Up First from NPR Trump's Racist Somali Remarks, Signalgate Report, CDC Vaccine Meeting
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Dec 4, 2025 
Joining the discussion are Greg Myrie, NPR’s National Security correspondent known for his insights on defense issues, and Ping Huang, NPR’s Health correspondent who focuses on public health policies. They dive into Trump's inflammatory comments about Minnesota's Somali community and the political ramifications behind his strategy. Myrie reveals alarming findings about Defense Secretary Hegseth's risky messaging practices that may have jeopardized U.S. troops. Huang highlights potential shifts in CDC vaccine recommendations, raising concerns over new proposals affecting children's health.
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Nativist Attacks As Political Strategy
- President Trump escalated overtly nativist attacks by calling Minnesota's Somali community and Rep. Ilhan Omar "garbage."
- Paris Mara-Garcia (Mara) and hosts frame this as a long-standing tactic to attract attention and distract from political problems.
Local Scandal Used To Broaden Blame
- The hosts and Mara note Trump's false generalizations exploit a local fraud scandal to malign an entire community.
- They link this to his broader history of targeting immigrants to rally his base and distract from low approval ratings.
Past Attacks On Ilhan Omar
- Mara recounts that Trump repeatedly belittled Ilhan Omar, including mocking her hijab and telling her to go back where she came from.
- These past attacks set context for his intensified remarks about Somalis now.