NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-16-2025 9AM EDT

Episode Date: May 16, 2025

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Politics is a lot these days. I'm Sarah McCammon, a co-host of the NPR Politics Podcast, and I'll be the first to tell you what happens in Washington definitely demands some decoding. That's why our show makes politics as easy as possible to wrap your head around. Join us as we make politics make sense on the NPR Politics Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Kourva Coleman. Talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations have apparently finished today in Turkey. They were supposed to focus on ending Russia's war in Ukraine. President Trump is on his way home from his trip to the Middle East.

NPR's Franco Ordoñez reports Trump is not stopping in Istanbul for the talks. At the beginning of his trip, President Trump teased that he might go to Turkey, but Russian President Vladimir Putin didn't show up. And Trump said this morning, he doesn't think anything will happen until they meet. You know, they all said Putin was going and Zelensky was going. And I said, if I don't go, I guarantee Putin's not going. And he didn't go. And I understand that.

But we're going to get it. We're going to get it. We're going to get it done. We've got to get it done. Trump said it's time and that he'll meet Putin as soon as a meeting can be set up. He didn't go to Turkey today because, he said, he needs to get back to meet his new grandchild. His daughter, Tiffany, just had a baby. Franco Ordonez, NPR News, Abu Dhabi.

While he was in the Mideast, President Trump signed several agreements worth hundreds of billions of dollars. They include agreements to invest in the U.S., such as an aircraft maker Boeing. Trump's last day today was in the United Arab Emirates. Before he left, Trump stopped at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. It's his first publicly known visit to a Muslim house of worship during his time in office. House Republicans are proceeding with plans to advance a massive tax bill today.

The measure contains much of President Trump's agenda. But MPs Elena Moore reports top lawmakers have yet to agree on a final version. The House Budget Committee is holding a hearing on the legislation in hopes of meeting House Speaker Mike Johnson's goal for a full House vote by Memorial Day. But Johnson is balancing competing demands. A handful of members representing districts with high local property taxes say their support is tied to an increase in the state and local tax deduction, or SALT.

But conservative hardliners warn that any changes must be balanced with more cuts. All this as fights also continue over proposed cuts to Medicaid. Getting these groups to agree will be crucial if the GOP wants to advance this bill. Alana Moore, NPR News. There's a train strike now underway in New Jersey. Train engineers for the New Jersey Transit system have walked off the job. They're demanding wages that are comparable to those of other transit workers in the same region. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy says there's more work ahead at the bargaining table. We must reach a final deal that is both fair to employees and at the same time affordable

for New Jersey's commuters and taxpayers. New Jersey officials are asking state residents to work from home if possible. If people need to commute into New York for work, officials say they're offering some additional buses to ferry them. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. A federal judge is set to hold the latest hearing today in the case of a migrant illegally deported from Maryland to El Salvador. U.S. District Judge Paul Azines will hear Trump administration arguments about why it

can keep information secret in the case of Kilma Abrego-Garcia. The Supreme Court told the administration to facilitate his return. Judge Azines is demanding to know what, if anything, the administration has done to comply with the order. The star witness in the federal sex trafficking trial against rapper Sean Diddy Combs may return to the stand today. Cassie Ventura has been cross-examined by Combs' defense team as NPR's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento reports.

A note to this report contains description of sexual activity. For two days, Cassie Ventura testified about the violence and control that she says dominated her relationship with Sean Combs. This allegedly included forcing Ventura into drug-fueled, highly orchestrated sexual performances with male escorts. Combs faces charges that include sex trafficking and transportation for prostitution. His defense says he did not commit these crimes. In cross-examination of Ventura, the defense relied heavily on text messages she exchanged

with Combs over the years. Ventura read out messages in which she agreed to or planned logistics for those sexual encounters. The defense is trying to suggest that she willingly consented to the sexual activity. Isabella Gomez-Armiento, NPR News. Two of the country's biggest cable companies say they will merge. The agreement between Charter Communication and Cox Communication is worth nearly $35 billion. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.

On Fridays, the 1A podcast is all about helping you cut through the info fog and get to what's I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.