Today's Top Stories from NBC News

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2025

In today's newsletter: Top Trump aides vow to target "radical left" groups after the killing of Charlie Kirk, but prosecutors show no such link. Experts weigh the consequences of an expected interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve. And the CDC's former director will address her firing in Senate hearing testimony.

Here's what to know today.

▼ The Lead

Kirk evidence contrasts with White House claims over 'radical left' groups

(Utah Governor's Office; AP)

The Trump administration's suggestion that a secret network of violent left-wing extremists was behind the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk stood in contrast to the evidence presented by law enforcement. Text messages from the suspect, Tyler Robinson, to his roommate revealed a confession and an explanation, officials said, but made no link to any groups.

In the string of text exchanges, Robinson wrote that he "had enough of [Kirk's] hatred," and that "Some hate can't be negotiated." The exchange was among the evidence that Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray used to charge Robinson with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and several other counts. Officials said they would seek the death penalty.

Robinson told his roommate that he had been planning the attack for over a week, the charging document alleged. While the investigation is ongoing, prosecutors revealed nothing yesterday that connected the alleged shooter to any leftist groups.

Experts said the administration appears to be using Kirk's assassination as a pretext to crack down on left-wing individuals and groups. While White House officials have yet to detail any plans, statements by deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and others raise questions about who exactly would be targeted, how, and what effect it might have in stifling political dissent.

Read the full story.

More on the Kirk assassination:

Emotions are running high on Capitol Hill, with many GOP lawmakers publicly grieving for Kirk and casting blame on Democrats and the media.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has partially walked back comments that "hate speech" is separate from free speech, as she vowed to target those celebrating Kirk's killing.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said that "some from the dark corners of the internet all the way to the Oval Office want to cherry-pick" which political violence incidents they condemn.

FBI Director Kash Patel faced harsh scrutiny during the first of two congressional hearings this week amid questions about his leadership and handling of the Kirk investigation.

President Donald Trump has kicked off his state visit to the United Kingdom, where he will spend time with King Charles III behind the gates of Windsor Castle for a day of royal festivities.

The president, who will meet privately with Prime Minister Keir Starmer tomorrow, is the first elected leader to be honored with two state visits to the U.K.

Trump's arrival in Europe comes after Russian drones in Polish airspace were shot down last week, renewing fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin may widen the conflict in Ukraine and threaten other European democracies.

While Trump will be warmly received by Britain's king and prime minister, others in the country aren't as excited. A group called the "Stop Trump Coalition" is staging a protest during the president's visit, although he isn't likely to see it. Authorities arrested four people after they allegedly projected photos of Trump and Jeffrey Epstein onto Windsor Castle.

Follow our live blog for the latest updates throughout the day.

More politics news:

House Republican leaders released the text of their bill to keep the government funded through Nov. 21, with the goal of passing it through the full House.

Trump formally extended the deadline to keep TikTok available in the U.S. until Dec. 16.

Liberal Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned that the poor quality of civics education means Americans may not know the difference between a president and a king.

CDC faces Senate hearing ahead of vaccine panel review

A high-stakes week for the White House's health agenda kicks off today with a Senate committee hearing, where former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez is expected to address the accusations from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that led to her firing.

Kennedy claimed he asked Monarez to resign after he questioned her trustworthiness. In her prepared testimony, obtained by NBC News, Monarez wrote, "I told the Secretary that if he believed he could not trust me, he could fire me. Regarding trustworthiness — I cannot define that word for Secretary Kennedy."

Monarez's testimony will come a day before the agency's influential vaccine panel plans to vote on whether to delay or restrict access to shots that protect children against potentially serious contagious diseases. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is scheduled to meet tomorrow and Friday, where the 12 members appointed by Kennedy are expected to review and vote on several key vaccines, including for measles, Covid and hepatitis B.

Read the full story.

The Fed is likely to cut interest rates for first time this year

The Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates for the first time this year.

The decision, which will be announced at 2 p.m. ET, comes as the central bank faces challenges on multiple fronts, from unprecedented attacks on its independence to an uneasy economy, with experts split on whether a cut is even appropriate right now.

The labor market appears to be slowing dramatically. August's jobs report showed that just 22,000 jobs were added, far below the expectations of economists. That report also showed that the U.S. lost jobs in June. So far this year, the economy has added 598,000 jobs, compared with 1.4 million for the first eight months of 2024. The unemployment rate also ticked higher last month to 4.3%, a level not seen since September 2017 outside of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lower rates could help businesses hire as it becomes less expensive to take out loans, and credit card rates fall for consumers.

Read the full story.

Ben & Jerry's co-founder resigns, claiming parent company Unilever 'silenced' its campaigning

Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of the Ben & Jerry's ice cream brand, has stepped down from the company he started 47 years ago citing a retreat from its campaigning spirit under parent company Unilever.

Greenfield wrote in an open letter late Tuesday night — shared on X by his co-founder Ben Cohen — that he could no longer "in good conscience" remain an employee of the company and said the company had been "silenced."

He said the company's values and campaigning work on "peace, justice, and human rights" allowed it to be "more than just an ice cream company" and said the independence to pursue this was guaranteed when Anglo-Dutch packaged food giant Unilever bought the brand in 2000 for $326 million.

Greenfield's resignation comes five months after Ben & Jerry's filed a lawsuit accusing Unilever of firing its chief executive, David Stever, over his support for the brand's political activism. In November last year Ben & Jerry's filed another lawsuit accusing Unilever of silencing its public statements in support of Palestinian refugees.

Read the full story.

▼ Read All About It

A judge has rejected a "last-ditch" legal challenge to Erik and Lyle Menendez's murder convictions, ruling that the brothers have failed to show enough evidence that their murder convictions were unjust.

The death of a Black student whose body was found hanging from a tree in Mississippi has sparked outrage and allegations, even after officials said there was no evidence of foul play.

Tesla's "Full Self-Driving" software has experienced repeated problems and mishaps at rail crossings, drivers say.

A melting glacier in southeastern Alaska has birthed a brand-new island in the middle of a growing lake, according to recent images captured by NASA satellites.

At New York Fashion Week, Vivian Wilson, Elon Musk's estranged daughter, discusses her debut and why she loves 'inherently political' runway shows.

Jane Fonda honored her longtime friend and frequent co-star Robert Redford following the news that the legendary actor and director died.

▼ Staff Pick

The summer a YA series became a TV phenomenon

It's the summer we all became addicted to "The Summer I Turned Pretty," the Amazon Prime series based on Jenny Han's popular YA books. As the show's third and final season comes to an end today, I explored why it has become such a cultural phenomenon. And where better to figure that out than at a watch party? At Videre Rooftop Bar & Restaurant in L.A., passionate fans screamed at TV screens as protagonist Isabel "Belly" Conklin navigated her love triangle with brothers Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher. The storyline, reminiscent of other iconic love triangles in pop culture (such as "Twilight"), is what many I talked to described as "relatable."

— Saba Hamedy, Culture & Trends Editor

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