NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-26-2025 7AM EDT

Episode Date: March 26, 2025

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This message comes from Wondery. When Luigi Mangione was arrested for allegedly shooting the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, he didn't just spark outrage. He ignited a cultural firestorm. Listen to Law and Crimes Luigi, exclusively on Wondery Plus. Live from NPR News in Washington on Corva Coleman, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz says he takes responsibility for creating a group chat on the commercial messaging app Signal. Top Trump administration members used Signal recently to talk about secret war plans. But that chat inadvertently included a journalist. Waltz says that he created the Signal group, not a subordinate. NPR's Tom Bowman reports President Trump wants Waltz to examine the messaging app. President Trump said he wants National Security Advisor Mike Walz to look into Signal, whether it can be used.

But just last week, the Pentagon said Signal should not be used for classified information. And going back to October 2023, Pentagon officials said at that time, it should not be used for any kind of classified information. NPR's Tom Bowman reporting. A note, the CEO of NPR, Catherine Maher, also chairs the board of the non-profit Signal Foundation. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case today involving the Federal Communications Commission. The justices will weigh whether Congress violated the Constitution when it allowed the FCC to set up a certain program.

NPR's Nina Totenberg reports this program provides accessible and subsidized internet services to rural, remote, and underserved areas. In 1934, Congress created the Federal Communications Commission to ensure the availability of affordable and reliable phone services throughout the country. Initially, Congress established an indirect subsidy to fund the program, but in 1996, with the Internet exploding, Congress overhauled the act, telling the FCC to set up a universal service fund to ensure that rural areas and hospitals, as well as schools and libraries,

have Internet access. to ensure that rural areas and hospitals, as well as schools and libraries, have internet access. In the decades since then, the money for the fund has been paid by the telecommunications companies who pass the charges on to consumers. A conservative group is challenging the law, contending that Congress exceeded its authority in enacting what amounts to a tax. Nina Totenberg, NPR News, Washington. The chief executives of NPR and PBS will testify today before a House subcommittee. Subcommittee chair Marjorie Taylor Greene alleges the media organizations produce

biased coverage subsidized by taxpayers. She wants to know why taxpayer dollars should support them. The CEOs reject the allegations of bias. They also point out that any cuts in federal funding will harm local member stations. Member stations receive between 8 and 10 percent of their revenue directly from federal sources on average, though the number is much higher for some rural stations. NPR receives about 1 percent of its funding

from direct federal sources. On Wall Street, in pre-market trading, Dow futures are down by about 10 points. This is NPR. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is set to visit a prison in El Salvador today. NPR's Giles Snyder reports it's at the heart of a confrontation between the Trump administration and federal courts. The prison that Secretary Noem is visiting is where more than 200 Venezuelans are jailed after they were deported from the U.S.

The Trump administration alleges that many are violent gang members, justifying the president's use of wartime powers under the Alien Enemies Act to deport them. The administration is seeking to overturn a federal judge's order, putting a hold on Trump's use of the law. NPR's Giles Snyder reporting. Campaign finance reports that have been released in a Wisconsin state Supreme Court election are showing a new record for spending on a judicial race. For Member Station WUWM, Chuck Kormbach reports.

President Trump has endorsed Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel. Business executive Elon Musk has spent about $18 million backing the suburban Milwaukee circuit judge who's trying to flip control of the state court to conservatives. Democrats, including former President Barack Obama, have endorsed

Schimel's opponent, Madison area circuit judge Susan Crawford. New totals showing that $73 million has been spent on the contest so far trouble Marquette University law professor Janine Geske. You know, it is really an attack on the independence of our judiciary. And I'm very concerned. Geske is a retired state Supreme Court justice. The Wisconsin election is April 1st. For NPR News, I'm Chuck Quirmbach in Milwaukee. This is NPR.

Making time for the news is important, but when you need a break, we've got you covered on All Songs Considered, NPR's music podcast. Think of it like a music discovery show, a well-deserved escape with friends, and yeah, some serious music insight. I'm gonna keep it real, I have no idea what the story is about. Hear new episodes of All Songs Considered every Tuesday,

wherever you get podcasts.