Up First from NPR

President Trump insists the economy is thriving. So, how does he explain why so many voters view the economy negatively? Also, the Federal Reserve considers whether to cut interest rates today. Will concerns over inflation keep rates as is or will unemployment worries prompt another cut? Plus, the unraveling of the Afghan man accused of gunning down two National Guard members. How are other Afghan...

President Trump heads to Pennsylvania to defend his record on affordability as polls show voters increasingly blame his policies for high prices. The Supreme Court appears poised to grant presidents far greater power over independent agencies, signaling a major shift in how the federal government operates. And Indiana lawmakers move toward a congressional map that could eliminate the state’s last...

The Supreme Court hears a case that could upend decades of limits on executive power by allowing the president to fire leaders of independent agency leaders. Pandemic-era Affordable Care Act subsidies are on track to expire at the end of the month, with Democrats pushing an extension and Republicans offering no unified plan. And President Zelenskyy meets with European leaders in London as they pus...

With increased immigration enforcement under President Trump, many families with undocumented members are living in fear of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Many are afraid to leave their homes and families are having to face the reality that they may be separated, detained and even deported. This week on The Sunday Story, NPR immigration correspondent Jasmine Garsd, reporting for t...

A CDC advisory panel has voted to roll back Hepatitis B vaccines for newborns. If approved, it could reverse 30 years of gains in fighting the liver disease. We also look how Hollywood is responding Netflix purchasing Warner Bros. And we look at a series of economic indicators and how the Federal Reserve might respond to in their meeting next week. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our col...

A Pentagon watchdog report and video of a deadly boat strike in the Caribbean deepen scrutiny of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s actions. Federal agents arrested a Virginia man accused of planting the Jan. 6 pipe bombs after a years-long investigation that uncovered new forensic leads. And the Supreme Court cleared Texas to use a Republican-drawn congressional map that could shift multiple House...

President Trump leans into a familiar political strategy of attacking immigrant communities as he intensifies racist comments about Minnesota’s Somali population and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. A Pentagon watchdog report finds Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth endangered U.S. troops by sharing classified strike plans over Signal, directly undercutting the White House’s claim that no harm was done. And...

A five-hour meeting between Vladimir Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff ends without a breakthrough, as the Kremlin rejects key parts of the updated Ukraine peace plan. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shifts his account of the U.S. strike on an alleged drug boat, saying he didn’t order the second, lethal attack as lawmakers press for answers. And a special House election in deep-red Tennessee distr...

A U.S. official contradicts the White House account of who ordered the deadly boat strike in the Caribbean, while President Trump considers his next moves with Venezuela. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff heads to Moscow for high-stakes talks after revising the peace agreement with Ukrainian negotiators. And new details about the Afghan man accused of shooting two National Guard soldiers point to a long-ru...

The White House is moving swiftly to tighten legal immigration reviews after two National Guard members were shot in Washington, D.C. last week, escalating scrutiny on asylum seekers, green card holders and refugees already living in the U.S. U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean are under growing scrutiny, as some lawmakers warn one attack may constitute a war crime. And Ukraine ent...

Are you searching for your next favorite podcast? With an endless queue of options, it can be hard to choose. That’s where Lauren Gonzalez, co-writer of the Pod Club newsletter, can help. The Pod Club newsletter aims to cut through the clutter and help you decipher what’s worth listening to. Sign up for the newsletter here:  npr.org/podclub . Podcasts featured in this episode: It’s Been A Minute:...

A JetBlue plane plunged uncontrollably last month prompting the parent company to issue an order to inspect all Airbus A-320 jets. It’s bad timing for holiday travel. Afghans waiting for asylum say they are in limbo after the Trump administration paused all asylum decisions. This comes after an Afghan national killed a National Guard soldier and wounded another. Tips on how to tell a real video fr...

One of the two National Guard members allegedly shot by an Afghan man in Washington, D.C. has died. In response, President Trump says he wants to permanently suspend immigration from certain countries. With the holiday season in full swing, consumer confidence in the U.S. has dropped to its lowest level in months. Yet, despite these worries about the economy retail sales this holiday season are ex...

Two national guard members are in critical condition after being shot near the White House. President Trump says the suspect came to the U.S. from Afghanistan. He now calls for a re-examination of all Afghan nationals. There will also be no legal consequences for Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. A federal judge dismissed the last outstanding election interference case agains...

Leaked transcripts of a call between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and an advisor of Russian President Vladimir Putin detail how President Trump’s 28-point peace proposal came about. The president dismisses the leak, saying it shows standard negotiating tactics.  Trump, who once campaigned on ending the war within 24 hours, is now thought to care more about reaching a deal than what’s in it. An...

After the right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated, Utah Governor Spencer Cox called for civility. Steve Inskeep spoke to him at a meeting of the Western Governors' Association. The full video of our interview with the governor is on npr.org and on YouTube . This bonus episode of Up First was edited by Arezou Rezvani. It was produced by Taylor Haney and Julie Depenbrock. We got engineerin...

A federal judge dismissed the indictments President Trump ordered up against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. The judge found the prosecutor in the case was improperly appointed.  Europeans have offered their own proposal to end the war in Ukraine. How is it different from President Trump’s 28-point proposal? Also, the Trump administration named Venezuel...

The U.S. and Ukraine have updated President Trump’s 28-point peace proposal. They acted after widespread criticism of the original plan that appeared to heavily favor Russia.  Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia announced that she will resign form Congress early next year following a feud with Trump. She also said Trump and her party lost their ways.  Also, Israel and Hamas are accusi...

Across the country, colleges and universities are struggling to figure out how to incorporate AI into the classroom. ChatGPT debuted almost exactly three years ago. And very quickly, students began to see its potential as a study buddy, an immense research tool and, for some, a way to cheat the system. This week on The Sunday Story we look at the rapid growth of AI in higher ed and consider what i...

Russia's long-standing requests are predominant in a peace deal for Ukraine brokered by American and Russian envoys. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Ga., says she will resign her Congressional seat in January. Pill versions of the obesity drugs now requiring injections are on the way. BONUS: 2025's best plot-driven books. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal d...

The CDC quietly rewrites its vaccine guidance online to suggest shots might cause autism, raising new questions about political influence over public health. President Trump unveils a 28-point Ukraine peace plan that leans on territorial concessions Kyiv has repeatedly rejected. And New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani heads to the White House for a meeting with a president who has labeled him...

Former FBI director James Comey’s prosecution hits a major snag after prosecutors admit the grand jury never reviewed his full indictment, raising questions about whether the case can even proceed. Thousands of already released Epstein documents shed new light on the powerful figures who stayed close to Jeffrey Epstein even after his conviction. And Nvidia’s staggering earnings and $5 trillion val...

President Trump defends Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a White House visit, even as the two leaders unveil sweeping military, nuclear, and investment agreements. Congress overwhelmingly passes a bill compelling the Justice Department to release its Epstein files, setting up a 30-day countdown that could spark new political fights over redactions. And a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll s...

The House votes today on whether to force the release of long-awaited Epstein files, a move pushed by a bipartisan coalition despite President Trump’s earlier efforts to stop it. A widening feud between Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene exposes growing cracks inside the MAGA movement over foreign policy and the “America First” agenda. And President Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia’s crown prince to the...

President Trump suddenly reverses course on the Epstein files, urging Republicans to support a House vote on Tuesday that he was previously trying to block. In the Caribbean, a major U.S. military buildup raises new questions about the administration’s strategy toward Venezuela as Trump claims President Maduro “would like to talk.” And in Charlotte, North Carolina, a new Border Patrol operation sp...