NPR News Now - NPR News: 06-04-2025 5AM EDT

Episode Date: June 4, 2025

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These days there is a lot of news. It could be hard to keep up with what it means for you, your family, and your community. Consider This from NPR is a podcast that helps you make sense of the news. Six days a week, we bring you a deep dive on a story and provide the context, the backstory, and analysis you need to understand our rapidly changing world. Listen to the Consider This podcast from NPR. Listen to the Consider This Podcast from NPR. Dave Mattingly Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dave Mattingly. Elon Musk is once again criticizing the massive budget bill that's now before the Senate. The legislation cleared the House by one vote.

It extends tax cuts approved by Congress during President Trump's first term in office and cuts federal spending. Some Senate Republicans say the bill doesn't do enough to rein in government spending. NPR's Barbara Sprunt has more. — Musk calls the bill, quote, a disgusting abomination, adding he believes it will, quote,

massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit. The Tesla CEO recently ended his stint with a team known as the Department of Government Efficiency, which sought to find savings in government. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Senate Republicans will forge ahead despite Musk's grievances. We obviously respect everything that Elon did with Doge. On this particular issue, we have a difference of opinion. The bill has caused rifts among Republicans in both chambers.

Thune is pushing to get the bill to President Trump's desk by July 4th. Barbara Sprint and PR News, The Capitol. The White House says President Trump has signed an executive order that doubles tariffs on U.S. steel imports. NPR's Tamara Keith says those tariffs are going up to 50 percent beginning today. President Trump has made no secret of his love of tariffs. He announced this latest move surrounded by steel workers outside of Pittsburgh late last week. I said would you rather have a 40% or a 50%? They said we'll take 50. I said I had I had a feeling you were gonna say that. Trump

said he is trying to counter dumping of low cost steel from other countries. Which will even further secure the steel industry in the United States. Nobody's going to get around that. Though Trump's national security rationale for these higher tariffs could face a legal challenge. Tamara Keith, NPR News, The White House. The wife and five children of the man suspected of firebombing demonstrators in Colorado who were calling for the release of hostages still held by Hamas have been taken into custody

and could face deportation. The move was announced on social media by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who says the family of Mohammed Solomon were detained by U.S. immigration and customs enforcement. Noem says DHS will investigate whether Solomon's family members knew about the attack ahead of time and supported it in any way. Twelve people were injured on Sunday, my Bolotov cocktails, as they were marching in Boulder. Solomon is facing multiple charges, including 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder and a federal hate crime.

DHS says the 45-year-old Egyptian national was in the U.S. illegally and entered the U.S. on a tourist visa that has since expired. This is NPR News. South Korea's newly elected president is pledging to restore democracy to his country. Opposition party candidate EJ Myong won yesterday's snap presidential election by a substantial margin. The vote was called after Yoon Song-yeon was impeached and removed from office for briefly imposing martial law last December. Dozens of injuries and at least one death are being reported in Turkey following yesterday's

earthquake. It struck in the early morning hours in the country's southwest. Officials say many of those injured jumped from windows or balconies in a panic. The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake had a magnitude of 5.8. Residents of Maryland could face sharp increases in their Affordable Care Act insurance premiums for 2026. As Scott Masione with member station WYPR reports, state officials are blaming the potential loss of federal tax credits.

Maryland residents who get their health insurance from the Affordable Care Act could see premiums increase by an average of 17% next year. About 500,000 Marylanders get their insurance from the ACA marketplace, some through small business employers. The current Republican budget proposal gets rid of the premium tax credit, a government subsidy on insurance plans. State officials say the potential rate hikes are a direct result of losing the tax credit. The Congressional Budget Office says the legislation will significantly reduce the amount of people

with insurance. Companies that provide plans on the state's ACA marketplace like the largest provider, Care First Blue Cross, posted hundreds of millions of dollars in profits last year. For NPR News, I'm Scott Massione. I'm Dave Mattingly in Washington. Do you ever look at political headlines and go, huh? I'm Dave Mattingly in Washington.