NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-23-2025 2AM EDT

Episode Date: April 23, 2025

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At NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, we sort through a lot of television, and we've found some recent TV comedies we really like that you don't want to miss. And we'll tell you where to watch them in one handy guide. Listen to the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shae Stevens. Attorney General Pam Bondi has launched a task force to eradicate what she calls anti-Christian bias. As NPR's Ryan Lucas reports, several cabinet members attended Tuesday's gathering at the Justice Department.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hagseth, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and FBI Director Cash Patel were among the Trump administration officials who joined Bondi for the first meeting. This comes in response to an executive order President Trump signed in February directing the Attorney General to set up the task force to eliminate what the White House says is anti-Christian bias. Protecting Christians from bias is not favoritism. It's upholding the rule of law and fulfilling the constitutional promise.

Bondy noted that the Justice Department, for example, already has dropped three cases against anti-abortion activists and moved to limit such future prosecutions. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington. Hundreds of scholars say that America is swiftly heading toward authoritarianism. NPR's Frank Langford reports on the findings of a benchmark survey by the group Bright Line Watch. The survey of more than 500 political scientists around the country found that ratings of American democracy plunged by 12 percentage points between the November election and early February.

Stephen Levitsky, a professor of government at Harvard, cites the Trump administration's attacks on law firms, universities, and the news media. The degree of power that he has concentrated is really frightening. It should be frightening for anybody who believes in liberal democracy. But some scholars disagree and say Trump is using legitimate presidential powers to solve long-standing problems, including illegal immigration and job loss from trade. Frank Lankford, NPR News. The White House is reiterating President Trump's support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The matter resurfaced following media reports of a second incident in which Hegseth allegedly used an unsecured app to discuss classified information. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt says disgruntled former employees are behind the scandal. They were Pentagon employees who leaked against their boss to news agencies in this room and it's been clear since day one from this administration that we are not going to tolerate individuals who leaked to the mainstream media particularly when it comes to sensitive information. Levitt declared that Pete Hegseth is facing opposition to the monumental change that he's bringing to the Defense Department.

Defense Secretary Hegseth is being asked to explain how the Pentagon is responding to court orders that struck down a ban on transgender troops in the military. The request came in a letter signed by more than a dozen Democrats in the U.S. Senate. Illinois Senator and Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth says any effort to deny military service based on ideology is un-American and a threat to national security. This is NPR. A federal judge is temporarily blocking the Trump administration's effort to dismantle Voice of America and other government-funded

overseas news services. U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth says the decision to shut down VOA was arbitrary and capricious. He's ordered the administration to reinstate laid-off VOA workers and contractors while the matter is working its way through the courts. According to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin says he is willing to hold direct bilateral talks with Ukraine. The statement comes as Putin faces growing pressure from the Trump administration to

make progress on peace efforts in Ukraine. NPR's Charles Maines has more from Moscow. Charles Maines speaking on state television, Putin said Russia had always looked positively on any peace initiatives and hoped representatives in Kiev felt the same. The Kremlin later clarified Putin was expressing willingness to engage in direct talks with Ukraine about halting attacks on civilian targets. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky later responded Kiev was open to any discussions

that saves the lives of civilians. Putin's offer follows a unilateral Easter Day ceasefire proposal both sides accuse the other of violating. It also comes amid increasing pressure from the Trump administration, which has threatened to walk away from efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict if there's no progress towards a peace settlement. Charles Maines, NPR News, Moscow. The body of Pro-Francis will be moved to St. Peter's Basilica for public viewing beginning

Wednesday. Francis will lie in state until he's laid to rest on Saturday at St. Mary Major Basilica outside of the Vatican. He died Monday at the age of 88. This is NPR News. Having news at your fingertips is great, but sometimes you need an escape. And that's where Shortwave comes in. We're a joy-filled science podcast driven by wonder and curiosity that will get you

out of your head and in touch with the world around you. Listen now to Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR.