by Brittney Melton

August 27, 2025

Good morning. SpaceX's massive Starship broke its streak of misfortunes yesterday with a smooth 10th test flight after a series of recent failures. Here’s the news we’re following today:

Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook's attorney plans to file a lawsuit as soon as today, challenging President Trump’s attempt to fire her. The president claims to have fired her “for cause,” citing allegations of mortgage fraud. Cook says no "cause" exists under the law, and he has no authority to move to fire her. Trump’s claim follows an accusation by Bill Pulte, who oversees the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Pulte has accused Cook of applying for home loans on two properties in different states just weeks apart in 2021, each time stating they would be her primary residence.

Lisa Cook seen from the shoulders up, wearing all black and a pearl necklace. Her hand is slightly blurred toward the center of the photo. She holds a pen between her fingers.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images North America

🎧 Trump has dismissed the threat of a lawsuit and stated he already has someone in mind to fill Cook’s spot on the Fed’s board of governors, NPR’s Tamara Keith tells Up First. The Fed is supposed to maintain independence, but Trump has been pressuring it for months to lower interest rates. The effort to fire Cook could allow Trump to fill the vacancy with someone who would do his bidding. Cook isn't the only person Pulte has targeted, Keith says. He's also accused Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California and New York Attorney General Letitia James of claiming more than one property as their primary residence. The Department of Justice is investigating the two.

The Democratic National Committee will wrap up its summer meeting today in Minneapolis. It's the DNC's first major gathering since Trump's return to office. During the event’s first session, DNC Chair Ken Martin informed his Democratic colleagues that their party needs to prioritize winning future elections over winning arguments about policy and politics. Democrats face an uphill battle trying to gain more power in Washington during the 2026 midterm elections.

🎧 NPR's Stephen Fowler says DNC attendees had big feelings about elections, both in 2024 and beyond. The DNC has been focused on sending money and resources to state-level parties. The Democrats' messaging at the meeting centers on opposing Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, highlighting the partisan redistricting fights happening in several states, and arguing that the president is undermining Congress and the Constitution in a way that is fascist.

Global music icon Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce are engaged after two years of dating. The two shared the news yesterday in a joint Instagram post, showing Kelce kneeling in a garden and Swift’s large ring. The couple didn't reveal the exact date Kelce popped the question. The timing of the announcement comes two weeks after Swift announced the upcoming release of her new album and fewer than 10 days away from the start of the NFL season.

🎧 Swift’s love life has been a big source of intrigue for years, not just because she is a star, but because it plays such a big role in her music, says NPR’s Isabella Gomez Sarmiento. She has been vulnerable about her romantic ups and downs through her lyrics, which is why this engagement feels like a win for her fans. Kelce and Swift’s love story began when he went to one of her concerts and attempted to give her a friendship bracelet with his number on it. They connected afterward and started a very public relationship. Their love life has already made its way into some of the music on Swift’s last album, The Tortured Poets Department, and it is likely fans will learn more about this era of her life in her upcoming music.

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Screen capture of Nigel Tapp reuniting with his Montclair Community Pre-k class in a surprise Zoom.

Nick Kirkman

Alana Schreiber was 8 years old when Hurricane Katrina forced Nigel Tapp and his family to move to her town. Tapp temporarily relocated to Montclair, N.J., and enrolled in the Montclair Community Pre-K. Though Schreiber was in third grade at the time, she remained close to her former pre-K teacher, Ms. Channin, which is why her memories of Tapp remain vivid two decades later. Tapp's classmates became attached to him and were devastated when he had to leave before the school year was over. After learning that Tapp had lost his home in the storm, the students and teachers came together to create a book, Nigel and the Hurricane, reflecting their memories of him and what they knew about Katrina. Schreiber later moved to New Orleans and now works at NPR network station WWNO. She speaks with Michel Martin, who is in New Orleans this week, about how she surprised Tapp with a reunion with his pre-K class via Zoom.

An illustration shows a woman holding her baby close to her chest. Above her head, a speech bubble reads, "Ack!” She stares head-on into a spiraling staircase that continues to spiral.

LA Johnson/NPR

Editor's note: This comic will discuss mental health topics and suicidal ideation. If you are in crisis, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to connect with a counselor.

After giving birth to her second child, NPR's LA Johnson struggled with scary thoughts that didn't seem to go away. She spoke with mental health professionals U'nek Clarke and Brooke Smith about strategies for managing intrusive thoughts, which are often distressing, repetitive and unwanted and can be triggered by significant life changes. Johnson illustrates her experience in a comic, along with tips on how to cope with these thoughts.

🧠 Use mindfulness techniques to ground yourself during emotional distress. Take a few deep breaths, then engage your five senses to bring you back to the present.
🧠 Avoiding situations that trigger these thoughts won’t make them go away. Instead, face them head-on. When the thoughts come, acknowledge them and let them pass.
🧠 Discuss your feelings with a loved one. It can help to fact-check what you feel is going on and remind you if your thoughts are symptoms of something else.

For more guidance on how to deal with intrusive thoughts, listen to this episode of NPR's Life Kit. Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.

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Eileen and Doug Flockhart look at a chalkboard announcing the birth of their seventh grandchild on the porch of their home.

Elise Amendola/AP

National Grandparents Day is Sept. 7. This year, NPR wants to hear from new grandparents about their experience. Share your thoughts here, and you could be featured in an upcoming issue of this newsletter.

The National Endowment for the Arts has canceled its Creative Writing fellowship, an annual program established in 1966 to support American fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

The English roots of the word “tea” date back to the 17th century. Today, the word is not only used to talk about the beverage, but also as slang. Here is how "tea" has evolved over the years.

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This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.

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