NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-20-2025 5PM EST

Episode Date: January 20, 2025

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President Trump is back in Washington, pursuing major policy changes on his own terms. We know from the past that means challenging precedent, busting norms, and pushing against the status quo. NPR is covering it all with Trump's Terms, a podcast where we curate stories about the 47th president with a focus on how he is upending the way Washington works. Listen to Trump's Terms from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Donald Trump was sworn in today in Washington, D.C. as the nation's 47th president, after achieving something only one other president before has done, win re-election to a non-consecutive

second term. The first was Grover Cleveland in the late 1800s. Trump during inauguration that was moved into the capital Rotunda because of cold weather promising another golden age for America. From this moment on America's decline is over. Trump has laid out a blitz of executive actions including efforts to reduce prices. I will direct all members of my cabinet to marshal the vast powers at their disposal to defeat what was record inflation and rapidly bring down costs and prices. It was a comparatively brief inaugural address. Trump spoke for just under 30 minutes. One executive order, President Trump has said he'll move ahead on, is declaring a national

energy emergency. Ambiya's Asma Hali reports it's all part of a broader vision to boost natural resource production in the U.S. Trump aims to cut red tape and regulations in the energy industry and enable the United States to produce more coal. He also intends to sign a specific executive order aimed at Alaska's natural resources. This is all according to an incoming White House official who spoke to reporters on a conference call to preview the announcements. The official said energy prices are currently

too high but declined to name a target price. In recent years, U.S. oil and gas production has hit record levels. Trump also plans to end what he refers to as Biden's electric vehicle mandate and end efforts to limit consumer choices on items like gas stoves and dishwashers. Asma Khalid, NPR News. Some of the world's top technology giants played key roles in the lead up to the inauguration of Donald Trump as the nation's 47th president. Emperors Windsor Johnson rewards big tax stands to gain if the Trump administration goes soft with regulation and antitrust enforcement.

In the weeks after the election, the CEOs of Tesla, Meta and TikTok were quick to throw their support behind Trump, holding meetings with him at Mar-a-Lago and donating millions of dollars for his inauguration. Former Trump White House chief strategist Steve Bannon calls it a sign of their official surrender to Trump. They're not there because they support Trump. They're there because the Trump movement and President Trump broke them. In his final address to the nation, former President Joe Biden warned that an oligarchy

is taking shape in America and said a dangerous concentration of power is in the hands of a few ultra-wealthy people. Windsor-Johnston, NPR News, Washington. Your financial markets are closed for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday today. Stocks close mostly higher in Asia and Europe. You're listening to NPR. Today the nation observes the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year the federal holiday coincides with the beginning of a new presidential administration. NPR's Kristen Wright reports.

The day of service honors the life and legacy of the civil rights leader who only lived to see 39. Many years and presidential administrations later, the country remains deeply divided. Dr. King's son, Martin Luther King III, spoke to NBC's Meet the Press Sunday. We've seen a lot of chaos. Some of it constructive, some of it destructive. I think Dad would always want to hear on the side of how do we create constructive engagement? How do we build the beloved community? He'd be quite disappointed, quite frankly, that we are where we are. He probably wouldn't be surprised.

King said he hopes that young people can help bring the country together. Kristen Wright, NPR News, Washington. Items belonging to music legend Bob Dylan were on the auction block this past weekend, including draft lyrics to his 1965 song, Mr. Tambourine Man, which went for $508,000. Typewritten lyrics were the most expensive of dozens of Dylan items auctioned off in Nashville by Julian's Auctions. Other items that were sold include photos, music sheets, a guitar, and an oil painting, Dylan did. The 83-year-old musician is a Nobel Prize winner and the subject of a new movie, A Complete

Unknown. Critical futures prices closed modestly lower today after Donald Trump declared an energy emergency. Oil fell 91 cents a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.