NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-31-2025 7AM EDT

Episode Date: May 31, 2025

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Before talking to computational social scientist Sandra Matz, I asked her to spy on me. I did some snooping around your online life yesterday night, which was extremely fun to do. Our lack of digital privacy, especially in the age of AI, and what we can do about it. I'm Manusha Zomorodi. That's on the TED Radio Hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. President Trump says his plan to double tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum will take effect next week. Trump announced a hike to 50% during a visit to Pittsburgh yesterday

to promote a deal between U.S. Steel and Japan's Nippon Steel. Details are unclear of that deal as NPR's Franco Ordonia reports. a deal between US Steel and Japan's Nippon Steel. Details are unclear of that deal, as MPR's Franco Ordonia reports. I mean, the details are still quite murky. And there are real questions about if it is different. I mean, Trump, though, insisted that the company would remain under US control. But when you talk to industry analysts about these things, those who are following all the different moves, I mean, they say this may not be that different than what was originally proposed, you know, the selling of U.S. Steel, but they say Trump is calling it a partnership to avoid sounding

like he switched his position. Rick O'Rourke On stage in Pittsburgh, Trump said U.S. Steel would remain an American company after previously promising to block a merger. He later said he has yet to approve the agreement. Nippon Steel has been seeking to buy U.S. deals since 2023. The acquisition has been opposed by union leadership. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst faced loud opposition to her support of President Trump's so-called Big Beautiful bill at a town hall Friday. From Iowa Public Radio, James Kelly reports that constituents took issue with proposed cuts to a number of programs, including Medicaid.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the spending plan would result in more than $700 billion in spending cuts to Medicaid over the next decade. Ernst said the bill is meant in part to make sure benefits aren't going to those in the U.S. without legal status. A person in the audience shouted back that people could die because of the cuts. They are not eligible, so they will be coming off. So, people are not, well, we all are going to die. Ernst said a number of provisions in the House bill will not be included in the Senate's

version but did not say which ones. For NPR News, I'm James Kelly in Parkersburg, Iowa. PBS and Lakeland PBS, which serves rural Minnesota, have sued President Trump over his executive order seeking to bar federal funds from going to PBS and NPR. The lawsuit contends Trump's order would upend and pose an existential threat to public television as NPR's David Falkenflick reports. Trump alleges PBS and NPR failed to provide, quote, The White House, and The New York Times, The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times,

and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The

New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times, and The New York Times Trump is, quote, exercising his lawful authority to bar the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and local public media stations from sending federal funds to the two networks. CBB is privately incorporated and is ignoring Trump's demand. It's separately suing the president in a fight over control of its board. David Folkenflick, NPR News. David Folkenflick, NPR News.

NPR and three public radio stations have filed a similar suit. This is NPR. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is seeking to reassure Indo-Pacific allies when it comes to China. Speaking today at the annual Shangri-La Defense Summit in Singapore, Hegseth said the U.S. will not leave them alone to face Chinese military and economic pressure. On Taiwan, Hegseth said China is, in his words, actively training its military to take control of the self-governing Ireland. The man hunt for a convicted killer who escaped from a prison in northern Arkansas is now

in its sixth day. Grant Hardin is the former police chief of the small town of Gateway. On the Arkansas-Missouri border, he is known as the Devil in the Ozarks. Authorities are also searching for the remaining two inmates who escaped from a New Orleans jail. More than two weeks ago they were among ten men who escaped. Stocks gained ground this week amid ongoing tariff uncertainty. NPR's Scott Horsley reports that all the major indexes finished the week in positive territory. Investors seemed well rested this week after the long Memorial Day weekend. They got some encouraging news on inflation as the Fed's preferred cost-of-living gauge

showed prices in April rose just 2.1 percent from a year ago. Core inflation was 2.5 percent for the 12 months ending in April. That's the smallest annual increase in more than four years. Forecasters have been warning that tariffs could put more upward pressure on prices, but a pair of court rulings this week found the president does not have the authority to order sweeping worldwide tariffs the administration's promised to appeal all the way to the Supreme Court. For the week that Al rose 1.6%, the S&P 500 index climbed 1.9%, and the Nasdaq jumped 2%.

Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. And I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR. On the Planet Money Podcast, you've seen them, those labels that say, made in China or made in France. News, Washington.