NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-04-2025 5PM EDT

Episode Date: September 4, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Janine Hurst. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tangled with senators from both parties on Capitol Hill today over his changes to COVID-19 vaccines and personnel issues. And Pierre Zuki Noguchi reports. The Senate Finance Committee's grilling of Kennedy was full of rancor, including from his own party. Louisiana Republican and physician Bill Cassidy accused Kennedy of going back on a specific promise not to undermine Americans' access to vaccines. Now, Cassidy says Kennedy is going against science, quote, effectively denying people vaccine, end quote, by removing the recommendation for COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women. It also surprises me because you've canceled, or HHAs did, but apparently under your direction, $500 million in contracts using the MRNA vaccine platform that was critical to Operation Warp Speed.

Kennedy, at times, got agitated at the hearing, arguing he is defending a gold standard of science. Yuki Noguchi and PR News. Federal investigators seized cell phones, computers, and documents in their search of the home, a former Trump advisor turned critic, John Bolton. And peers Ryan Lucas reports, that's according to court documents filed today by the Justice Department. Federal agents conducted a search of John Bolton's Maryland home late last month. Now, the Justice Department has filed in federal court a redacted version of the search warrant and other documents in response to a request from media organizations, including NPR. The DOJ filing indicates that Bolton is under investigation for possibly gathering, transmitting, or losing defense information, and the potential unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents. A redacted copy of the inventory from the Bolton search shows that agency's cell phones, hard drives, and computers, as well as type documents and a bond.

labeled statements and reflections to allied strikes. Bolton served as Trump's national security advisor before becoming a fierce Trump critic. Ryan Lucas NPR News, Washington. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the United States is designating two Ecuadorian gangs as foreign terrorist organizations. The two gangs are blamed for much of the violence that has flared since the pandemic started. And Rubio says the U.S. is moving to boost cooperation with Ecuador. in taking on those gangs. This time, we're not just going to hunt for drug dealers

with a little fastboats and say, let's try to arrest them. No, the president has said he wants to wage war on these groups because they've been waging war on us for 30 years and no one has responded. But there's no need to do that in many cases with the friendly governments because the friendly governments are going to help us. They may do it themselves. It's the Trump administration's latest move against the cartels.

Rubio is set to meet with Ecuadorian leaders this week. Wall Street, higher by the closing bell, the dollar up 350 points. You're listening to NPR News. President Trump is hosting a high-powered list of tech CEOs for a dinner at the White House tonight. Among those on the guest list, Bill Gates, Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg, and a dozen other executives from the biggest artificial intelligence and tech firms. But missing from the list, Elon Musk, who had a public breakup with Trump. This says the Trump administration pursues several antitrust cases against Big Tech, with cases against meta, Apple, Google, and Amazon seeking to rein in Big Tech's market power.

The NFL season kicks off tonight when last year's Super Bowl champs, the Philadelphia Eagles, host the Dallas Cowboys. And peers Becky Sullivan reports the Eagles are top contenders for this year's title alongside a trio of teams from the AFC. The Eagles dominated the Super Bowl last year. So it's no surprise, though, the early favorites to win it all again. They're key players of all returned, including quarterback Jalen Hertz and running back, Sequin Barclay. The Green Bay Packers are a new favorite after a blockbuster trade with the Cowboys to add superstar defensive end, Micah Parsons. In the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs, have reached the Super Bowl five of the last six years running. The Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens would like to end that streak.

Their quarterbacks, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, have both won MVP, but neither has ever played in a Super Bowl, thanks to the Chiefs. In week one, the Bills and Ravens will face off against each other with a heavyweight primetime matchup Sunday night in Buffalo. Becky Sullivan, NPR News, Kansas City. On Wall Street by the closing bell, the Dow was up 350 points, NASDAQ up 209, SMP 500 up 53. You're listening to NPR News from Washington.