NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-24-2025 2AM EDT

Episode Date: May 24, 2025

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This is Ira Glass, the host of This American Life. So much is changing so rapidly right now with President Trump in office. It feels good to pause for a moment sometimes and look around at what's what. To try and do that, we've been finding these incredible stories about right now that are funny and have feeling and you get to see people everywhere making sense of this new America that we find ourselves in. This American Life, wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronan. European officials say President Trump's threat

to impose a 50% tariff on the EU will cause suffering in both the US and Europe. NPR's Rob Schmitz reports. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Germany will be counting on further negotiations with the Trump administration, as well as support from the European Commission in defending the European market from Trump's threatened 50 percent tariff, which in a post on Truth Social he said the U.S. would impose starting in June.

The president also threatened a 25 percent tariff on Apple products unless iPhones begin to be manufactured in America. The European Commission's stance on trade with the U.S. is that it's roughly in balance if both goods and services are calculated. Rob Schmitz, NPR News, Berlin. Vice President Vance gave a commencement address Friday at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, congratulating the grads and also criticizing past presidents' foreign policy. NPR's Danielle Kurzlabon has more.

Danielle Kinn-Pines, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor,

NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, NPR News Anchor, would be easy jobs for the world's preeminent superpower. How hard could it be to build a few democracies in the Middle East? Well, almost impossibly hard, it turns out, and unbelievably costly. The vice president told graduates that the Trump administration aims to only give them missions with clear objectives. Vance also broadly criticized the economic integration pursued

by past presidents and how that has empowered China in particular. Danielle Kurtzlaib in NPR News, The White House. President Trump is significantly downsizing his National Security Council. NPR's Quill Lawrence reports a large number of staff members were terminated abruptly Friday afternoon. Trump appears to be cutting the size of the National Security Council back to where it was during his previous term, according to sources that spoke to NPR on condition of anonymity to discuss internal conversations. One U.S. official who lost their job said news of terminations came at 4.30 p.m. with instructions to leave the office by 5 p.m.

The National Security Council is made up of subject matter experts that advise the president on a broad range of issues. Trump previously fired other members of the council at the suggestion of far-right activist Laura Loomer. His first National Security Adviser Mike Waltz was removed from the job less than 100 days in after he accidentally leaked military plans to a journalist. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is currently also acting as national security advisor. Quill Lawrence, NPR News. Musician Billy Joel said Friday he is canceling all his upcoming concerts in North America because he's being treated for a neurological condition. Doctors say it's treatable caused

by a fluid buildup in the brain. You're listening to NPR News. More than 53,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to health officials there. Some in Israel are speaking out, saying the war has lost sight of the goal of bringing home the more than 50 hostages still being held. NPR's Hadilah Al-Shalshi has more. At a protest, a couple of hundred people beat drums and shout anti-war slogans. The Gaza border is just across the street and over a tall barrier where the war continues. One of the hostages who was killed in captivity taught solely Abraham's children. He says the war isn't the solution anymore.

Children are getting dead over there. We want our hostages to be home. And all the situation right now is not really contributing to bring them home. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expanded the war last week and has vowed to occupy Gaza. Hadeel Alshalchi, NPR News, Otev, Southern Israel. Shares of the Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel rose 21% Friday. This after President Trump said the company will keep its headquarters in Pittsburgh

and that the company will form a partnership with the Japan-based Nippon Steel, which had attempted to buy U.S. Steel last year. The nearly $15 billion deal was blocked in the closing days of the Biden administration. A statement from the Biden administration. A statement from the Trump administration left vague whether he'll approve the sale after vowing on the campaign trail to block it. A union official is now suggesting that

the federal government will have a role in U.S. deals management as the deal moves forward. From Washington, this is NPR News. I'm Dan Ronan. Support for NP. This message comes from WISE, the app for doing things and other For Washington This is NPR News, I'm Dan Ronan.