NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-24-2025 10PM EDT

Episode Date: May 25, 2025

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When Malcolm Gladwell presented NPR's Throughline podcast with a Peabody Award, he praised it for its historical and moral clarity. On Throughline, we take you back in time to the origins of what's in the news like presidential power, aging, and evangelicalism. Time travel with us every week on the Throughline podcast from NPR. Janine Herbst Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. The Supreme Court is temporarily blocking a watchdog group from accessing records from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. NPR's Bobby Allen reports the ruling stems from a lawsuit seeking to shed light on the Doge team's activities. Bobby Allen The nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility Stemming stems from a lawsuit seeking to shed light on the Doge team's activities.

The nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is suing the Trump administration to uncover details about Doge's dealings in the U.S. government. The lawsuit argues Doge is exceeding its legal authority and asks that internal communications, financial disclosures, and other documents be released to the public. A federal district judge found Doge is likely subject to Freedom of Information Act requests. But after an appeal, Chief Justice John Roberts is pausing that ruling, meaning Doge records do not have to be turned over as the appeals process continues. It's a win for the Trump administration, which has stated Doge is operating transparently

despite most of its activities being shrouded in secrecy. Those activities have resulted in tens of thousands of federal workers being fired and the unwinding of entire government agencies. Bobbi Allen, NPR News. The Defense Department is implementing new restrictions on journalists covering the Pentagon. As NPR's Kristen Wright reports, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the changes in a memo saying it's a matter of national security. The restrictions ban reporters and other media from many areas of the Pentagon unless they're

accompanied by an approved government escort. The newly restricted areas include the offices of Hegseth, his top aides, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other key locations of the complex, historically open to credential press during previous administrations. The Pentagon Press Association says it's a direct attack on the freedom of the complex historically open to credentialed press during previous administrations. The Pentagon Press Association says it's a direct attack on the freedom of the press and America's right to know what its military is doing. The National Press Club is urging the Pentagon to reverse course. Hexess says additional security measures are coming. It's the latest step by the White House to limit access for journalists and prevent potential leaks. Kristin Wright, NPR News.

President Trump delivered the commencement address at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York today, the first military commencement address of his second term, telling the cadets they're graduates of the most elite and storied military academy in human history. Trump took credit for U.S. military might, accusing previous leaders of subjecting the military to social projects and political causes, saying he cleared the military of transgender ideas, critical race theory, and trainings that he calls divisive and political. We're focusing our military on its core mission, crushing America's adversaries, killing America's

enemies, and defending our great American flag like it has never been defended before. Reporter- Trump also railed against other countries and NATO for, quote, ripping off the US on trade. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Courts in the South are weighing whether prisons should do more to protect inmates from summer heat. The Gulf State newsroom's Kat Stromquist has more from Louisiana, where a federal judge has just ordered the state's largest prison to mind the heat on a work detail more carefully. The decision is part of a lawsuit filed by people working the farm line at the Angola Prison who claim they've been forced to work in dangerous outdoor heat.

Last summer, Judge Brian Jackson ordered the prison to give the incarcerated people more access to sunscreen and shade. Now Jackson says the prison must check the heat index every half hour and issue warnings when temperatures hit 88 degrees. That's after the state DOC raised its heat alert marker to 91 degrees last year. The prison system is appealing the decision to a higher court. The judge is still considering asks for more worker protections and if he should certify the case as a class action. For NPR News, I'm Cat Stromquist in New Orleans.

Dissident Iranian filmmaker Jafar Pananhi's thriller, It Was Just an Accident, won the Palme d'Or at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival. His movie has a strong critique of oppression in his home country. He was repeatedly arrested and imprisoned in Iran for speaking out against the regime. Meanwhile, southeastern France was hit by a major power outage today as the film festival

was preparing to hand out its top prizes. The festival switched to an independent power supply and the show went on. I'm Janene Herbst, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from WISE, the app for doing things and other currencies. NPR News in Washington.