NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-27-2025 8AM EDT

Episode Date: October 27, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, on Krova Coleman, the federal government shutdown is nearly four weeks old. It's the second longest closure on record. Paychecks for members of the U.S. military and federal food services are set to stop. NPR's Luke Garrett reports Congress is showing few signs of a breakthrough. The Department of Agriculture says the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP will end food assistance by November 1st. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent tells ABC News, funds are running out to pay the troops. We're going to be out of money on November 15th, and, you know, for a military not to get paid is a disgrace. Republicans and Democrats can't agree on how to fund the government or whether to extend health care benefits. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries tells CBS News Democrats want to negotiate.

There is an urgent need to reopen the government, which is why we continue to demand that Republicans sit at the negotiating table. President Trump and Republican leaders say they won't negotiate until Democrats first vote to re-eastern. open the government. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Melissa is now the strongest possible storm, a Category 5 hurricane. Top sustained winds are at 160 miles per hour, and it's aiming directly for Jamaica. Residents are boarding up windows. Jamaica's Minister of Local Government and Community Development is Desmond McKenzie. He is telling people to get to safety now. There is nothing more we can do as a government,

but to beg and beseech persons to heed the warning. Hurricane Melissa will also reach Cuba this week. The U.S. government has been moving civilians out of its military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. There are also storm warnings up for Haiti, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Kekos Islands. President Trump has arrived in Japan as he continues his, latest trip to Asia. Over the weekend, he slapped an additional 10% tariff on U.S. imports of goods from Canada. Trump says this was for an anti-tariff commercial released by the Canadian provincial government of Ontario. Dan Carpenchuk reports that commercial has been taken down.

The additional tariff came because Trump said the ad should have been pulled immediately. But many Canadian politicians are supporting Ontario's approach. Rampton Mayor Patrick Brown says he's glad Ontario Premier Doug Ford had the current. to call out the president on inconsistencies. Prince Edward Island Premier Robert Lance said Ford has been a strong voice and effective at communicating the frustrations Canadians feel over tariffs, and British Columbia is about to roll out its own anti-tariff ad campaign

over levies on Canadian softwood lumber. Ford himself says the ad did what it was supposed to, reach U.S. audiences at the highest level. For NPR News, I'm Dan Carpenchuk in Toronto. On Wall Street in pre-market trading, Dow futures are up by about 200 points. This is NPR. California Governor Gavin Newsom says he will consider running for the Democratic presidential nomination for the White House, but he says he'll do that after the midterm elections in 2026.

He spoke with CBS Sunday morning. Newsom has famously feuded with President Trump this year. Foreign carmakers are looking more closely at American suppliers to avoid tariffs, but car companies are not rushing to dramatically, overhaul their supply chains just yet. Stephen Bissaha of the Gulf State's Newsroom reports from an auto industry speed dating event. Carmakers and suppliers met for rapid fire five-minute meetings in Huntsville, Alabama, during the Southern Automotive Conference earlier this month.

Marlina Melentine represented the Mazza Toyota factory in Alabama. We're looking for ways that we can maybe save money with tariffs being what they are now. Jean-Marie Thrower created the event and said tariffs have helped even. even the playing field for American suppliers. But supply chains are complicated. It can be very difficult, and it takes years to get your parts on a car. It's a very long sales process. So far, carmakers have been covering tariffs without significantly raising prices on customers yet.

For NPR News, I'm Stephen Massaha in Huntsville, Alabama. Food producer Hormel is recalling nearly 6 million pounds of frozen ready-to-eat chicken. The Agriculture Department says the company reports the chicken may be content. with pieces of metal. A list of affected Hormel products is on the Agriculture Department's homepage. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News, in Washington.