NPR News: 09-26-2025 7PM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton.
How is President Trump reshaping the Justice Department and why does the Comey indictment matter?
President Trump is rapidly reshaping the Department of Justice. In recent months, he and his allies have ousted career prosecutors and other high-level employees. But the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey marks a turning point. As NPR's Mara Liason explains, Trump is ignoring the norms that governed previous presidents.
It's really hard to figure out how to stop him. I mean, this is a president who believes, as he says, Article 2 gives me the right to do whatever I want. Article 2 is the article that set up the executive branch. This is his concept of the presidency. Some people think it's an authoritarian concept. But other than refusing to do what he tells you, quitting, or allowing him to fire you, there's not that much that individual people in the Justice Department can do unless Congress is going to assert itself.
NPR's Mara Liason reporting, the Supreme Court ruled President Trump can continue to freeze nearly $4 billion in foreign aid, handing him another victory in a dispute over presidential power. The administration sought an emergency appeal after a lower court ruled that Trump's action was likely illegal and that only Congress could withhold funding. President Trump says he will impose a 100 percent tariff on brand name pharmaceutical imports next week. That's unless foreign companies are building factories to make the medicines in the U.S. NPR's Sidney Lupkin has more.
The president has been talking about imposing tariffs on drug companies for months, mentioning different percentages and dates. He took to Truth Social Thursday to post that the tariffs will begin next month. It's unclear how broadly the tariff will affect consumers. They won't apply to generics, about 90% of prescriptions filled in the U.S., only brand name drugs. And he's making an exception for companies that are expanding manufacturing in the U.S. Many brand name drug makers have announced new U.S.
What constitutional arguments does NPR cite about Article II and presidential authority?
factories in recent months, which could exempt them from the tariff. Sydney Lupkin, NPR News.
Two major ABC affiliate groups, Sinclair and Nexstar, are putting Jimmy Kimmel Live back on the air. NPR's Chloe Veltman reports the local TV giants initially held out after national broadcaster ABC reinstated Kimmel this week.
In a statement, Sinclair says its decision to restore Jimmy Kimmel's show is the result of receiving feedback from viewers, advertisers and community leaders. Nextar's press release says discussions with ABC parent Disney prompted its change of heart. Sinclair and Nextar pulled Jimmy Kimmel live following comments the comedian had made during his September 15th broadcast about the suspect in Charlie Kirk's assassination. ABC restored the show on Tuesday after suspending it for nearly a week. The head of the Federal Communications Commission had publicly pressured Disney to punish Kimmel. Disney experienced enormous public blowback for caving in to the FCC's threats. Chloe Veltman, NPR News.
This is NPR News from Washington. Federal immigration agents detained the head of Des Moines Public Schools. Superintendent Ian Roberts was born in Guyana. ICE agents say he was in the U.S. on an expired student visa and was given a final order of removal by an immigration judge last year. And officials say he tried to evade arrest. Roberts has been superintendent of Des Moines schools since 2023. Fort Gordon, near Augusta, Georgia, was originally named for a Confederate general, but the Biden administration changed it in the aftermath of protests for racial justice in 2020. Now the Trump administration is changing it back, but naming it after a different Gordon. With member station WABE, Raul Bali reports.
The original Fort Gordon was named after former Georgia Governor and Confederate General John Gordon. Now it is being named after Medal of Honor recipient Gary Gordon, who died in the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia in 1993. His widow, Carmen Drake Owens, spoke at Friday's dedication ceremony.
I believe that Gary would look at the naming of this post as a way to remember not just him, but every soldier that was involved in the Battle of Mogadishu.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:04
2
How is President Trump reshaping the Justice Department and why does the Comey indictment matter?
0:04–1:55
3
What constitutional arguments does NPR cite about Article II and presidential authority?
1:55–4:27
4
What did the Supreme Court rule about Trump freezing nearly $4 billion in foreign aid?
4:27–4:39