NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-27-2025 2PM EST

Episode Date: February 27, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. President Trump is hosting British Prime Minister Ker Starmer at the White House. Ukraine and trade are expected to dominate their talks. But the first question to them from the press was about the arrival of self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan. U.S.-British nationals and social media influencers facing rape and human trafficking charges in Romania but are now in the US. Did your administration pressure the Romanian government to release them and if so?

I know nothing about that. I don't know. You're saying he's on a plane right now? He's back. They already did. Yeah. I just know nothing about it. We'll check it out.

We'll let you know. Obviously this involves, there's an English element here, so obviously it's important that justice is done and human trafficking is obviously, to my mind, a security risk. And so I will catch up with the story in due course. Are you aware of this? Are you aware of this? Yes, Mr. President. I didn't know anything about it.

Well, the Tate brothers arrived today in South Florida. As NPR's Greg Allen reports, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the duo is not welcome in a state. The online influencers were held for two years in Romania where they were investigated and charged with human trafficking. Andrew and Tristan Tate are outspoken supporters of President Trump. The Financial Times newspaper has reported U.S. officials asked Romania to lift their travel restrictions.

The two men flew in a private jet to Fort Lauderdale. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says he only learned of their release and plans to come to Florida through the media. Florida is not a place where you're welcome with that type of conduct in the air and I don't know how it came to this. We were not involved, we were not notified. DeSantis says the state's Attorney General is looking at what jurisdiction Florida may have over any of the charges. Greg Allen, NPR News Miami. President Trump is now saying his proposed 25 percent tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods will go into effect next week. NPR's Danielle Kurzlaipin reports this comes after

he put forward shifting dates on the tariffs throughout this week. Trump's tariffs on Canada and Mexico were initially scheduled for February 1st, but he put them off for a month. Earlier this week, Trump said those tariffs would start next week. Then later at his first cabinet meeting, he was talking about an April start date. April 2nd. I was going to do it on April 1st, but I'm a little bit superstitious, so I made it April 2nd. The tariffs go on. Not all of them, but I'm a little bit superstitious. I made it April 2nd. The tariffs go on, not

all of them, but a lot of them. Danielle Pletka Now, he's posted on social media the tariffs will indeed happen on March 4th. In that post, he also added another 10 percent tariff for China, in addition to the 10 percent already imposed on its goods. Economists fear that Trump's constant tariff threats will cause fearful businesses and consumers to pull back on spending. Danielle Kurtzleman, NPR News. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up nearly 300 points or more than half a percent at 43,729. From Washington, this is NPR News.

In Congress, House Democrats are blasting Republicans' efforts to pass a federal budget. President Trump has said he wants his full agenda passed in one, quote, big, beautiful bill. That would include making his 2017 tax cuts permanent while also slashing trillions of dollars in federal funding. On Capitol Hill today, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said the Democrats' position has not changed. Hands off Social Security. Hands off Medicare, hands off Medicaid.

Congressional Republican leaders say there will not be cuts to the entitlement programs what they cited the need to identify and eliminate inefficiencies. Tributes are pouring in for Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman who along with his wife and their dog were found dead in their Santa Fe home yesterday by authorities. An investigation is underway. Steve Futterman looks back at 95-year-old Hackman's career. Officials in Santa Fe are giving just the basic facts right now that Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead along with their dog. Although no specific cause

of death has been given, the deaths are still being investigated. Gene Hackman appeared in numerous hit films throughout his acclaimed career. In 1986 he played the inspirational coach in Hoosiers. I don't care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, in my book we're going to be winners. Okay? Hackman won two Oscars in 1972 for The French Connection and in 1993 for Unforgiven. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles. Earlier, officials had said they did not suspect foul play. However, again, an investigation into the cause of death is underway.

It's NPR News.