NPR News: 05-12-2026 6PM EDT
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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. President Trump is expected to discuss the Iran war during his state visit to China. He left this afternoon and is now on his way to Beijing. NPR's Domenico Montanaro reports on what Americans think of the U.S.-China relationship in a survey done by NPR in conjunction with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and Ipsos.
In two polls over the last few months, there were some notable findings. First, Americans see China on the rise. and eyeing a dominant role in the world. 78% say they believe China wants to be a dominant world leader, particularly economically. But respondents also say they want to keep a strong trading relationship with China, and they want tariffs lowered to keep costs down for U.S. consumers. Most also say the Iran war has been bad for both countries and their economies, but more Americans say the war is boosting China's geopolitical position than say it's helping U.S. national security.
What are Americans' views on the U.S.-China relationship?
Domenico Montanaro, NPR News, Washington.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced tough questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers about the Trump administration's endgame for the Iran war, its cost and impact on diminishing U.S. weapons stockpiles. Jules Hurst is performing the duties of the Defense Department's comptroller. He says the cost of the war has risen.
At the time of testimony in front of the ask, it was $25 billion. But the joint staff team and the cop trailer team are constantly looking at that estimate. And so now we think it's closer to $29 billion. That's because of updated repair and replacement of equipment costs and also just general operational costs to keep people in theater.
That's $29 billion. Hegseth got pushback from members of his own Republican Party about munitions and President Trump's criticism of traditional allies for not taking part in the conflict. Hegseth insisted that the military has plenty of missile defense systems and other weapons. The national average for a gallon of regular gas is now $4.50 a gallon. That's down slightly from yesterday, as NPR's Camilla Dominovsky reports.
The app GasBuddy shows drops in states like Michigan and Ohio helped bring the national average down slightly. Diesel prices, meanwhile, are at $5.64, up from yesterday thanks in part to ongoing refinery issues. Diesel prices drive up inflation across the entire economy. President Trump has endorsed the idea of a federal gas tax holiday that would require an act of Congress and would save consumers a little more than 18 cents per gallon on gasoline, which Trump acknowledged was a small percentage of the consumer gasoline burden. Camila Dominovsky, NPR News.
The Missouri Supreme Court today upheld new congressional districts that could help Republicans win an extra seat. It's the latest redistricting victory for President Trump. after he urged Republican-led states to draw new maps to boost the party's chances of keeping control of the House during this year's elections. Although the Dow added a tenth of a percent today, a sudden halt for technology stocks put the brakes on Wall Street's record-setting run. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. A doctor says a French woman infected with hantavirus on a cruise ship is critically ill and being treated with an artificial lung. The World Health Organization says the outbreak has now reached 11 total reported cases worldwide, nine of which have been confirmed.
The overall tally includes three people from the cruise ship who died. Nearly 7 million children in the U.S. live in a home with at least one firearm kept unlocked and loaded. That's according to a new study in JAMA Network Open, as NPR's Ritu Chatterjee reports firearms the leading cause of pediatric deaths in America.
Researchers surveyed nearly 900 gun-owning parents with kids younger than 18 years in the home and asked them how they store their guns. Study author Dr. Matthew Miller is a public health researcher at Northeastern University. He says nearly one in five respondents had at least one firearm stored in the least safe way possible, unlocked and loaded.
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