Trump on the economy; Border Patrol in Charlotte : NPR

Good morning. You are reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to deliver it to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.

Today's top news

The White House says newly released Jeffrey Epstein documents do not prove any wrongdoing by President Trump. Among the more than 1,000 references to Trump in the documents, the email said Trump spent several hours at the home of a convicted sex offender with the victim. Republican strategist Alex Conant says the documents won't necessarily change people's minds about the next election, but it makes for a bad week for the president.

• 🎧 Conant says the White House should have handled the Epstein story differently. publishing all the information they have. The White House says it has been transparent about the situation, but at the same time, Trump is reluctant to answer questions about Epstein, says NPR's Deepa Shivaram Up first. Conant notes that Trump's strategy is to deflect, attack, and then change the story, but due to the slow development of the Epstein story, it was it is more difficult for the president to overcome this scandal.

The Trump administration has chosen Charlotte, North Carolina, as the next city to crack down on immigration.Mecklenburg County Sheriff Harry McFadden said. Yesterday, the sheriff said he was contacted by federal officials and may arrive tomorrow. It comes as some Border Patrol agents are leaving Chicago after weeks of aggressive raids.

• 🎧 This fall, Charlotte gained national attention after the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian woman on public transport.” says Nick de la Canal of NPR network station WFAE. The suspect was not an immigrant, but Republicans and the White House criticized the city's Democratic mayor for the crime. Violent crime rates have dropped 20% over the past year, but calls for the National Guard to be deployed to the area are still being made, de la Canal said. It is currently unknown how many agents are expected in the city. the community reacted with fear in the news, despite calls for calm from human rights groups.

Trump will soon travel the United States to address the economic hardships Americans are experiencing.a senior administration official told NPR. Trump's message will be that while some things have improved, there is still a lot to be done. It comes as the president revives the conversation of making America affordable again, a promise that helped him win the White House again but has received little attention over the past eight months. Voters currently rank the economy and cost of living as their top concerns in polls, and many Blame Trump's policies for worsening these problems.

Today's audition

Exercise in the US is more popular than ever, from fitness influencers sharing gym tips on social media to fitness being at the forefront of our politics. The data also shows that more Americans are exercising. But what caused this shift? A minute has passedThe magazine's Brittany Luce reveals the answer to this question and many more, with guests Jonquilyn Hill, host Vox's Explain it to me podcast and Shelley McKenzie, author Let's exercise: the growth of fitness culture in America. Listen to the discussion or read the transcript Here.

Weekend selection

Check that NPR Watching, reading and listening this weekend:

🍿Movies: Nuremberg explores the relationship between Nazi Germany's number two, Hermann Goering, and Douglas Kelly, the psychiatrist assigned to monitor him. Morning Edition host Leila Fadel spoke with screenwriter and director James Vanderbilt about what makes this story so relevant now?.

📺TV: If you like West wingyou might like Death by lightning. The four-part miniseries pits President James Garfield against Charles Guiteau, the disgruntled would-be politician who assassinated him.

📚Books: Senator John Fetterman, Democrat from Pennsylvania, spoke with Everything is taken into account about his new memoirs, unlimitedwhich chronicles his 2022 Senate campaign, during which he suffered a stroke and battled major depression. Plus, five more new products from this week.

🎵Music: The end of 2025 is approaching. All songs reviewed updated my work playlists of the best songs of this year.

❓ Quiz: A decent rating of 7/10, I know I could have done better, but fortunately. I have you to avenge me. Good luck!

3 things you need to know before your trip

1. Disney CEO Bob Iger said yesterday that the entertainment conglomerate is in talks with artificial intelligence companies to develop tools that Disney+ subscribers could use to create your own content on the platform.
2. Michael Jackson's “Thriller” rises to the top Billboard'' Hot 100 during a spooky season, marking the sixth straight decade in which it has had at least one top 10 finish. This sets an all-time chart record.
3. This week's NPR postcard series takes you aboard the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent, a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker. where can you see a polar bear.

This newsletter has been edited Lunch Manuel.