NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-21-2025 4PM EDT

Episode Date: May 21, 2025

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Know that fizzy feeling you get when you read something really good, watch the movie everyone's been talking about, or catch the show that the internet can't get over? At the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, we chase that feeling four times a week. We'll serve you recommendations and commentary on the buzziest movies, TV, music, and more. From lowbrow to highbrow to the stuff in between, catch the Pop Culture happy hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. President Trump's face to face with his guest today, South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa took a widely unexpected turn today in the Oval Office. NPR's Danielle Kurtz-Leibin explains.

While the Oval Office meeting began cordially, it grew hostile when Trump repeated false claims of white genocide. At one point, Trump paused the meeting to show the room a four and a half minute video promoting the idea that white South African farmers are being targeted. I must tell you, Mr. President, we have had a tremendous number of people, especially since they've seen this, generally they're white farmers and they're fleeing South Africa. And it's a very sad thing to see. South African President Ramaphosa pushed back against Trump's claims, also stressing that

he wanted to quote, reset the relationship between the United States and South Africa. It wasn't the only topic that angered the president. Trump also repeatedly insulted a reporter from NBC when he asked the president about his administration's accepting a luxury airplane as a gift from Cotter. Danielle Kurzlaven, NPR News. As we've just heard, the U.S. has officially accepted a Boeing 747 luxury jetliner worth several hundred million dollars, a gift from the Qatari government. According to an Air Force spokesperson who says it's been tasked to upgrade it to be used as a new Air Force One to carry President Trump. Here's NPR's Kat Lonsdorf.

The spokesperson told NPR that the Department of Defense had instructed the Air Force to quote award a contract to modify a Boeing 747 aircraft for an executive airlift, saying further details are classified. They spoke on the condition of anonymity as they weren't authorized to speak publicly. Trump has suggested the plane could be converted quickly for use as a new Air Force One, but experts say it will likely require significant upgrades to meet the high security and communications requirements, work that could take several years and cost anywhere from several hundred million to a billion dollars. Kat Lonsdorf, NPR News, Washington.

Danielle Pletka Virginia, Congressman Jerry Connolly has died. He had cancer. The Democrat is being remembered as a public servant who fought for the disadvantaged and voiceless. In a statement on X this morning, his family discloses that they were with him when he passed away peacefully at his home this morning. Connolly was 75 years old. Major market indices have closed down 1.4 percent to nearly 2 percent. NPR

Scott Horsley reports stocks slumped as bond yields rose. PETE STOCKES. Investors are getting jumpy as House lawmakers move closer to passing a tax cut and spending bill that threatens to add trillions of dollars to the federal debt over the next decade. Policymakers' indifference to rising debt levels have already cost the government its AAA bond rating. Bondholders are demanding higher returns, and that means both the government and private borrowers will have to pay higher interest rates. Markets have also been rattled by lackluster retail results, suggesting U.S. consumers are growing cautious about spending money.

Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. This is NPR News. There's a new face at the top of the Billboard albums chart and it's wearing a mask. NPR's Stephen Thompson has a story. The English hard rock band Sleep Token debuts on this week's Billboard 200 at number one. Even in Arcadia is the band's first chart topper, and all ten of its songs have landed on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart. ["I'm On Your Side"] It's a remarkable feat for a band that has remained a mystery. Secrecy surrounds the true identity of its members, who wear masks and have constructed

elaborate lore around Sleep Token's backstory. It's also coincidentally enough, the second time this month that a mask-clad hard rock band has entered the album chart at number one. Just two weeks ago, the Swedish band Ghost did exactly the same thing. Stephen Thompson, NPR News. The Philadelphia Eagles says, push on! Heralding on X exit their signature play, the Tush push survived an attempted ban that was put to a vote at an owners meeting in Minneapolis today. NPR's Josh Snyder has more on the play. It's a variation on the quarterback sneak in which

players line up behind the quarterback in order to help muscle him forward in short-yarded situations. The play is also known as the brotherly shove after the Philadelphia Eagles began using it successfully in recent years and helped them win this year's Super Bowl. The Green Bay Packers submitted the proposal to ban the play citing in part player safety. NPR's Giles Snyder. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has closed down more than 800 points. This is NPR News. Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast more than 800 points. This is NPR News.