NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-26-2025 7AM EDT

Episode Date: September 26, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. A federal grand jury in Virginia has indicted former FBI director James Comey on two criminal counts. These are linked to his congressional testimony five years ago about the FBI investigation into Russian election interference. The criminal charges come after President Trump publicly demanded that the Justice Department move against Comey quickly. Comey says he is innocent and he released a statement online. My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump, but we couldn't imagine ourselves living any other way. We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn't either. Comey's son-in-law, Troy Edwards, is a prosecutor in the office that filed the charges against Comey. Edwards has resigned. Comey's daughter, Maureen Comey, also a federal prosecutor, is suing after the Justice Department fired her. President Trump has signed an executive action that he says will create a federal response to domestic terrorism and political violence.

Trump says federal agencies will examine what he insists are the funders of groups that are considered threats. And Pierre's Deepa Chivaram has more. Trump says the Justice Department, DHS, and Treasury would be involved in the response to domestic terrorism and political violence through a joint terrorism task force at the FBI. He accused people who he said were rich members of the radical left of providing funding to protesters. These are anarchists and agitators, professional anarchists and agitators, and they get hired by wealthy people. The comments came a day after a fatal shooting at an ice building in Dallas and the killing earlier this month of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Deepa Chivaram and PR News, the White House. President Trump specifically mentioned two high-profile billionaires who have

have long supported liberal causes. But Trump provided no evidence of what he says are their ties to extremism. A group of former Treasury secretaries, central bankers, and high-profile economists is backing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. They're urging the Supreme Court not to let President Trump fire her. NPR Scott Horsley reports the group has filed a friend of the court brief. The petition was signed by both Republicans and Democrats, including Ben Bernanke, Alan Greenspan. Hank Paulson and Jack Liu, among others. They argue that allowing President Trump to fire Lisa Cook would erode public confidence in the Federal Reserve's independence

and jeopardize the Fed's credibility to keep a lid on inflation. Trump sought to fire Cook after a political ally accused the Fed governor of making false statements on a mortgage application. Cook has denied any wrongdoing, and so far her dismissal has been blocked by the federal courts. The Supreme Court has allowed Trump to fire leaders of other independent agencies, but hinted the Fed could be a special case. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. You're listening to NPR. There are only a few days left until the federal government could shut down. Congress has to agree on a spending bill and Republicans and Democrats cannot come to

terms on one. President Trump is threatening to fire some federal workers affected by the shutdown if Democrats do not agree to a spending bill. Hurricane Holine hit Florida a year ago today. The Category 4 storm swept up through the Southern Appalachians, it left substantial damage in North Carolina. The National Hurricane Center says Helene is responsible for as many as 250 deaths. That makes it the deadliest U.S. hurricane since Katrina in 2005. It's a big week for rock and roll on the Billboard Albums chart, NPR Stephen Thompson reports a familiar band is debuting at number one. If you were listening to Pop and Rock Radio a decade ago, Chances are you're very familiar with this song.

That is stressed out by 21 Pilots, one of three songs by the band to reach the top five in 2015 and 2016. This week, the group is back on top of the charts. Its album Breach debuts at number one, while the song City Walls Cracks the Hot 100 singles chart. Still, the album has yet to produce a major pop hit. Its chart success is due primarily to a huge flood of record sales, including 72,000 copies sold on vinyl. Stephen Thompson, NPR News. You're listening to NPR.