NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-04-2025 2PM EDT

Episode Date: May 4, 2025

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Imagine, if you will, a show from NPR that's not like NPR, a show that focuses not on the important but the stupid, which features stories about people smuggling animals in their pants and competent criminals in ridiculous science studies, and call it Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me because the good names were taken. Listen to NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Yes, that is what it is called wherever You Get Your Podcast. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. President Trump, when asked if he should uphold the Constitution, said, I don't know.

The comment came during a wide-ranging interview with NBC's Meet the Press with Kristen Welker. NPR's Luke Garrett reports. President Trump said he wants to deport millions and doesn't know if deportees deserve due process. When asked whether this violates the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution, Trump responded by saying he was elected on the promise of mass deportation. NBC's Kristen Welker then pressed the president on the issue. Given those numbers that you're talking about, don't you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States as president? I don't know. I have to respond by saying again, I have brilliant lawyers that work

for me and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said. In March, Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime law that allows a president to deport invading enemies without a court hearing. Recently, a court partially blocked Trump's use of this act to deport Venezuelans. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. Investors in Wall Street are gearing up for the next meeting of Federal Reserve policymakers. NPR's Rafael Nam reports interest rates are likely to be kept on hold, given the uncertainty sparked by President Trump's tariffs. There is good news for the Fed.

Inflation continues to ease slowly and the labor market has been sturdy. The problem is that tariffs are sparking a lot of concerns about the economy. So policymakers are unlikely to make any big moves on monetary policy, even if President Trump has been trying to pressure the Fed to lower rates. But investors will be paying close attention to what the Fed has to say about tariffs. And after two weeks of regaining last ground in the markets, stock investors will continue to follow company earnings, including from Ford and AB in Vev, which owns beer brands like Budweiser. The big focus for investors, you guessed it, it's tariffs,

of course. Rafal Naam in PR News. One day after winning a landslide election victory over the conservative opposition in Australia, the Labour Party says dealing with the economic fallout of US-China trade tensions will be a priority for its second term. Christina Kukula reports from Melbourne. Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the morning after the vote, Labour Treasurer Jim Chalmers said US tariffs will have a relatively modest impact on Australia's economy, but stressed the government will address the uncertainty caused by the import taxes.

There is a huge downside risk in the global economy. I think what's happening particularly between the US and China, does cast a dark shadow. Cost of living issues dominated the election, but polling shows the contest was overshadowed by voter concerns about the impact of US trade policy. For NPR News, I'm Christina Kukalja in Melbourne. And you're listening to NPR News in Washington. Texas has a new city. SpaceX head Elon Musk has been pushing to create the city in deep south Texas for several years. Texas Public Radio's Jerry Clayton reports. Starbase, Texas came into being on Saturday with a vote to incorporate the SpaceX company town on the Gulf Coast in deep south Texas. The final vote tally was 212 to 6, with most of the 283 eligible voters being connected to SpaceX.

Voters also elected a mayor and two commissioners. The incorporation comes after several failed attempts by Elon Musk to rename and take control of the area where the rocket launch facility resides. Musk first floated the idea of creating a city that encompasses the facility in 2021. The Texas legislature has recently begun to reconsider a measure which would allow SpaceX to close access to a public beach in the area during rocket tests and launches. I'm Jerry Clayton in San Antonio. Happy Star Wars Day to those who celebrate. It was created by fans of the movie on May the 4th in honor of the famous phrase, May

the force be with you. Anne Newman is head of Rancho Obiwan, a California museum that collects Star Wars memorabilia. She says it's a chance for fans to connect. I would say it's about community and the things that bind you to friends, to family, to other people you don't know, strangers you meet in line watching Star Wars. I think that's the force. Last year, former President Joe Biden celebrated a day early by welcoming Star Wars actor Mark Hamill to the White House. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington.