NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-05-2025 9AM EST

Episode Date: March 5, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. President Trump spent about an hour and 40 minutes last night giving his address to a joint session of Congress. It's the longest such speech in decades, and he touched on several subjects, from immigration to tariffs. He also discussed Russia's war in Ukraine. Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a fiery disagreement last week in the Oval Office.

The Ukrainian leader now says that was regretful. Trump says Zelensky wrote him a letter saying Ukraine is ready to work on a peace deal. I appreciate that he sent this letter, just got it a little while ago. Simultaneously we've had serious discussions with Russia and have received strong signals that they are ready for peace. Wouldn't that be beautiful? Wouldn't that be beautiful? Trump has suspended U.S. military aid to Ukraine, but today National Security Advisor Mike Walz

says matters are moving in a more positive direction. He says the U.S. will discuss confidence-building measures and take them to the Russians. The Democratic response in Spanish to Trump's speech last night was delivered by New York Congressman Adriana Espaillat. He denounced Trump's recent executive order making English the national language and he condemned Trump's efforts to create fear among immigrants in the U.S. The Democratic response in English was given by Michigan Senator Alyssa Slotkin as MPR's Barbara Sprunt reports. Throughout her speech, which she made from Wyandotte, Michigan,

a place both she and President Trump won in November, Slotkin talked about concerns over the slash and burn remake of the federal government with what she called no oversight. You want to cut waste, I'll help you do it. But change doesn't need to be chaotic or make us less safe. She said Trump's actions will hurt families financially, saying tariffs will cause consumer prices to rise and that programs like Medicare are on the chopping block in order to pay for much of Trump's legislative agenda. Barbara Sprint, NPR News, Washington.

The Trump administration is going to shut down Pentagon programs that aim to prevent civilian deaths in combat. NPR's Quill Lawrence reports these policies began under the first Trump administration. The Defense Department plans to shutter the Harm Mitigation and Response Office and the Civilian Protection Center of Excellence and regional command jobs that advise how to avoid killing innocent civilians during airstrikes. That's according to three defense officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive policy changes. These offices were created after two decades of counterinsurgency convinced Pentagon leaders

that civilian deaths can be detrimental to U.S. military goals. But Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has focused on streamlining military approvals for airstrikes and in the past lobbied President Trump to pardon convicted war criminals during Trump's first term in office. Quill Lawrence, NPR News. On Wall Street stock, futures are mixed at this hour. The Dow is down about five points. You're listening to NPR. The Trump administration says it's moving to sell hundreds of federal government properties.

These include the headquarters of the Justice Department and the American Red Cross. The Rosa Parks Federal Building in Detroit, named for the civil rights activist, could also be sold. January's wildfires in Southern California left tens of billions of dollars in property damage. Thousands of homes were destroyed in and around Los Angeles. In Altadena, chimneys were often the only thing left standing. From LAist Evan Jacoby reports,

efforts are underway to save some of the historic handmade chimney tiles that are left behind. Phase two of Altadena's cleanup process is underway, where lots will be bulldozed. Eric Garland co-founded the volunteer group Save the Tiles. What will be lost is not only the very last of Old Altadena, but for that homeowner, beautiful handmade art from over a century ago. Many tiles were made by Ernest Batchelder, whose pieces are collected in architecture

museums throughout the country. But Stanley Zucker, another co-founder of Save the Tiles, says their value isn't just in art history. Everything on this lot that was important to them has been channeled into the tiles. The group hopes to rescue tile for over 200 homeowners. For NPR News, I'm Evan Chikobi in Altadena. Officials in Hawaii say lava has fountained from the Kilauea volcano on the Big Island. It soared more than 150 feet into the air. Kilauea has been erupting since mid-December. Officials say there's no danger to the public.

I'm Korva Kuhlman, NPR News.