NPR News: 03-03-2026 7PM EST

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran is in its fourth day, and as questions on the reasons for the attack grow, President Trump's answers keep changing. Over the weekend, Trump said it was regime change. Today, he says it's because he thought Iran would attack the U.S. first. But Trump says it's not clear who will take over for the slain Ayatollah Khamenei. And here's Franco Ordonez. This has more. When asked by reporters who he liked to take over, he said most of the people that they had in mind were dead. I mean, Trump actually made kind of a comparison with Iran, Iran and Venezuela, that operation where the swooped in and captured President Nicolas Maduro. He noted how they kept the government pretty much intact in order to main control and kind of prevent the kind of chaos created by the power vacuum and during the Iraq war. But again, he said most leaders are dead. He said even their backup options may be dead. And he acknowledged some of the concerns may be that even a more dangerous person than the Supreme Leader could come to power, calling that a worst-case scenario. And Paris Franco, Ordonez reporting. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says U embassies are under attack from what he calls a terrorist regime This after several were hit by Iranian drones including a strike near the U embassy in Dubai The State Department warned embassy staff and Americans living in several Mideast countries to evacuate on commercial airplanes on their own, and some 9,000 did. Today, Rubio says the U.S. is now helping Americans get out. A drone unfortunately struck a parking lot adjacent to the to the chancellery building and then set off a fire in that place. All personnel are accounted for. As you're aware, we began drawing down personnel from our diplomatic facilities in advance of this. Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill today, Rubio says they're preparing military and charter flights to get around 1,500 more Americans out. Senate Majority Leader John Thune says Congress won't need to authorize President Trump's military operations in Iran if the war continues for several months. And Piers Claudia Grysalis reports it underscores Republicans' continuing loyalty to the president. Thune says the president has broad authorities under Article 2 of the Constitution when it comes to defending America's national security interests. I think the president was perfectly within his right to take the steps that he took I think it was a necessary step in order to protect American lives However Democrats and other critics of the war say the president should have consulted Congress not just notified them of the plans. Thune is countering those arguments, saying the effort will eliminate a threat that could have cost countless numbers of Americans' lives. The senator also acknowledged while many questions remain about what comes next, that is largely up to the Iranian people. Claudia Rizales, NPR News, The Capital. You're listening to NPR News. Concerns about creative independence are being amplified by major mergers on the horizon. As NPR's Elizabeth Blair reports, HBO Max and Paramount Plus are on track to become one streaming platform as Paramount Skydance's recent deal to acquire Warner Brothers Discovery faces regulatory review. HBO Max is home to popular shows like The White Lotus, The Last of Us, and Game of Thrones. Paramount Plus includes Top Gun, Mission Impossible, and South Park. Paramount Skydance chairman and CEO David Ellison told investors this week that HBO would be given the resources and independence to do what it does best But on his HBO show last week tonight John Oliver said he worried about being under Paramount Hey what are they going to do Take us over and immediately cancel us I genuinely asking Oliver is an outspoken critic of President Trump, while Paramount's David Ellison and his billionaire father have been appeasing the White House. Elizabeth Blair, NPR News. A small plane made an emergency landing in the Hudson River in New York last night. Authorities say both the pilot and the passengers swam to safety and both were treated at the hospital for undisclosed minor injuries. The FAA says the cause of the crash of the single-engine Cessna 172 is under investigation. Seventeen years ago, a U.S. Airways jet hit a flock of birds, losing power in both engines shortly after takeoff. Pilot Sully Sullenberger was hailed as a hero After landing the powerless plane in the river safely, all 155 people on board were rescued. You're listening to NPR News.