NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-30-2025 8AM EDT

Episode Date: September 30, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Higgseth are set to address hundreds of U.S. military officials at a Marine Corps base in Virginia today. NPR's Quill Lawrence reports the White House hasn't said why the meeting was called, but it includes top commanders from more than a dozen countries, many in conflict zones. The logistics of getting them all to Virginia, the expense, The security, any soldier knows that you spread out so that the whole squad can't get taken out by one single mortar. So having everyone and the president in one place like this is a security nightmare. And it's previously just not been U.S. military style where all these generals were summoned before a president or the Secretary of Defense for this sort of display. Generals, well, they swear an oath to the Constitution, not to the president.

That's NPR's Quill Lawrence reporting. Federal agencies will run out of money at midnight tonight. NPR's Deidre Walsh reports, President Trump hosted a meeting with top Democratic and Republican leaders yesterday, but both sides say big differences remain. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says a funding deal has to address expiring health care subsidies. And the reality is that in a matter of days, notices are going to go out to tens of millions of Americans making clear that their health care is about to become dramatically more expensive. Republicans accuse Democrats of hostage-taking

and say the issue should be negotiated on a separate track. The Senate is expected to vote later today on two proposals, a House-pass bill that extends current funding levels until November 21st and a Democratic alternative that attaches health care changes. Both failed before and are expected to fail again, as the deadline to avoid a shutdown approaches. Deirdre Walsh, NPR News. A White House meeting between President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

ended on Monday with Israel accepting a U.S. proposal to end the war in Gaza. Netanyahu says if the plan moves ahead, it would unfold in several stages. If Hamas agrees to your plan, Mr. President, the first step will be a modest withdrawal followed by the release of all our hostages, within 72 hours. The next step will be the establishment of an international body charged with fully disarming

Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza. Trump says that the Palestinian Authority doesn't complete the reforms that the administration laid out that would only have themselves to blame. We're giving them an amazing footprint and they have amazing support from the leaders of the Arab world

and the Muslim world. The great leaders, these are great leaders. These are unbelievable leaders that have built great countries. Hamas has not yet responded. This is NPR. Hurricane Humberto has weakened into a category two storm in the Atlantic with sustained winds nearing 100 miles per hour.

Forecasters say the storm is not expected to make landfall, but will pass just west of Bermuda late this week. A group of psychiatrists is calling for the removal of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. NPR's Ritu Chatterjee report, they're accusing Kennedy of threatening Americans' access to mental health and addiction care. The group called the Committee to Protect Public Mental Health says Secretary Kennedy has hurt the federal government's ability to respond to the mental health and addiction crises by making major staffing and funding cuts to the federal mental health agency.

Dr. Eric Raffler-Ewan is a psychiatrist based in San Diego and a member of the group. It's very important to not miss is that RFK Jr. has been very focused in its attacks against psychiatric medication, which millions of Americans rely on. And so this includes for ADHD, for depression, for anxiety, for schizophrenia. He says these medications have measurable impacts on people's well-being and functioning. Read the Chatejee and PR News. McDonald's is bringing back a fan favorite. After a decade, the game of monopolies returning, but this time with a digital twist.

The fast food chain is ditching the paperboard in favor of. of app-based play for loyalty members. Physical pieces will still appear on select food items, but you'll need the app to redeem the prizes. I'm Windsor Johnston, NPR News, in Washington.