukraine needing to defend itself against Russia. They also call on NATO to strengthen its air defenses and the European Union to boost its funding for anti-drone capabilities along the eastern flank.

247.049 - 249.092 Terry Schultz

For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz in Brussels.

249.173 - 273.308 Noor Rahm

Organizers of yesterday's No King rally say millions of people turned out across the country to protest the Trump administration. There were more than 3,000 events, about 500 more than the last protest in October. The rally in Minnesota was closely watched because of the state's resistance to the president's aggressive actions against immigrants. Bruce Springsteen performed at that rally.

273.288 - 279.578 Noor Rahm

And he sang his new song, Streets of Minneapolis. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington.

279.618 - 290.435 Unknown

Newsmakers is NPR's newest podcast where you can find NPR's biggest interviews. We begin with Wes Moore, a rising star in the Democratic Party.

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