NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-15-2025 7PM EDT

Episode Date: September 15, 2025

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Support for NPR comes from NPR member stations and Eric and Wendy Schmidt through the Schmidt Family Foundation, working toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all. On the web at theshmit.org. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jail Snyder. President Trump says he's sending the National Guard and other federal law enforcement to Memphis. NPR's Franco Ordonez reports that Trump called the effort a replica of what he did in Washington, D.C. President Trump signed a proclamation to set up a federal task force to address crime in Memphis. Trump said the effort would involve members of the National Guard, FBI, ATF, DEA, ICE, and U.S. Marshals. And it's very important because of the crime that's going on, not only in Memphis, in many cities who were going to take care of all of them. Last month, Trump sought to use emergency powers to take over control of the Metropolitan Police Department. He deployed National Guard soldiers and sent hundreds.

hundreds of federal law enforcement officials throughout Washington, D.C. Trump has repeatedly said that he wants to target Chicago next, but he's faced stiff resistance from the mayor and Illinois governor. Franco Ordonez. NPR News, the White House. President Trump says the U.S. military has taken out a second Venezuelan vessel in international waters on social media today. Trump said he ordered the strike, alleging it was a drug cartel boat on its way to the U.S., and that three men were killed. President Trump's scheduled to leave tomorrow for the U.K., as impurist Danielle Kurtzleben reports.

UK Prime Minister Kier Starmar delivered the invite from King Charles in February, saying that this would be an unprecedented second state visit for a U.S. president. The rare honor has a purpose, says E.V. Aspinall, director of the British foreign policy group think tank, to nudge Trump in the U.K.'s direction, particularly on assisting Ukraine. It seems almost crude, but it's almost exactly that. The UK knows that, kind of, it's leverage and it's soft power when it comes to Trump, comes through the royal family because it's a long affiliation and a kind of affinity to the royal family. President Trump has been talking about new sanctions on Russia over the weekend saying he would take action only if fellow NATO countries stop buying energy from Russia altogether. Danielle Kurtzleben and PR News. New research from Gallup shows Americans are putting less importance on college. NPR's Alyssa NAD warning reports.

While the majority of Americans still see value and having a college education, rating it at least fairly important, they are far less likely today to consider it vital. Only about a third of U.S. adults surveyed rated the value of a college education as very important. That's down from 53% in 2019 and 70% in 2013. On the flip side, respondents who said college was not too important more than doubled since 2019. The research also found that this dwindling perception that college is very important is happening regardless of political party affiliation. While the survey didn't ask for reasons, the researchers say political rhetoric, labor market changes, high tuition costs, and student loan debt all play a role. Alist

to Adwarni, NPR News. And you're listening to NPR News. Employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were to return to the office today, roughly five weeks, after a gunman fired hundreds of rounds into buildings at the agency's campus in Atlanta. Sam Greenglass, the member station WABE reports a union representing many CDC employees says it is too soon to go back. The attack left many employees shaken, compounded by weeks of turmoil. The Trump administration ousted the Senate confirmed director, Susan Menares, who clashed with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy over vaccine policy.

Other top officials resigned in protests. In a letter to acting CDC director Jim O'Neill obtained by WABE, Democratic U.S. Senators John Ossoff and Raphael Warnock pressed for additional security and trauma support before mandating the return to in-office work. They also called for an investigation into the role misinformation played in the attack, writing that the nation's premier public health agency deserves more. For NPR News, I'm Sam Greenglass in Atlanta. Wall Street rose to record highs today.

the S&P 500 climbed half a percentage point to top the all-time high it set just last week. The NASDAQ composite rose to its own record, adding 9 tenths of a percent. The electric automaker Tesla led the way. Regulatory filing show Elon Musk acquired nearly $1 billion worth of Tesla stock on Friday. Investors are waiting to hear from the Federal Reserve this week. The Fed is to announce its latest decision on interest rates on Wednesday. I'm Jail Snyder. This is NPR News from Washington.

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