NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-30-2025 6PM EDT

Episode Date: May 30, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. President Donald Trump is in Pittsburgh today where he's holding a rally to celebrate a deal for Japan-based Nippon Steel to invest in U.S. Steel. Trump's saying he plans to keep control of the iconic steel company in U.S. hands. We're here today to celebrate a blockbuster agreement that will ensure the storied American company stays in American company. You're going gonna stay in American company you know that right how the agreement will be structured remains to be seen Trump initially vowed to block nippon's efforts to buy US Steel but changed

course and announced an agreement for partial ownership of the US steelmaker by its Japanese counterpart it was Supreme Court today handed President Trump a temporary win, permitting the administration to prematurely end a humanitarian program that had granted two-year legal status to more than half a million people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. More from MPR's Nina Totenberg. Trump announced that he was ending the program on his first day in office this year,

but a federal district court blocked the administration from doing that. The administration then went directly to the Supreme Court, asking that the district court order be suspended while the litigation plays out in the lower courts. The Supreme Court granted the Trump administration's wish over a fiery dissent from liberal justices Katanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor. As is typical

with such emergency orders, the court gave no explanation for its ruling. Nina Totenberg, NPR News, Washington. Elon Musk was at the White House today in what officials billed a farewell meeting. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports his exit marks the end of his involvement in key federal advisory roles. Elon Musk is stepping down from his role overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency following legal setbacks, clashes with top administration officials, and mounting criticism over unproving claims of actual cost savings. Speaking at the White House, Musk said he may be stepping back but is not stepping away

entirely. The Doge team is doing an incredible job and I'll continue to be visiting here and be a friend and advisor to the president. Experts say the departure of Musk may shift how the government collaborates with the private sector, moving away from high-profile personalities toward more structured partnerships. Windsor-Johnston, NPR News, Washington. The supply of homes for sale in the U.S. is at relatively low levels, which has helped push up prices.

There may be even fewer potential buyers out there. That's according to analysis by the real estate firm Redfin. Company says as of last month, there were nearly 34% more sellers than buyers shopping for a home, the number some of the worst since April of 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic brought housing activity to a standstill. On Wall Street, the Dow was up 54 points, the Nasdaq fell 62 points today. This is NPR. Chicago area could face some difficult choices if state legislatures adjourn

without plugging a $770 million hole in the state's transportation budget. Transit agencies across the country have seen ridership decline since the coronavirus pandemic, which has only bounced back slightly in some cases based on the possible funding gap in Illinois for Chicago's L-trains and more than half the bus lines could be forced to shut down there.

Lorena Switt, the actor known for playing Margaret Hotlip's Hoolahan in the long-running TV show MASH, has died, according to a statement from her publicist. She died today, just after midnight at her home in New York. She was 87 years old. NPR's Andrew Limbong has this appreciation. Compared to some of the jokier doctors on the sitcom, Margaret Houlihan was no-nonsense, dedicated to serving in the US Army as the best nurse in the Korean War.

My father was a colonel and my mother was a nurse and I was conceived on maneuvers. The Army's in my blood. MASH ran for 11 seasons and through that time, Loretta Switt and the writers gave the character more depth as she pushed back against higher-ups trying to take advantage of her. I'm not a pushover anymore. Get yourself another clay pigeon. writers gave the character more depth as she pushed back against higher-ups trying to take advantage of her.

I'm not a pushover anymore. Get yourself another clay pigeon. You're gonna hate yourself in the morning. Get out of my tent, General. Besides the show's star, Alan Alda, Switt was the only other actor to appear in the show's pilot and its history-making finale, picking up two best-supporting actress Emmys in the process. Andrew Limbong and Pure News.

Critical futures prices continue to bounce around amid uncertainty over the direction of oil industry cartel OPEC when it comes to setting production levels for July. Oil fell 15 cents a barrel to 60.79 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.