D.C. residents express concern over crime crackdown. And, Ford invests big in EVs

Published On: August 15, 2025

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Today’s top stories

Despite the fact that violent crime in Washington, D.C., is at a 30-year low, President Trump promised during a press conference yesterday to utilize the National Guard and the Metropolitan Police Department to hunt criminals in the city. In addition to criminals, he has advocated for the removal of homeless people from the nation’s capital.

The people the president describes as criminals in this case are often teenagers, many of them Black

, NPR’s Brian Mann tells

Up First

. The president lumped criminals and unhoused people together, expressing how they need to be forced out of Washington. Will, who lives in a homeless camp in Washington, tells Mann that the only thing his community asks for is a fair job and housing, but they can’t get that. Mann says he asked NPR to only use his first name because he fears authorities will punish him for sleeping on the street. Will also asked

where people like him are supposed to go

a question Trump hasn’t answered yet.

Trump claims that he will speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders over the phone tomorrow.This is in advance of Friday’s scheduled conference between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Trump to discuss a settlement to the conflict in Ukraine. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, Putin will be meeting with a U.S. president for the first time. European allies fear that Trump would make significant compromises if Ukraine is not present at the summit. What’s at stake is as follows.

The European allies are likely to express to Trump that they need to be involved in ceasefire talks because

lasting peace in Ukraine would involve their resources, NPR’s Rob Schmitz says. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, President of the European Union Ursula von der Leyen and other European leaders wrote a joint statement over the weekend saying there can be

no peace that rewards Russia’s aggressive actions

. Schmitz says the statement refers to the one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin in general, as that in itself seems like a reward. The European leaders are also talking about Trump’s comments leading up to this meeting about how a path to peace would require Ukraine to give up territory to Russia.

Executives from Ford Motor Company said yesterday that they intend to retool the Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky to manufacture more reasonably priced electric cars in place of Ford Escapes. For the first time, Ford is placing a significant wager on electric vehicles, investing billions of dollars in them. The midsize pickup truck that the corporation is focusing on in its proposal has a target price of $30,000. Compared to the majority of other electric trucks, this is at least $20,000 less expensive. Jim Farley, the CEO of Ford, referred to the truck as a “Model T” moment for the company.

Ford has been trying to crack into the EV market for years

, according to NPR’s Camila Domonoske. Executives are thinking about more than just the climate, she says. They

want to be more globally competitive

. Chinese automakers are producing cheap, high-quality EVs that sell well around the world. Farley has said for years it’s an “existential threat” if companies like his, which also sell cars globally, cannot keep up.

Deep dive

Plans to install a nuclear reactor on the moon to power a human base are being expedited by the Trump administration. The reactor is expected to launch to the moon by 2030, according an order sent to NASA officials in July by acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy. Given that China and Russia also intend to employ nuclear power on the moon by the end of the decade, the proposal supports the US goal of sending astronauts back to the moon. Here are some facts concerning the plan.

On the moon, reactors must dissipate excess heat directly into space because there’s no water or atmosphere. Large radiators could be used to manage the heat.
The main concern is getting the reactor to the moon and what happens to it once it reaches the end of its lifespan, according to Kathryn Huff, professor of nuclear, plasma, and radiological engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
A recent Institute for Space Science and Development report estimates the reactor project would cost around $3 billion over five years to develop.
Duffy says if China or Russia reaches the moon first, either country could “declare a keep-out zone,” which could hinder the U.S. from establishing a presence there.

Life advice

Making ensuring your presence at someone else’s home feels like a gift rather than a burden is crucial, whether you’re couch surfing at a friend’s or taking the kids to see their aunt. Regardless of how at ease you are with someone, the first step in being a respectful guest is to respect their personal space. Elaine Swann, an expert in etiquette, gives Life Kit tips on how to be a memorable visitor.

Don’t feel sheepish about asking to stay at a person’s home when you are passing through town, if you would also extend the same courtesy.
A long weekend-style visit generally four days and three nights is a good sweet spot for staying with others. The timing could be adjusted for longer occasions like holidays.
When the host says you can make yourself at home, it signals that you can fend for yourself. This means you don’t need to ask for a drink of water. However, you should tidy up after yourself and can even offer to help with chores.

Listen to this episode of NPR’s Life Kit for additional tips on how to be a nice houseguest. For professional guidance on relationships, finances, love, and other topics, sign up for the Life Kit newsletter.