Here's the Scoop (NBC News) – November 25, 2025

Orders, Obedience and the Senator in the Spotlight; Turbocharging America’s AI

Host: Yasmin Vossoughian
Guests: Courtney Kuby (NBC News Senior National Security Correspondent), Jared Perlow (NBC News Writer & Reporter)

Overview

In this episode, Yasmin Vossoughian breaks down two of the day's most significant stories:

1. The Pentagon's misconduct investigation of Democratic Senator Mark Kelly over a video about refusing illegal military orders.
2. The White House's ambitious "Genesis Mission" executive order aiming to accelerate American artificial intelligence (AI) development and its global implications.

Additionally, the episode touches on ongoing Ukraine peace talks, new developments in the Louvre heist, early flu season data, and some Thanksgiving-week lightheartedness with the annual Turkey pardon.

Segment 1: Pentagon Investigation into Senator Mark Kelly’s Video

[01:02–08:49]

Key Points

• Background

  • Senator Mark Kelly, a retired Navy pilot and astronaut, is under Pentagon investigation for appearing in a video with other Democrats (all with military or intelligence backgrounds) urging military and intelligence personnel to not comply with illegal orders.
  • The video sparked controversy after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called it "despicable, reckless and false" on social media.
  • The FBI seeks to interview the six Democrats featured. Kelly was singled out as he is the only participant fully retired from the military.

• Explanation of Military Law

  • Retired officers like Kelly remain subject to recall and court martial under specific circumstances, including accusations of conduct unbecoming or actions prejudicial to good order and discipline.
    • Quote:
      • Courtney Kuby: “When you retire as a military officer, you are saying at your retirement that you agree that you will still uphold and abide by the oath… even in your civilian retirement life.” [03:21]

• Analysis of the Video

  • The video reminds military members of their duty to refuse illegal orders but does not specify any current orders as illegal.
    • Quote:
      • Yasmin Vossoughian: “You must refuse illegal orders.” [05:33]
      • Courtney Kuby: “No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.” [05:35]
  • The legal defense likely hinges on the message’s focus on “illegal orders,” not encouraging blanket disobedience.

• Historical and Legal Context

  • Refusing illegal orders is both legally required and historically significant (with reference to the Nuremberg Trials).
    • Quote:
      • Courtney Kuby: “It’s known now in the military as the Nuremberg defense... They did it. And they hanged, they were put to trial and put to death.” [06:37]
  • Recent Supreme Court decisions mean the President could be immune from prosecution for issuing illegal orders, but those who carry them out are not.
    • Quote:
      • Yasmin Vossoughian: “The President could remain immune even if he were issuing illegal orders. And yet the people carrying it out... could be held, could be held, I should say, accountable.” [07:09]

• Political Fallout

  • Support for Kelly is robust among Democrats; Republicans remain largely silent, possibly awaiting further developments.
    • Quote:
      • Courtney Kuby: “Mark Kelly did put out a statement... saying that he won’t be bullied.” [08:15]
  • Kelly learned about the investigation via social media, indicating a lack of formal charges at this stage.

Segment 2: White House’s "Genesis Mission" Executive Order on AI

[10:37–17:09]

Key Points

• Overview of the Genesis Mission

  • President Trump signed an executive order launching the Genesis Mission, aiming to boost federal AI research and applications.

  • Three main focuses:

    1. Expand computational resources for advanced AI models.
    2. Leverage vast federal data sets for national challenges.
    3. Apply AI to real-world issues like minerals supply, biotech, and robotics.
    • Quote:
      • Jared Perlow: “This is kind of a resetting of America’s approach to AI in a way that we haven’t seen in quite some time.” [11:19]

• Shift in AI Development Model

  • Historically, AI progress has come from private companies (OpenAI, Google, etc.), unlike the government-driven origins of the Internet or WiFi.
  • Genesis Mission signals a return to strong federal involvement and government-industry partnership in technology development.

• Timeline and Impact

  • The order sets out multiple deadlines (90, 100, 270 days) for actions—initially involving interagency coordination and mapping out resources.

  • Long-term, the public might see rapid scientific advances and increased collaborations between government, universities, and private companies (e.g., supercomputing initiatives with AMD).

    • Quote:
      • Jared Perlow: “This executive order... kind of opens the floodgates to further collaboration.” [14:58]

• Comparisons and Urgency

  • The mission is compared in urgency to the Manhattan Project, though some guests note the comparison is hyperbolic since Genesis is not a secret program.

    • Quote:
      • Jared Perlow: “If it really were the Manhattan Project, you probably wouldn’t be announcing it to the press. It would be a deeply held state secret.” [15:35]

  • China is the principal rival; the U.S. still leads in AI, but the Genesis Mission’s goal is to cement and potentially widen that lead.

    • Quote:
      • Jared Perlow: “America’s main competitor right now at the leading edge of AI systems is China. And China has a very different governmental structure where access to data is, in many cases, just a lot easier.” [15:35]

Rapid-Fire Headlines

[17:11–end]

Ukraine Peace Talks

• U.S. and Russia negotiating a peace deal for Ukraine; Zelensky working to amend original plan that had favored Russian terms. “The initial proposal, released last week, had raised alarms across Europe for appearing to give Putin most of what he wanted at Ukraine’s expense.” [17:25]

Louvre Heist Update

• Four more arrests in the multi-million dollar jewelry theft; $102 million in jewels still missing.

Early Flu Season

• 650,000 cases, 7,400 hospitalizations, 300 deaths. CDC still recommends vaccination despite strain mismatch.

Lighthearted Moment: Presidential Turkey Pardon

• Both turkeys, Gobble and Waddle, spared at the 78th annual tradition, with a nod to the “insect community” left out.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the legal obligations of military officers:

  • Courtney Kuby: “The law is that officers in the United States military, if they are, they receive an illegal order, they are supposed to decline or refuse it.” [04:23]

• On President’s immunity vs. military accountability:

  • Yasmin Vossoughian: “The President could remain immune… And yet the people carrying it out… could be held, could be held, I should say, accountable.” [07:09]
  • Courtney Kuby: “I cannot find anyone who believes that that would be held up in court.” [07:24]

• On AI urgency:

  • Yasmin Vossoughian (joking about the order’s name): “It’s like Back to the Future Part 7.” [13:36]
  • Jared Perlow: “If you’re watching a sci-fi movie and then, you know, the President flips a switch saying, ‘We launched the Genesis Mission,’ like, get ready for the robots to come on screen.” [13:39]

Timestamps for Essential Segments

• [01:02–08:49] Pentagon investigates Senator Kelly over “illegal orders” video
• [10:37–17:09] White House Genesis Mission executive order on AI
• [17:11–end] News round-up: Ukraine, Louvre, flu season, Turkey pardon

Episode Takeaway

This episode skillfully navigated the tension between military obedience and legal duty, the political implications of a high-profile investigation, and the stakes of American leadership in AI—offering listeners context, clarity, and a dash of humor to end their day informed.