NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-16-2025 9PM EDT

Episode Date: April 17, 2025

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Am I a propagandist? A truth teller? An influencer? There's probably no more contested profession in the world today than mine, journalism. I'm Brian Reed, and on my show, Question Everything, we dive headfirst into the conflicts we're all facing over truth and who gets to tell it. Listen now to Question Everything, part of the NPR Podcast Network. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. A U.S. Senator from Maryland is working from El Salvador for the release of a man mistakenly deported to that country.

NPR's Claudia Grisale reports Senator Chris Van Hollen said Salvadoran officials refused his request to release the Maryland man. Claudia Grisale Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, said the Salvadoran vice president also refused his request to visit with Kilmar Armando Abrego-Garcia. Regardless, Van Hollen said more U.S. officials will travel to fight for his release. I may be the first United States senator to visit El Salvador on this issue, but there will be more and there will be more members of Congress coming.

Van Hollen argued against the administration's claims that Abrego Garcia has ties to gang activity. He was granted protection from deportation by a judge in 2019. The administration admitted in legal proceedings the deportation was a mistake, but have since refused a Supreme Court decision upholding an order they must facilitate the man's return. Jorri Gonzalez, NPR News. A U.S. District Court judge says he has found probable cause to hold the Trump administration in criminal contempt of court and says he could seek to prosecute officials as for violating

his orders last month to turn around planes carrying deportees to a prison in El Salvador. U.S. District Judge James Boesberg's decision, marking an escalation in the battle between the traditional and executive branches of government over presidential power. More than 20 tribes and nonprofits across the U.S. were awarded about $350 million to address critical infrastructure needs, but the Trump administration has now frozen those funds. NPR's Nate Perez as more. The money came from the EPA's Community Change Grants, funded through the country's first significant climate policy, the Inflation Reduction Act.

The Tabona Foundation received $20 million to replace homes contaminated with asbestos and lead for the native village of Tyonik in Alaska. The foundation's executive director, Vaide Krodos, says that money would have changed people's lives. Everything is in limbo and the bills still come in, the rent still comes in. Now dozens of tribes don't know if or when they will have funds that were awarded to them under the Biden administration. The EPA spokesperson Molly Vaslou says that community change grants are under review to

see how they align with the administration's priorities. Nate Badez, NPR News. Consumers were spending last month, in some cases actually boosting spending a bit. To get ahead of Trump administration tariffs. Government reports retail sales rose by a stronger than expected 1.4% last month after a smaller rise the previous month. Over a much of last month's rise was attributed to increased car sales ahead of the Trump tariffs. On Wall Street, stocks moved sharply lower the Dow down 699 points.

This is NPR. The Trump administration now says it is suing Maine's Education Department for not complying with its push to ban transgender athletes for participating in women's sports. A lawsuit announced by Attorney General Pam Bondi escalates a dispute over whether Maine is abiding by a federal law barring discrimination based on sex. Maine's Democratic Governor Janet Mills previously told President Trump, quote, we'll see you in court. The United Nations humanitarian response arm says it's planning to cut its workforce by 20%

due to funding shortages. And Pierce fought Matanis reports. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, also known as OCHA, is facing a funding gap of 60 million dollars. In a note to staff the head of OCHA, Tom Fletcher said the organization would have to regroup and cut a fifth of its overall workforce. OCHA will also scale back its operations in several countries including Colombia, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe. Fletcher said OCHA was facing its toughest ever moment with the humanitarian community quote underfunded, overstretched and literally under attack. Vital life saving work is ending, Fletcher said.

These cuts come in the wake of the Trump administration's dismantling of US foreign aid. Other countries around the world have also pulled back from humanitarian funding. Fatma Tanis, NPR News. Representative Lisa Stefanik, who was a one-time nominee to the US ambassador to the United Nations, now says she's mulling a run for the New York governor's office. Stefanik is a close ally of President Trump's, but her nomination was pulled last month, with concerns about leaving a Republican House seat vacant. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from NYU Langone. The NYU Langone Health app gives you access PR News in Washington.