NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-25-2025 12PM EDT

Episode Date: March 25, 2025

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A lot happens in Washington every day, from the White House to Capitol Hill and everywhere in between. That's where we come in. On the NPR Politics Podcast, we keep you up to date on what happens inside Washington and what it means for you and your community. The NPR Politics Podcast. Listen wherever you listen. Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. NPR has seen a Pentagon memo warning against use of the Signal messaging app. NPR's Quill Lawrence Report Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shared plans on the encrypted app about a U.S. military strike on Yemen in mid-March. In a group chat that inadvertently included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, the Trump administration's

top intelligence officials discussed sensitive attack plans over the Signal app. But NPR has seen an internal memo sent only last week to the entire Department of Defense that reads, A vulnerability has been identified in the Signal messenger application. In the military, sending classified data over insecure channels is called slippage when it's considered minor, but even that can be a career ender for a military officer. There's almost no precedent for the heads of defense, state, and national security to be sharing such sensitive military

intelligence in a forum that was known to be unsecure. Quill Lawrence, NPR News. Quill Lawrence, NPR News. NPR CEO Catherine Maher is chair of the board of the Signal Foundation. The group chat is under heavy scrutiny at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing this hour. Democratic members repeatedly question the nation's intel chiefs, including the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, about it. Senator Angus King, an independent, raised this concern.

You've testified that nothing in that tech, in that chain was classified. Wouldn't that be classified? What if that had been made public that morning before the attack took place? Meanwhile, Republican members largely focused on other security concerns for the US such as threats posed by China and Russia. Leaders in Greenland have condemned an upcoming visit this week by an American delegation that includes the wife of Vice President J.D. Vance as well as National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. From Copenhagen, Adrienne Murray has more. In a video posted to Instagram, Second Lady Usher Vance said she was thrilled about this trip to Greenland, where she'll attend a national sled dog race with her young son. Waltz and Wright plan to visit an American-run military base.

The trip comes as President Trump has repeatedly called for US control over the Arctic territory. Speaking to local media, Greenland's outgoing Prime Minister Mude Eagle called the trip provocative and a demonstration of power. Talks to form a new government there are still ongoing, following national elections earlier this month. Incoming Prime Minister Jens Friedrich Nielsen has also criticised the trip's timing, saying it showed a lack of respect for the Greenlandic people. For NPR News, I'm Adrienne Murray in Copenhagen.

Tesla electric vehicle sales in Europe are taking a sizable hit even though the overall EV market is growing. The European Automobile Manufacturers Association says a company owned by Elon Musk saw EV sales fall 49% in the first two months of this year. The NASDAQ is up 54 points. The S&P is up 3. This is NPR. New home sales perked up last month, but builders are bracing for higher expenses. And here Scott Horsley reports on how the Trump administration's trade policies could affect the housing market. Home builders are warning Trump's tariffs could drive up construction costs pushing the already high cost of new

housing even higher. Stock in KB homes fell after the builder lowered its sales forecast for the year. Gasoline prices are inching up as refineries make the switch to more expensive summer blends of gas. Triple A says the average price of the pump for regular fuel is about $3.14 a gallon. That's up six cents from a week ago, but still cheaper than this time last year. Scott Horsley, Ampere News, Washington. The critically acclaimed hit drama Adolescence is getting more than just views on Netflix. It sparked a conversation in the United Kingdom about the influence of social media on some

boys and young men. Here's NPR's Jiles Snyder. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the BBC Monday that the government should not shrug its shoulders at the problem laid bare by Adolescents, a four-part series that follows a family in crisis after their teenage son is arrested for killing a female classmate. Starmer said combating misogynistic behavior pushed by some social media influencers is a challenge that must be picked up.

He made his first comments about the show and his scene last week when he was asked about it in parliament. This violence carried out by young men influenced by by what they see online, is a real problem. It's abhorrent. And we have to tackle it. Adolescence is the most watched show on Netflix right now. Trial Snyder, NPR News. The Dow is down 45 points.

It's NPR. Shortwave thinks of science as an invisible force showing up in your everyday life. Powering the food you eat, the medicine you use, the tech in your pocket. Science is approachable because it's already part of your life. Come explore these connections on the Shortwave Podcast from NPR.