NPR News: 01-30-2026 4PM EST

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Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

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The Department of Justice is releasing millions.

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Of pages related to the criminal investigation and death of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche says the DOJ is now in compliance with a law to release all the files after the Justice Department missed the December deadline. In a news conference today, Blanche said the DOJ did not shield President Trump.

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There's this mantra out there that, oh, you know, the Department of Justice is supposed to protect Donald J. Trump. And that's what we were telling. That's not true. That was never the case.

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Trump said he would cut ties with Epstein or he had cut ties with Epstein after the financier hired away female.

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Mar A Lago Resort staffers.

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He denies any knowledge of Epstein's sex crimes.

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The president has nominated Kevin Warsh to be the next Federal Reserve Chair.

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U.S. senator Thom Tillis holds a critical vote on the Senate Banking Committee that will determine whether to advance Warsh's nomination today. Trump responded after Tillis doubled down on his pledge not to vote in favor of Trump's nominee until the Justice Department resolves its criminal investigation into the current Fed chair, Jerome Powell.

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If he doesn't approve, we'll just have.

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To wait till somebody comes in that.

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Will approve it, right?

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Trump has publicly disparaged Powell and the Fed for failing to more aggressively lower interest rates. Powell and his predecessors have pushed back in defensive, maintaining the Fed's independence from political influence.

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The US Is pressing ahead with a military buildup that will would allow for.

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A new round of strikes against Iran. Meanwhile, Iran says that if attacked, it will hit hard at U.S. interests in the Middle East. NPR's Greg Myhrey looks at the possible showdown.

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The U.S. military now has an aircraft carrier, additional ships, and dozens of warplanes within striking distance of Iran. President Trump remains non committal about whether he'll order an attack. But speaking of Iran, he said, we'll see what happens. I, I can say this, they do want to make a deal. However, Iran's foreign minister says his country won't negotiate while it's being threatened. Iran has an arsenal of ballistic missiles and says that if attacked, it will strike US targets in the region. The US and Israel bombed Iran's nuclear facilities for 12 days last June. Trump is not saying what the US might hit in a future attack. Greg Myhrey, NPR news, Washington.

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The U.S. supreme Court will hear a case April 1st challenging President Trump's executive.

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Order denying automatic citizenship to the children of parents who enter the US Illegally or on a temporary visa. At issue is whether Trump's order violates the 14th Amendment to the Constitution or the Nationality Act.

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U.S. stocks have ended the day lower.

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With the Dow Jones industrial average down more than 200 points at 48,846. The S&P is down 29 points at last check. You're listening to NPR News. Award winning actor Catherine O' Hara has died at the age of 71. In a statement to NPR from her agent, Missy Davy, o' Hara passed away today at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness. Ohara's screen credits include lead and supporting roles such as the films Beetlejuice, as well as Home alone and Home Alone 2. Lost in New York, skier Lindsey Vonn has crashed in her final downhill race ahead of the Winter Olympics. Vaughn, who was 41 years old, was hoping to make an Olympic comeback this year after coming out of retirement. The crash could put that in jeopardy. NPR's Becky Sullivan has details.

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Vonn was the third person to crash in the downhill race at Crown, Montana, a resort in Switzerland. She lost control after a jump and skidded into the sideline nets. Injuries had forced her to retire back in 2019. Her 82 World cup wins were then the most for any female skier. Since then, she got a new titanium knee and started training again. Her comeback has been astonishingly successful. This winter, she's won two World cup races and reached the podium in five others. But the Olympics were always the goal. Now that's in doubt. After the crash, Vaughn was able to ski to the finish line, herself seen holding her left knee. Then she was airlifted off the course for further evaluation. The Olympic downhill race is just over a week away. Becky Sullivan in PR News.

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U.S. stocks have ended the day lower. The Dow Jones Industrial average closed down.

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180 points to end the day at 48,892. The S&P was down 29 points. And the Nasdaq was down 223 points, nearly 1%. You're listening to NPR News.

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Listen to this podcast sponsor, free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR news now@plus.NPR.org that's that's+NPR.org.

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