Trump’s Economic Road Show; Pastors and Prey: Investigating Abuse in the Assemblies of God

Summary

Here's the Scoop – Episode Summary

Date: December 9, 2025
Host: Yasmin Vossoughian
Podcast: NBC News "Here's the Scoop"
Main Themes:

• President Trump’s economic tour and public perception of his policies
• Exclusive report: “Pastors and Prey” investigating sexual abuse within the Assemblies of God’s Royal Rangers program
• News headlines: campaign finance law, Miami mayoral election, Australia’s youth social media ban, and the phasing out of landlines

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1. President Trump’s Economic Road Show

Overview

President Trump is actively promoting his economic record through campaign-style events in battleground states. The segment explores the disconnect between the White House's upbeat economic messaging and the financial realities faced by ordinary Americans.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

• White House Messaging vs. Public Sentiment ([01:00–03:37])

  • Trump claims the economy is “A plus plus plus plus” and describes affordability concerns as a Democrat “hoax.”
  • NBC polling reveals 66% of Americans feel his administration has underperformed on inflation and cost of living.
  • Quote: “There are a limited number of tools at the President's disposal... There’s kind of a dual track thing going on... making sure they’re getting the maximum amount of credit for the relatively little that they're actually able to do on prices.” — Garrett Hake (03:13)

• Tariffs and Affordability ([04:39–05:38])

  • Both Trump supporters and opponents believe tariffs affect prices, especially at the grocery store.
  • Some Trump supporters are willing to accept higher costs for the promise of job creation.
  • Quote: “There’s an absolute realization that the tariffs made the grocery prices much more expensive… talking to a lot of folks... complaining about the price of beef, the price of coffee, the price of some of these other staples.” — Garrett Hake (05:11)

• Aid to Farmers and Economic Admission ([05:38–07:00])

  • The $12 billion aid package for farmers is seen as a tacit acknowledgment of tariff harm.
  • Quote: “It absolutely is the case where you have tariff revenue... being turned around and given to another segment of the American economy. American farmers... But you do hear farmers say, we want trade, not aid.” — Garrett Hake (06:59)

• Foreign Policy vs. Domestic Concerns ([07:10–08:41])

  • Core supporters feel Trump is distracted by foreign affairs, while economic issues remain unresolved at home.
  • Quote: “Venezuela and Israel and Ukraine feel like a very long way from northeastern Pennsylvania when you’re having a hard time putting food on the table.” — Garrett Hake (07:34)
  • “You got to get back to basics.” — Citing criticisms from both voters and political figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene (08:36)

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2. Supreme Court Hears Campaign Finance Case

([08:53–09:19])

• The Supreme Court is reviewing a Republican-led effort to remove coordinated party spending limits, stemming from a case pursued by J.D. Vance (now vice president).

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3. “Pastors and Prey”: Investigating Abuse in the Assemblies of God

Overview ([11:03–18:21])

NBC News exposes decades of child sexual abuse within the Assemblies of God’s Royal Rangers boys’ mentorship program and institutional failures to enact meaningful protections.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

• Investigative Scope

  • At least 29 Royal Rangers leaders accused of abuse; 17 lawsuits in the last four years. Over 50 years, 83 known cases.

• Survivor Testimony: Travis Rieger ([12:19–14:25])

  • At age 10 (1984), Travis was abused by his troop commander. He promptly reported to his family; the pastor’s response was to ensure counseling for the abuser rather than contact police.
  • Quote: “Travis told us that he recalled going to a sleepover with one of his Royal Rangers commanders... and began to masturbate him in his sleep… he also struggled for years to bury the guilt... when he heard the man turned and started molesting the boy on the other side of him.” — Mike Hixenbaugh (13:09)

• Patterns of Institutional Response ([14:25–16:16])

  • Church leaders routinely responded to allegations with redemption, counseling, or probation instead of police involvement.
  • Two troop commanders in Travis’s unit abused 18 children over years, with abuse persisting even after initial reports.
  • Unlike the Boy Scouts, Assemblies of God only “guidelines” for screening/child safety, not enforceable mandates.

• Accountability and Autonomy ([16:16–17:29])

  • The Assemblies of God insists their decentralized structure prevents them from imposing mandatory policies. Survivors and advocates argue this is a legal shield and a moral failure.
  • Quote: “Anytime the Assemblies of God has been sued... the national office has said, we exercise no control over local troops, therefore we cannot be held responsible.” — Mike Hixenbaugh (16:52)
  • Survivors view their advocacy as a way of living out the Royal Rangers’ code despite institutional betrayal.

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4. Headlines Roundup

Unsealing Epstein/Maxwell Grand Jury Records ([18:24–19:11])

• Federal judges in NY and FL order release of grand jury materials related to Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein, in response to new legal mandates. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence.

Miami Mayoral Election ([19:11–19:56])

• Democrat Eileen Higgins aims to end the GOP’s long control of Miami’s mayoralty. Race closely watched as a bellwether.
  • Quote: “We haven’t had a Democrat serving as mayor in Miami since the 90s. …this is seen as a potential bellwether for the midterms next year.” — Jesse Kirsch (19:26)

Australia’s Social Media Youth Ban ([19:59–20:36])

• Australia becomes the first country to ban social media accounts for those under 16, pressuring platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Teens are already suing the government, arguing social media is vital for information on issues like consent and mental health.

AT&T Phasing Out Landlines ([20:38–21:18])

• Landlines to be discontinued in Illinois by 2027 due to a 96% drop in orders. Host Yasmin predicts a future nostalgic revival: “I give it three years for landlines to become a hot new trend. Remember, you heard it here first.” (21:10)

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5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “A plus plus plus plus plus.” — President Trump, on his self-evaluation of the economy ([01:12])
• “We want trade, not aid.” — Sentiment among American farmers receiving tariff-related payouts ([07:00])
• “You got to get back to basics.” — Reflecting criticism of Trump’s foreign policy focus ([08:36])
• “That hands off approach… has been used as a legal defense by the Assemblies of God… protecting yourself from lawsuits ahead of protecting children.” — Mike Hixenbaugh ([17:10])
• “They’re living out that motto and trying to bring healing for themselves and changes to protect kids in the future.” — Mike Hixenbaugh, on survivors’ advocacy ([18:03])
• “I give it three years for landlines to become a hot new trend. Remember, you heard it here first.” — Yasmin Vossoughian ([21:10])

---

6. Segment Timestamps

• Trump’s Economic Road Show: 00:55–08:53
• Supreme Court Campaign Finance: 08:53–09:19
• Pastors and Prey Investigation: 11:03–18:21
• Headlines: 18:24–21:18
• Landline Nostalgia: 20:38–21:18

---

This episode delivers a candid look at the gap between political messaging and public economic experience, exposes longstanding institutional abuse coverups, and rounds out with quick takes on breaking headlines—true to the show’s promise of clear, insightful daily news.

Transcript

[Yasmin Bisugian]

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[Podcast Announcer]

This week only on Meet the Press. With growing questions over the military's lethal strikes on alleged drug boats and rising concerns over the affordability crisis, Kristen Welker sits down with Senators Tom Cotton and Adam Schiff and Congressman James Clyburn this week only on MEET THE press. Listen to the full episode now. Wherever you get your podcasts.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

Welcome to Here's a scoop from NBC News. I'm Yasmin Bisugian. Today on the show, an NBC News exclusive investigation into sex abuse allegations in the Assemblies of God, the world's largest denomination of the Pentecostal Church. Plus, the country launching a social media ban for children and teens. And landlines are officially ghosting us up. First, though, it is the Trump economy. The president today is hitting the road to tout his economic agenda, traveling to battleground Pennsylvania today for what a White House official has described as as a, quote, campaign style economic event. He is expected to praise his record on the economy just like he did in an interview released today by Politico. When asked what grade he would give his economy. I wonder what grade you would give a economy. A plus. Yeah. A plus plus plus plus plus and in recent days, he's even dismissed concerns about affordability as a, quote, hoax by the Democrats. But that is not ringing true on Main Streets where Americans are feeling the pinch. In a recent NBC News poll, 66% of Americans believe the Trump administration has fallen short of expectations on handling inflation and the cost of living. I want to bring in NBC News senior White House correspondent Garrett Hake, who is traveling with the president today. And we find him now at a unnamed lunch spot. So you might hear some background noise. Hi, Garrett.

[Garrett Hake]

Hey there. I'll try not to crunch on any chips or anything while we're doing this.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

Thanks. All right. So. So there seems to be, as I mentioned in the run up to you, this disconnect between the messaging from the White House and the attitude of the American consumer. And the president has not held an event like this really, since the summertime. Is this now the President's way of trying to convince the American voter that the economy is in fact a plus plus, even if they're not feeling it?

[Garrett Hake]

Yeah. I think it's partly to convince the American consumer that the economy is better than they think it is and partly to be caught looking like he is trying to address it more completely or at least a little bit of a I feel your pain moment. The White House had a very rude wake up call after the elections last month that they were just not where they needed to be on these affordability and cost of living questions. And they have found out on the policy side, just like Joe Biden's White House did before them, there are a limited number of tools at the President's disposal. And so there's kind of a dual track thing going on here with the President where they're trying to do as much as they can on the economy and also make sure they're getting the maximum amount of credit for the relatively little that they're actually able to do on prices, which are very stubborn and very hard to bring down.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

How are they communicating the flip from the White House? What I mean by that is what the president calling the affordability question a hoax, for instance, how are they now communicating that in fact they need to address this because it's a head on problem?

[Garrett Hake]

Well, I will say there is a little bit of a division between the White House structurally and the President personally. The White House and the cabinet officials who've been tasked with dealing with this, I think are singing from a more consistent hymnal than the president is on this. A little bit more of the I feel your pain. The President, I think, has a harder time admitting that things aren't already great. I can tell you from spending the morning talking to people out here in northeastern Pennsylvania, Democrats and Republicans, that is not satisfactory. I mean, people are deeply frustrated. And while I think a lot of people are, including especially people who voted for him, are inclined to agree that this was not a Trump created problem, there is a lot of pessimism about his ability to bring it to bring prices back down ever, let alone in any kind of short timeline.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

How much are these folks that you've spoken to talking about the institution of the tariffs and how that might be driving the affordability crisis?

[Garrett Hake]

Yeah, look, I think there's always more of a willingness among people who are not Trump supporters to see the tariffs as an issue. But even among Trump supporters, there was an acknowledgement that the tariffs have driven some of this. I think Trump supporters are more likely to tell. Were more likely to tell me they think the tariffs are sort of worth the cost if they are effective in bringing jobs back to places like where we are just outside of Scranton right now. But there's an absolute realization that the tariffs made the grocery prices much more expensive. You know, we were talking to a lot of folks as they were leaving a grocery store here who were complaining about the price of beef, the price of coffee, the price of some of these other staples that people need to buy every week that are just too expensive. And by the way, the president has now acknowledged this, too, that they've done some tariff relief already on some of these staples, particularly on things that we don't grow or make here in the US that they're probably going to have to do more of that.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

With regards to this conversation about giving back when it comes to the tariffs, the president announced this $12 billion aid package for American farmers. Is this at all an admission that, in fact, these tariffs could be hurting American farmers, hence why he's saying, well, listen, we're going to take the money from the tariffs and we're going to give it back to the American farmers, and that's how this whole thing is going to work?

[Garrett Hake]

Yeah, it's a de facto admission. I mean, you'll never hear the president using that kind of language. But it absolutely is the case where you have tariff revenue here, which is tax being paid by ultimately by you and I, but by American companies when they import goods that's being turned around and given to another segment of the American economy. American farmers who are having a hard time selling their products abroad to countries who are trying to punish the US for putting these tariffs in place in the first place. But it is a desire to help a segment of the population that has been reliably pro Trump in the past. The Trump administration talks about these as bridge payments. They're saying, look, China's buying soybeans again. We're starting to strike more trade deals with these countries. This will get better, but in the meantime, we're going to throw you a $12 billion lifeline and hope that it helps you put seeds in the ground for next year so that this all stays in place. Farm economy has always been something where there's a ton of government intervention. And so this isn't sort of wildly outside the norm.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

Right.

[Garrett Hake]

But you do hear farmers say, we want trade, not aid. At the end of the day, they want to be able to sell their products, not be propped up by the federal government.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

How much is this also a reflection of shoring up the focus that the president has had overseas? I can't help but think a lot of his supporters, voters, especially in those swing states, are saying, hey, hey, what about America First? What about what you ran on versus what you're focusing on?

[Garrett Hake]

I just came from the home of a longtime Trump supporter, describes himself as a Trump super fan. He was one of those classic like Obama voters who became a Trump voter in 2016 and never looked back. And he was making exact, exactly that point that he thinks the president has spread himself too thin. You know, Venezuela and Israel and Ukraine feel like a very long way from northeastern Pennsylvania when you're having a hard time putting food on the table. And this is, we see this happen with second term presidents a lot where they start doing things that are legacy focused, not voter focused. They're not facing the voters again. And I do think that's a major potential trap for the president. Now, he does get credit in some of these occasions, particularly on Israel and Gaza, you know, but not from his core voters, these kind of low propensity voters who are not the people who turn out and vote in every election, but the people who saw Trump as someone who uniquely gets them and their concerns. Their concerns are not Venezuela. And I do think we are hearing that as kind of a flashing red warning light, whether it's from voters like the gentleman I talked to this afternoon or for people like Marjorie Taylor Greene who's become increasingly outspoken saying this is not what your voters are focused on, Mr. President, you got to get back to basics.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

Garrett hake, enjoy that 21 degree weather and those, those chips and salsa that can hopefully bring your body to a warmer place.

[Garrett Hake]

Thanks.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

Meanwhile, today at the Supreme Court, the justices are hearing oral arguments as they consider striking down campaign finance restrictions. The is brought by Republicans who want to lift limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with individual candidates. The case was initially filed by then Senate candidate J.D. vance, now the vice president. Vance has not said whether he plans to run for president in 2028.

All right, we are going to take a very quick break. And when we are back, the latest installment in our series, Pastors and Prayers.

[Podcast Announcer]

Before the trophy and bragging rights are rightfully yours. Before your sleeper turns in a season no one saw coming, before stats and projections turn into points on the board and your lineup falls perfectly into place. You flip the lid on a can of on nicotine pouches. And as you make your first pick, you know this is the season where fantasy's going to surpass reality. It's on products for tobacco consumers 21 years of age or this product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

[Garrett Hake]

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[Yasmin Bisugian]

Who's ready for some football all season?

[Podcast Announcer]

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[Yasmin Bisugian]

We are going to get this party started.

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[Garrett Hake]

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The Today show is your home for.

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All things football every morning on NBC.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

And we're back with here's the scoop of NBC News. Next, we want to bring you an exclusive investigation from the NBC News team from a series that we are calling Pastors and Pray. Before we get into it, we should note that this segment will include discussion of sexual assault, which may be uncomfortable for for some listeners. So our reporters have spent a year looking into allegations of sexual abuse within Assemblies of God, the world's largest denomination of the Pentecostal Church. Pentecostalism, of course, is the fastest growing segment of Christianity in the world. The latest installment of our investigation centered on a program called the Royal Rangers. It's like the Boy Scouts, but Pentecostal. You think backpacking and Bible study. It is a rite of passage for millions of young boys in the church. Our reporting found that at least 29 rural rangers leaders have been accused of abusing boys in their care over decades. In just the last four years alone, former Royal Rangers participants have filed at least 17 lawsuits over alleged abuse. But the denomination has resisted implementing policies to protect the boy's safety. So I want to bring in Mike Hixenbaugh, senior investigative reporter on the NBC News Enterprise team who's been leading this investigation. Hi, Mike.

[Mike Hixenbaugh]

Hey. Good to be here.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

You spent a year speaking with many of the victims. There are at least 83 cases that we know of over half a century, 50 years. Tell us about one of them, one.

[Mike Hixenbaugh]

That jumps to my is a man named Travis Rieger. Travis was around 10 years old in 1984 when he says he joined his church's Royal Rangers troupe. And as you mentioned, the Royal Rangers is this Pentecostal version of the Boy Scouts where, you know, kids are taken on campouts and they're taught to tie knots. Travis told us that he recalled going to a sleepover with one of his Royal Rangers commanders. And for years, he tried to bury the memory and the rush of panic that he felt as this man reached over next to him during the sleepover and began to masturbate him in his sleep. And he also struggled for years to bury the guilt he felt when he rolled over to stop the abuse and then heard as the man turned and started molesting the boy on the other side of him. You know, there's a whole range of ways that abuse survivors, children process abuse. Some boys go years and never say anything. In Travis's case, he pretty quickly went to his parents and told them what happened. Travis's father, Tom, says that the next week, he went to the pastor of the church that oversaw their Royal Rangers troop and told him what happened. But instead of calling the police, Travis and his family say the pastor told him he was aware of the reports and that the troop commander was in counseling. This fit a pattern that Elizabeth Chuck and I found throughout our reporting, which was, you know, in a faith tradition that emphasizes redemption, forgiveness, second chances. Again and again, pastors responded to allegations of abuse by Royal Rangers commanders by seeking to redeem them, by sending them to counseling or putting them on probation.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

Did this individual go on to abuse other young children?

[Mike Hixenbaugh]

Yes, he. What's deeply disturbing about this case was he was one of two Royal Rangers commanders in this same troop who were sexually abusing boys. Between the two men, by the time that they were charged and convicted in the late 1980s, had abused 18 children. Based on our count and our examination of lawsuits and criminal charges, this spanned years and came after there had been multiple reports to church leaders, according to lawsuits and interviews.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

How is it that you can have two commanders in the same troop abusing these young boys? Is there no process as to which they're choosing these individuals that go on to abuse these young boys?

[Mike Hixenbaugh]

Over the past decades, as the Boy Scouts were confronted with similar horrors, they were sort of forced into adopting mandatory safety policies that do exactly what you're talking about. Mandatory background checks and screening of any adult leaders. Anyone who's been credibly accused of abuse, being banned from the Organization a too deep adult leadership policy that says anytime kids are there, there has to be two adults present at all times. What's different in the Royal Rangers and the Assemblies of God is that rather than saying, you must take these steps, you must adopt these policies. The Assemblies of God has introduced them as guidelines asking troops to adopt background checks and other safety measures. And that, according to survivors and victim advocates, has left the door open for abusers.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

Why not adopt more stringent policies so that the door is not open for abusers?

[Mike Hixenbaugh]

The Assemblies of God, in statements to us, told us that they grieve with victims and they condemn abuse of any kind, but that their organizational structure prohibits them from imposing policies onto local churches. They believe local churches should be free to govern themselves, and that includes how they run their Royal Rangers troops. Critics challenge that. They say that that hands off approach, that autonomy for local churches has been used as a legal defense by the Assemblies of God. Anytime the Assemblies of God has been sued, including in Travis's case, the national office has said, we exercise no control over local troops, therefore we cannot be held responsible for what happens at them. You know, Travis and other survivors say, you know, that's completely unacceptable. And you're putting the defense of your, of your organization, protecting your bottom line, protecting yourself from lawsuits ahead of protecting children.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

Where's Travis now?

[Mike Hixenbaugh]

For Travis and others who we've spoken to, they see this moment now where they're adults and they fully understand what happened to them and are now reclaiming their voice, reclaiming something that they feel like taken from them. The Royal Rangers motto and code teaches boys to live by honesty, to be brave and courageous, to do the right thing. And so several that we have spoken to said that's what they're trying to do now by bringing this story to light, by telling their stories, by calling for changes in the Assemblies of God. You know, they're living out that motto and trying to bring healing for themselves and changes to protect kids in the future.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

Mike hicksonbaugh, thank you.

[Mike Hixenbaugh]

Thank you.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

All right, let's get to some headlines. A federal judge in New York has ordered the release of grand jury records from Ghislaine Maxwell's case. U.S. district Judge Paul Engelmeier granted the Justice Department's request to unseal the records under a new law mandating that the Attorney General release all unclassified files related to Epstein and Maxwell investigations. This comes on the heels of a Florida judge doing the same thing for Jeffrey Epstein. Grand jury materials from way back in 2005 and 2007. Both rulings follow Congress passing a law last month forcing the Justice Department to release everything it has on Epstein. Maxwell is currently serving 20 years after being convicted on federal sex trafficking charges in 2021. NBC News reached out to Maxwell's attorney for comment.

Miami's heading to the polls today for a mayor's race that could end the GOP's decades long hold on the office. Democrat Eileen Higgins is facing off against Republican Emilio Gonzalez in a runoff. NBC News correspondent Jesse Kirsch lives in Miami and is covering the race.

[Mike Hixenbaugh]

We haven't had a Democrat serving as mayor in Miami since the 90s. And on the surface you might say, okay, I mean, we're in a state that is solidly red. But former Vice President Kamala Harris actually narrowly won the city of Miami in the 2024 election. So this is seen as something that is up for grabs. And it is getting national attention from the likes of Democrat and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Republican Senator Ted Cruz, even President Trump has weighed in on something that is seen as a potential bellwether for the midterms next year.

[Yasmin Bisugian]

Thank you, Jesse. We'll be watching.

Australia is doing something pretty bold starting today. The social media accounts of kids under 16 are getting shut in what officials say is the world's first ban of its kind. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook now have to take reasonable steps to keep more than a million under 16s off or face fines up to $32 million. Two 15 year olds are suing the government over the ban. Teens saying social media is how they learn about things like consent and mental health. One government official is calling this quote the first domino. And the rest of the world is watching to see if it actually works.

[Mike Hixenbaugh]

Hello? Hello?

[Garrett Hake]

Yes, who is this? Who are you trying to reach?

[Yasmin Bisugian]

Landlines like in that iconic moment from the movie Scream are already a ghost from the past, but AT&T is now sending them to the technology graveyard. The company is phasing out landline services in Illinois by 2027. Their orders for traditional voice services have plummeted 96% since 2014. But if history has taught us anything, it's that obsolete technology has a peculiar way of circ. Analog photo booths, Walkmans and flip phones have all enjoyed nostalgic revivals in recent years. I give it three years for landlines to become a hot new trend. Remember, you heard it here first.

All right, that's gonna do it for us. AT here's the Superman BC News. I'm Yasmin Dasugin. We'll be back tomorrow with whatever the day may bring. And if you like what you heard, subscribe. Wherever you get your podcasts. We'll see you tomorrow.

Foreign.

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