NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-25-2025 6PM EDT

Episode Date: August 25, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Jail Snyder. Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker was in Chicago today where he slammed President Trump's threat to make the city the next target and is cracked down on crime. Today in the Oval Office, Donald Trump looked at the assembled cameras and asked for me personally to say, Mr. President, can you do us the honor of protecting our city? Instead, I say, Mr. President, do not come to Chicago. This morning, Chicago's Democratic mayor, Brandon Johnson, told NPR that his city is not calling for American troops to occupy American cities. At the White House today, Trump signed a series of executive orders, including one that would create a specialized National Guard unit that could be deployed to assist local law enforcement.

And the White House said today that the deployment of guard troops and federal law enforcement in Washington, D.C. has led to more than 1,000 arrests and more than 100 firearms seized. The leader of one of Mexico's most notorious drug cartels has pleaded guilty to criminal charges in U.S. federal court. Asmao Zampada Garcia, known as El Mio, was perhaps Mexico's biggest drug lord. Here's NPR's Ryan Lucas reporting. For decades, El Mio Zambada was a leader of the Sinaloa cartel, which he helped found, along with Joaquin El Chapo Guzman. U.S. authorities arrested Zambada last summer, and he was facing charge. charges in federal court in Brooklyn. Now Zambata has pleaded guilty to leading a continuing

criminal enterprise and racketeering conspiracy. Attorney General Pambondi says this is a major win against the drug cartels. El Maya will spend the rest of his life behind bars. He will die in a U.S. federal prison where he belongs. Zambata-Cinoloa cartel co-founder El Chapo is already serving a life sentence in U.S. prison. Ryan Lucas in P.R. News, Washington. On to the economy. A new survey of business economists, rather, finds widespread concern about the Trump administration interfering with the Federal Reserve. NPR Scott Horsley reports on the results as a president and his allies have been waging a high-pressure campaign for the central bank to lower interest rates. Economists surveyed by the National Association for Business Economics have a range of ideas about where interest rates should end up this year.

but a large majority say the White House should stay out of it. Nearly eight out of ten economists surveyed say they're very or somewhat concerned about political interference with Fed policymaking. More than three out of four say the president should play no role in the Fed's interest rate decisions. President Trump has been outspoken in criticizing the Central Bank for not moving more aggressively to cut rates. Trump also threatened to fire a member of the Fed's governing board, even though by law Fed governors can only be removed for cause. Scott Horsley. NPR News, Washington. And you're listening to NPR News. The man who was mistakenly deported to the notorious Seacot prison in his home country of El Salvador

is back in federal custody. Kilmar Garcia-Obrego was detained this morning just days after being freed from a detention facility in Tennessee to await trial on human smuggling charges. A federal judge today extended a temporary restraining order barring the government from deporting him again this time to Uganda. There will be no public tours of the White House next month. NPR's Tamara Keith reports on President Trump's launch of a major renovation, building a ballroom on the east side of the White House. The White House has many functions, residents, office, and living museum visited by thousands of people every year, with members of Congress

distributing tour slots to their constituents. Republican Congressman Scott Perry of Pennsylvania tweeted that as of September 1st, White House tours are paused until further notice. A White House official who was not authorized to speak on the record confirms that the tours are temporarily paused in September, with more details to come regarding future months. Trump recently announced a $200 million ballroom project, which will affect areas typically included in the public tours. Tamara Keith, NPR News. To Los Angeles, where police have charged rapper and six. singer Lil Nas X with four felonies. The charges include three counts of battery on a police

officers. Authorities say Lil Nas X charged at officers who confronted him last week as he walked nearly naked down to Los Angeles Street. I'm Jail Snyder. This is NPR News.