Podcast Summary: Here's the Scoop (NBC News) – October 17, 2025 Episode: Can one peace deal spark another?; John Bolton vs. the Justice Department

Episode Overview

This episode of "Here's the Scoop" is hosted by Morgan Chesky and focuses on two main stories: the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and a potential peace negotiation involving President Trump and Presidents Zelenskyy and Putin; and the federal indictment of former National Security Adviser John Bolton over mishandling classified information. The latter half touches on a few key headlines of the day, spanning military actions, royal family news, and culture.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks & U.S. Involvement (01:03–08:28)

• The U.S. federal government remains shut down, but diplomatic activity continues with a "working lunch" at the White House between President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
• Ukraine faces attacks on its energy grid, requesting more U.S. military aid—specifically, Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Interview: Ambassador John Herbst, Atlantic Council (02:21–08:23)

• The Significance of Tomahawk Missiles

  • Tomahawk cruise missiles are "extremely accurate, hard to shoot down," and capable of striking deep into Russia.
    • "They will give Ukraine a potent new weapon to slow down Moscow's aggression in Ukraine. By themselves, they would not represent a turning point in the war…it would just raise the cost substantially for Putin's war and save thousands of Ukrainian lives." (John Herbst, 02:53)
  • Sending Tomahawks would send a strong political signal to Putin that U.S. support for Ukraine is not wavering, contrary to Russian hopes of influencing Trump.

• The Diplomatic Maneuvering

  • President Trump previously tried to offer concessions to Putin for peace, but Putin did not reciprocate, hoping to outlast U.S. resolve.
  • Putin’s recurring strategy: dangle talks and meetings (recently suggesting Budapest as a new summit site) to delay or derail strong U.S. actions—sanctions or sustained military support.
  • Recent history has shown two major instances where the promise of a summit pulled U.S. pressure back without producing actual progress for peace.
    • "Putin is counting on the same results. He's going to remove the threat of strong American steps against Russia by offering a meeting and then not offer anything in that meeting." (John Herbst, 07:23)

• Potential for Peace or More Delays?

  • Trump’s recent move to have Senator Rubio meet with Russian officials before any Trump-Putin summit is seen as a way of testing Putin’s intentions, possibly indicating Trump has learned from prior diplomatic frustrations.

2. John Bolton vs. The Justice Department (09:56–17:51)

• John Bolton, former National Security Adviser, surrendered to federal authorities on charges of mishandling classified information—a total of 18 counts covering both transmission and retention.
• Bolton claims charges are politically motivated:
  • "Now I’ve become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies…" (John Bolton statement, paraphrased, 10:38)

Breakdown with Ryan Reilly, NBC News Senior Justice Reporter

• Nature of the Charges

  • Transmission refers to allegedly sending classified information (diary entries) to family members.
  • Retention involves improperly keeping classified material.
  • The case is complicated by an Iranian-linked hack of Bolton’s email.

• Special Considerations in Classified Cases (11:26–12:43)

  • Prosecutors must balance the risk of revealing sensitive information in court vs. securing a conviction.
  • Classified information is stringently protected in D.C., with thorough background checks and a culture of secrecy taken very seriously:
    • "Classified information is just really something that is taken extremely seriously, seriously by everyone. Everyone sort of has a friend who works in some component of government that they don’t really speak a lot about…" (Ryan Reilly, 13:08)

• How Bolton’s Case Differs from Others (14:02–15:36)

  • Indictments of James Comey and Letitia James were initiated by a Trump appointee; Bolton’s case has a longer history and includes career prosecutors, adding legitimacy.
  • Bolton, with decades of experience handling sensitive material, is seen as someone who should have been well aware of proper protocols, and will likely face videos of his past statements on the importance of classified data.

• Classified Document Prosecutions: A Recurring Political Flashpoint

  • The issue has defined much of recent political history, from Hillary Clinton’s emails to Biden and Trump’s own classified documents issues.
  • "This issue … has been this recurring theme, I think, throughout the entire stretch of this moment in political history." (Ryan Reilly, 16:25)

3. News Roundup – Headlines Worth Noting (17:54–21:54)

U.S. Military Strike in the Caribbean (17:54)

• Another suspected drug vessel was intercepted off Venezuela, notably with survivors—a departure from earlier lethal strikes.
• Lawmakers are frustrated by lack of strategy transparency in these so-called "narcoterrorism" missions.

Resignation of Admiral Alvin Hosey (18:52)

• Hosey, head of U.S. Southern Command, is resigning after less than a year, citing retirement.

Alaska Storm Crisis (19:41)

• A catastrophic typhoon remnant led to massive floods in Alaska, with one confirmed death, more missing, and thousand-person airlifts underway.
• "A lot of houses were taken off their foundations…A lot of houses are floating, floating down the river with people in them." (Gov. Mike Dunleavy, 19:42)

Prince Andrew Relinquishes Royal Titles (20:55)

• Following continued fallout from sexual abuse allegations (which he continues to deny), Prince Andrew officially surrenders all royal titles to avoid further damaging the monarchy.
• "The last straw here seems to be the imminent publication of this new autobiography by Virginia Giuffre…this book is being published posthumously and it is full of these kinds of lurid alleys [allegations]." (Raf Sanchez, 21:42)

LA Dodgers on Verge of World Series (21:54)

• The Dodgers are one win away; Mookie Betts shines with a defensive highlight.

Obituary for Ace Frehley of KISS (23:00)

• Remembering the legendary guitarist, from his days with KISS to solo acts, and the mark he left on rock music.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Putin’s Peace Tactics:

  • "Putin would very much like to prevent Trump from making this decision." — John Herbst, 03:51

• On the Cyclical Nature of Meetings Without Results:

  • "He’s going to remove the threat of strong American steps against Russia by offering a meeting and then not offer anything in that meeting." — John Herbst, 07:23

• On the Handling of Classified Information:

  • "There’s a lot of labels that are involved...But here in D.C. classified information is just really something that is taken extremely seriously." — Ryan Reilly, 12:43

• On Royal Fallout:

  • "Prince Andrew’s links to Jeffrey Epstein have caused years of embarrassment for the royal family. But the last straw here seems to be the imminent publication of this new autobiography by Virginia Giuffre." — Raf Sanchez, 21:16

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:03 – Top story intro, Russia-Ukraine peace talks
• 02:21 – John Herbst on Tomahawk missiles and diplomacy
• 05:54 – Analysis of Putin's past negotiation strategies
• 09:56 – John Bolton indictment introduction
• 11:26 – Ryan Reilly on nature of Bolton's charges
• 14:02 – Comparing Bolton, Comey, and Letitia James indictments
• 15:36 – Bolton’s experience, prosecutors’ case
• 17:54 – Daily headlines (Caribbean strike, Alaska storm, Prince Andrew, sports, Ace Frehley)
• 19:41 – Gov. Dunleavy on Alaska flood disaster
• 20:55 – Prince Andrew steps back, analysis with Raf Sanchez
• 21:54 – Dodgers/World Series and cultural notes

Closing Note

Throughout the episode, host Morgan Chesky maintains an engaging, fast-paced delivery, balancing in-depth analysis with headline brevity. The tone remains direct, occasionally somber (especially in coverage of disasters and obituaries), but always informative and tuned to keeping listeners both up-to-date and thinking critically about the news.