NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-21-2026 9AM EST

Episode Date: January 21, 2026

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Live from NPR News in Washington, on Corva Coleman, President Trump is speaking now at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He's facing heavy criticism from European allies about his demands to take over Greenland. But Trump began his speech by praising his own work on the U.S. economy and repeatedly blaming the prior Biden administration. After 12 months back in the White House, our economy is booming, growth is exploding, productivity is surging, investment is soaring. Incomes are rising. Inflation has been defeated, our previously open and dangerous border is closed and virtually impenetrable. And the United States is in the midst of the fastest and most dramatic economic turnaround in our country's history. Trump has sprinkled insults toward Europe in his speech. He says some places in Europe aren't

recognizable anymore, and he said he meant that in a negative way. He cited immigration and blamed energy policies that are intended to fight climate change. The U.S. Supreme Court hears a case today over whether President Trump has the power to fire members of the Federal Reserve Board. NPR's Nina Totenberg reports. Today's case involves Trump's attempt to fire economist Lisa Cook, a federal reserve governor appointed by President Biden. He's accused her of mortgage fraud, a charge she vehemently denies. While that is the case officially before the court, 10 days ago, the Trump administration clearly laid the groundwork for firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell, whom Trump himself appointed. In subpoenas served on the Fed, the administration threatened Powell with a criminal

indictment for allegedly lying to Congress about cost overruns on two Federal Reserve Board buildings. That, in turn, prompted Powell to post on social media, video in which he said that the threat was aimed at serving the president's political interests. Nina Totenberg, NPR News, Washington. More than 250 tech professionals from Silicon Valley companies are urging their bosses to pressure the White House. They want the Trump administration to withdraw its federal immigration officers from American cities.

NPR's John Rewitch has more. An online petition has been signed by employees at Google, Apple, Meta, OpenAI, and many other companies. It references President Trump's October decision not to send immigration forces into San Francisco. Trump said at the time he got, quote, a great call from some incredible people who persuaded him to hold off from surging federal agents into the city. Among them were NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and Mark Beniof, the CEO of Salesforce. The online petition calls on tech leaders to pick up the phone to the White House again to demand that ICE withdraw from U.S. cities. John Rewich, NPR News.

And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. There's been a commuter train crash in Spain today that's killed one person. It comes after Sunday's collision between two trains that killed at least 42 people. Regional commuter trains in the Catalonia region have been suspended today. News reports say the head of the IRS is reorganizing the agency just days before tax filing season begins. IRS leader Frank Bissinano is installing two whistleblowers, as leaders in investigations and internal consulting. Both whistleblowers worked on investigations into Hunter Biden's taxes.

New York's Metropolitan Opera has announced layoffs and other measures to try to save $40 million over the next two years. The Met Opera is the largest performing arts organization in the United States. NPR's Anastasia Zulkas reports. The Met told NPR that these cutbacks and attempts to generate new revenue come as the opera company awaits an infusion of cash in a pending still tentative deal with Saudi Arabia worth some $200 million. In the meantime, the MET has cut 22 administrative jobs, instituted temporary salary reductions,

and postponed the run of one opera previously announced for next season. The MED is also looking at possibly selling two iconic murals by artist Mark Chagall that frame its entryway. The Chagall murals are valued at some 50s. $55 million. If they're sold, the MET expects them to remain in place at the theater displayed on permanent loan. Anastasi Aze Oskos, NPR News, New York. And I'm Koura Coleman, NPR News in Washington.