Government Shutdown Begins, Impact Of Shutdown, Trump Hegseth Military Meeting

This episode of NPR's "Up First" reports on the government shutdown, its impacts on federal employees, and the political standoff between Republicans and Democrats. It also covers President Trump's statements about using the military in American cities and Defense Secretary Hegseth's remarks on toughening physical fitness standards in the military, which is seen as a move against what he calls the Pentagon's "woke culture". The podcast features insights from NPR correspondents Claudia Grisales, Andrea Hsu, and Tom Bowman, providing analysis and on-the-ground reporting.