NPR News: 03-03-2026 10PM EST

0:00This message comes from Amazon Business, free your team from time-consuming office tasks with smart business buying tools, enable buyers to find and purchase items fast, learn more about the technology, insights, and support available at Amazon Business dot com. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. As the U.S. Israel war in Iran widens the death toll for U.S. forces has risen. The Pentagon says six service members have been killed. And President Trump's reasons for attacking Iran continue to change. Over the weekend, Trump said it was regime change today. He says it was preemptive. No, I might have forced their hand. You see, we were having negotiations with these lunatics. And it was my opinion that they were going to attack first. They were going to attack. If we didn't do it, they were going to attack first. I felt strongly about that. Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered another reason. The President acted on the timing that gave us the highest chance of success.

1:02And that's what you're seeing play out right now. You're seeing it play out right now and you'll see it in the days to come. We will systematically take apart the missile program. We will destroy their ability to sponsor terrorism, by the way. We will destroy their factories. We will destroy their navy. Speaking there to reporters on Capitol Hill today, the attacks followed weeks of a U.S. military buildup in the region, as negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over its nuclear programs continued. President Trump is once again finding himself at odds with part of his conservative base. This time, it's over the war in Iran. Ampere Stephen Fowler has more. A vocal contingent of folks who support the president's policy say starting a war in Iran is not America first. They say there are domestic issues like the economy and immigration enforcement that should be higher priority. Another element, the U.S. is economic and military ties to Israel. Some mega-conservatives feel that Israel's interests are put equal to or above America's. It's the latest crack in Trump's coalition following disagreements over the Epstein files, affordability, tariffs, and other issues.

2:04Stephen Fowler and P.R. News, Atlanta. Homeland Security Secretary Kristine Nome testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee today, defending the administration's crackdown on illegal immigration, a mid-criticism of DHS's enforcement tactics. During the hearing, Democrats asked Secretary Nome why she described two American protesters, Alex Prety and Renee Good, as domestic terrorists, shortly after their killings, she doubled down on that description. Senator Cory Booker and other Democrats also blasted ICE agents tactics. Either you are utterly incompetent or you are violating laws within punity. You should step down from your position if you don't, you should be removed by this president, and if not, Congress should impeach you. No, I'm again claim DHS immigration suites are targeting, quote, the worst of the worst. DHS's own statistics show over 70% of those currently in immigration detention have no criminal conviction.

3:05Jasmine Garsd and P.R. News, New York. Asia markets are trading lower at this hour than Niki and Japan down 3.8%. You're listening to NPR News. The video of the hour's long deposition of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been released by the Republican-led House Oversight Committee. As NPR Sage Miller reports, she was questioned as part of the committee's probe into the convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. Hillary Clinton told lawmakers she was confused as to why she was being deposed. She said it was her husband, former President Bill Clinton, that had a working relationship with the disgraced financier. But there were contentious moments between Clinton and some Republican members of the committee. Congresswoman Nancy Mace asked Clinton how she felt about a photo that showed her husband in a hot tub. I have no context for even answering that question, and I think, you know, obviously the innuendo all the rest of it, I'm asking a black and white question, I'm not putting any leading

4:06statements into it or adjectives. But Mace kept pressing Clinton on her thoughts. Neither of the Clintons has been accused of any wrongdoing. Sage Miller and PR News. This message comes from Mint Mobile. If you're tired of spending hundreds on big wireless bills, bogus fees and free perks, Mint Mobile might be right for you with plans starting from $15 a month.

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