Apple News Today – Episode Summary: "How pressure from Trump led to James Comey’s indictment"

Date: September 26, 2025
Host: Shemitah Basu and Apple News Today Team

Overview

This episode of Apple News Today, hosted by Shemitah Basu, explores several major current events, with the lead story focusing on the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey. The coverage analyzes President Trump’s pressure on the Department of Justice (DOJ), the political and legal implications of Comey’s indictment, and expert insights on the broader context. Additionally, the episode covers the White House’s newly negotiated TikTok deal, public perceptions of political violence, economic updates, and the introduction of high-tech safety gear in rugby.

Key Segments

1. James Comey’s Indictment and Presidential Pressure

Summary:
The podcast opens with reporting and analysis on the indictment of James Comey, the first former senior government official charged as a result of President Trump’s ongoing grievances, specifically relating to the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Key Points and Timeline:

• [00:36] News breaks that James Comey is charged with obstruction and making false statements.
• [00:42] These are the first charges tied directly to Trump’s revealed vendetta over the 2016 Russia investigations.
• [01:04] Trump, via social media, publicly branded Comey and others “guilty as hell” and allegedly directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue his political adversaries.
• [01:18] The charges originate from the Eastern District of Virginia, where a new Trump loyalist recently took over as top prosecutor after the previous U.S. attorney—who refused to bring charges against Comey—resigned.
• [01:31] Trump threatened to remove the prior attorney for not acting.
• [01:46] Comey responded in a video statement:

  “My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system and I'm innocent. So let's have a trial."
  – James Comey [01:46]

• [01:58] The investigation centers on whether Comey misled prosecutors regarding the FBI’s Russia inquiry.
• [02:06] The New York Times and DOJ insiders describe the evidence as weak and the prosecution itself as deeply troubling for DOJ independence.
• [02:21] Specific charges: one count obstruction, one count making false statements.
• [02:34] On CNN, Kaitlin Polence explains the legal gravity:

  "These are serious charges. Perjury is a felony. I believe it carries a five-year maximum prison sentence."
  – Kaitlin Polence [02:34]
  She also notes the upcoming legal challenges: "There will be challenges made to this indictment...a jury would have to take a look to decide whether the former FBI director is guilty or not guilty. But this is quite a moment..."
  – Kaitlin Polence [02:55]

• [03:24] Trump reacts triumphantly on social media:

  “JUSTICE IN AMERICA” [03:27]

• [03:34] Former FBI counterterrorism official Christopher O’Leary presents skepticism:

  "Is this just political theater, indicting Director Comey, arresting him in his home? But did he actually knowingly provide materially false information to Congress? Very hard thing to prove..."
  – Christopher O’Leary [03:40]

• [04:05] Observers warn the case blurs boundaries between the executive branch and DOJ independence.
• [04:14] Comey is scheduled for arraignment October 9th; a motion to dismiss is expected.
• [04:26] After the indictment, Comey's son-in-law resigned as a federal prosecutor to “uphold my oath to the Constitution and the country.”
• [04:37] Two months prior, Comey’s daughter Maureen was fired from her DOJ post, and she is now suing the government, alleging political retaliation.

Notable Quotes:

• "My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system and I'm innocent. So let's have a trial."
  – James Comey [01:46]
• "These are serious charges. Perjury is a felony... not something the Justice Department takes lightly."
  – Kaitlin Polence [02:34]
• "Is this just political theater, indicting Director Comey...?"
  – Christopher O’Leary [03:40]

2. White House’s TikTok Deal

Summary:
The episode details the Trump administration’s new deal to allow TikTok to continue operations in the U.S. under a new company structure that limits Chinese ownership.

Key Points and Timeline:

• [05:01] Trump green-lights a plan allowing TikTok to continue in the U.S., with a new American ownership structure.
• [05:19] Trump claims Chinese President Xi Jinping approved the arrangement.
• [05:33] Context: Trump’s moves on TikTok began with an executive order in 2020.
• [05:48] The Biden administration signed a bipartisan bill in 2024 requiring ByteDance’s divestiture for national security.
• [06:12] Amrit Ramkumar (Wall Street Journal) says Trump shifted his stance on TikTok after recognizing its political value:

  "He saw that millions and millions of people were going to be upset if TikTok went dark in the US so he saw an opportun(ity) to swoop in and save the day and do a deal."
  – Amrit Ramkumar [06:12]

• [06:30] The new entity will manage TikTok US, with ByteDance retaining under 20%.
• [06:35] ByteDance’s algorithm will be copied and leased to the new entity, running solely on U.S. user data—a unique arrangement expected to affect the app’s performance.
• [06:59] Roughly half of the new entity is owned by Oracle (co-founded by Trump ally Larry Ellison) and Silver Lake; the rest is held by a group including Lachlan and Rupert Murdoch.
• [07:29] ByteDance maintains it is independent from Beijing; the Supreme Court previously found Congressional national security concerns credible.
• [07:40] The Journal reports the U.S. government will receive a multi-billion dollar payment—a rare direct stake in a private market deal.
• [08:07] Ramkumar notes the administration wants continuity for users despite algorithm changes, but it remains to be seen if the changes will diminish the user experience.

Notable Quotes:

• "This deal is unique obviously because there is the US China element and you need legal and reg and all of that. But the Trump administration is really pushing the bounds of what people thought was possible..."
  – Amrit Ramkumar [07:45]

3. What Most People Get Wrong About Political Violence

Summary:
Shemitah Basu talks with Sean Westwood, political polarization expert at Dartmouth, to separate fact from myth about political violence in the US.

Key Points and Timeline:

• [08:55] Recent headline violence includes assassination attempts on Trump, the killing of lawmaker Melissa Hortman, and the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk.
• [09:15] Westwood says Americans overestimate how much the other side supports violence.
• [09:39] Reality: No coordinated movement—most acts are by lone actors.

  "There's not any kind of centralized political violence terror cell in the United States. We have lone actors..."
  – Sean Westwood [09:39]

• [09:56] Only 2% of Americans think political murder is acceptable, but people estimate the other party’s support at over 33%.

  “So if you ask an American what proportion of the other party they think supports murder, they'll say more than 33%. So that's off by a factor of 10."
  – Sean Westwood [10:08]

• [10:25] Polarized rhetoric and social media deepen these misconceptions and rarely encourage violence, but do fuel fear.
• [10:39] Most politicians respond calmly, but inflammatory voices get the attention.

  "If you're talking about a need for calm, that's not going to get you attention... we have the most inflammatory responses resonating on social media."
  – Sean Westwood [10:39]

4. Other Top News Stories

Key Points:

• U.S. Defense:
  U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has called an urgent Pentagon meeting after firing several high-ranking officers and demanding a 20% reduction in four-star generals and admirals. No details on the agenda yet.
  [11:26–11:56]
• U.S. Economy:
  The economy grew faster than expected in Q2 (3.8%). The good news complicates the Federal Reserve’s plans for rate cuts, which are politically sensitive as Trump applies pressure for more reductions.
  [12:01–12:39]
• Sports Safety:
  Women’s rugby introduces mouthguards with flashing LEDs to flag concussions, debuting at the World Cup finals—innovated with input from neurosurgeons and a NASA-trained mathematician.
  [12:58–13:53]

Notable Quotes – At a Glance

• James Comey:

  “My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system and I'm innocent. So let's have a trial.” [01:46]

• Sean Westwood:

  “If you ask an American what proportion of the other party they think supports murder, they'll say more than 33%. So that's off by a factor of 10.” [10:08]

• Amrit Ramkumar:

  “He saw an opportunity to swoop in and save the day and do a deal.” [06:12]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Comey Indictment and Trump’s Influence: 00:34–04:56
• TikTok Deal and Reaction: 04:56–08:53
• Political Violence and Public Opinion (w/ Sean Westwood): 08:53–11:02
• Defense, Economy, and Rugby Tech Briefs: 11:26–13:53

Tone and Style

The episode balances straightforward journalism with commentary from subject-matter experts, maintaining a focus on transparency and clarity. Host Shemitah Basu’s delivery is steady, measured, and informative, while both the guest analyses and reporting are concise and geared toward listeners looking to understand the complexities behind headline news.

End of Summary