Podcast Summary: Here's the Scoop – "When Does a Strike Cross the Line?; Mr. Witkoff goes to Moscow"

Date: December 2, 2025
Host: Ann Thompson (filling in)
Produced by: NBC News

Episode Overview

This episode tackles two major stories shaping global headlines:

• The controversy around U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean, specifically the debate about whether a follow-up strike on a drug-smuggling boat may constitute a war crime.
• High-stakes negotiations in Moscow to end the Russia-Ukraine war, with the unusual U.S. envoy team of Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the table with President Putin.

The episode also touches on breaking headlines, from a controversial presidential pardon to medical and linguistic news.

Segment 1: The U.S. Boat Strike Controversy

Key Discussion Points

Military Strikes in the Caribbean

• Background:
  President Trump’s administration has targeted suspected drug-smuggling boats with military strikes. In one incident, a follow-up strike was launched, killing the survivors of an initial attack on a boat in September 2025.
• Controversy:
  Legal experts and lawmakers have raised concerns this follow-up strike might be a war crime, as international law forbids targeting incapacitated combatants.
• White House Stance:
  Press Secretary Caroline Levitt insists the strikes were “legal” and carried out under the authority of Admiral Frank M. Bradley.

Key Interview: Courtney Kuby, NBC Senior Security Correspondent

(Segment: 02:14 – 10:00)

• Presidential Knowledge:
  The President claimed ignorance of there being a second strike, seeing the attack as a “single, full attack.” This is contradicted by emerging details showing two separate strikes.

  “He said that he didn’t even know anything about there being a second strike, that he looked at this as one full attack.”
  — Courtney Kuby, 02:52

• Secretary Hegseth’s Role:
  Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed he was the targeting authority and watched live via video feed. However, the exact nature of his order to Admiral Bradley is unclear.

  “Critically, he was the targeting authority for this... as would be pretty common, he would essentially give the order, and then that would be delegated to a commander...”
  — Courtney Kuby, 03:18

• Legality and Orders:
  If the order was to "kill everyone on board," it raises questions: once some targets are incapacitated, are follow-up strikes legal?

  “There is a part of international law that says that individuals who would have survived... no longer pose a direct threat... They would not then be a legal or legitimate military target anymore.”
  — Courtney Kuby, 04:47

• “Fog of War” as Defense:
  Secretary Hegseth invoked the “fog of war,” possibly as a defense for warranting on-the-ground autonomy and rapid, sometimes deadly, decisions.

  “He has talked very openly... about unleashing the men and women on the ground to make these decisions on their own.”
  — Courtney Kuby, 06:22

• Criminal Justice vs. Combatants:
  Traditionally, survivors in drug interdiction scenarios are treated as criminals, not wartime combatants.

Next Steps

• Congressional Investigation:
  Admiral Bradley will likely be called before Congress, though much of his testimony may be closed due to mission sensitivity.

  “He’s not considered a talker... but there are people on Capitol Hill... very interested to hear his side.”
  — Courtney Kuby, 08:02

Potential Venezuela Strikes

• The President signaled possible land strikes against drug cartels in Venezuela.
• Legal and diplomatic concerns are raised, as targeting inside a sovereign nation represents a significant escalation compared to attacking boats in international waters.

  “The way he was talking today, it certainly sounds like he has all but made the decision to move forward with that... I think we should all be ready for this to escalate even further.”
  — Courtney Kuby, 09:14

Segment 2: U.S.-Russia-Ukraine Negotiations – Witkoff and Kushner in Moscow

Key Discussion Points

Setting the Stage

• U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are in Moscow, presenting a new peace plan to Vladimir Putin.
• Backdrop: An updated peace deal has just been hammered out by U.S., Ukrainian, and European negotiators.

Live to Moscow: Interview with Keir Simmonds, NBC Chief International Correspondent

(Segment: 13:04 – 16:56)

• Context of the Meeting:
  The White House reached out to Putin’s envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, setting up the talks. Witkoff and Kushner are inside the Kremlin.
• Putin's Theatrics:
  Putin kept the U.S. team waiting, delivering a hardline speech to journalists immediately before negotiations.

  “Putin...doubling down on the idea that the Europeans are the ones that are not prepared to compromise, and saying that...if Europe wants a war, we're ready for it. All kinds of extraordinary things to be saying just before he's walking into negotiations with the Americans.”
  — Keir Simmonds, 13:42

• Negotiation Optics:
  Putin’s stalling is a calculated signal—he remains open to negotiation but not to shifting on his core demands (retention of Ukrainian territory, military limits on Ukraine, international recognition).

  “President Putin is trying to send a message...that he is prepared to negotiate, but at the same time, he is absolutely sticking...to his maximalist goals.”
  — Keir Simmonds, 15:00

• Jared Kushner’s Role:
  Kushner’s presence raises eyebrows—unclear if he’s there to close a deal, replicate successes from Middle East negotiations with Witkoff, or for business interests.

  “You can draw your own conclusions. Clearly, both men would also like to see peace...but you can’t just dismiss the reality that the two of them are business people.”
  — Keir Simmonds, 16:30

On the Ground in Ukraine: Richard Engel, Chief Foreign Correspondent

(Segment: 16:56 – 19:13)

• Ukrainian Public Sentiment:

  “It would be very easy to say, yes, everyone wants peace...But then they say, well, if we give Putin really what he wants...won’t that just encourage him to take more?”
  — Richard Engel, 17:21

• Compromise and Concerns:
  Ukrainians recognize territorial losses are likely but fear an overgenerous settlement will invite future invasion.

  “A lot of people think that...a bad peace deal could be a landmine that causes future conflicts down the road or invites Russian forces to come invade this country one more time.”
  — Richard Engel, 17:50

• Determination to Resist:
  Despite stagnation on the front lines, Ukrainian soldiers and civilians remain steadfast in resisting full capitulation.

  “These soldiers are determined: keep fighting, keep fighting, don’t give in. Don’t hand over to Putin everything that he wants, because he’s not going to be satisfied.”
  — Richard Engel, 18:53

Rapid Headlines and Other Stories

(Segment: 19:26 – end)

• Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez:
  Released from U.S. prison after a presidential pardon, despite evidence of facilitating drug trafficking.

  “Trump argued the pardon was warranted because he claimed many Hondurans believed Hernandez had been targeted in a Biden administration setup...”

• Pope Leo XIV in Beirut:
  Delivered a message of unity, visited the 2020 port explosion site, and called for peaceful solutions amid multiple geopolitical crises.
• Real ID Fee Hike:
  TSA to introduce a $45 fee for travelers lacking the updated Real ID for domestic flights, aiming to boost adoption and reduce lines.
• FDA Approval for New Glasses:
  New lenses for children ages 6-12 claim a 70% reduction in myopia progression; $450 retail price, likely insurance coverage.
• Oxford Word of the Year:
  This year’s selection is “rage bait”—reflecting the prominence of online content designed to provoke anger and increase engagement.

  “A worthy successor to 2024’s Word of the Year brain rot.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Legal and Ethical Boundaries of Warfare:

  “If you have two survivors who are clinging to a damaged raft in the middle of the ocean, do they actually still present a threat to the United States, or would the law of armed conflict say that you have to go in, pick them up?”
  — Courtney Kuby, 06:52

• On Putin’s Negotiation Style:

  “He does love a bit of theater, and he does love to keep people waiting. I mean, when I interviewed him, he kept me waiting for hours.”
  — Keir Simmonds, 14:33

• On Compromising for Peace:

  “Yes, people want peace...But if we give Putin really what he wants...won't that just encourage him to take more?”
  — Richard Engel, 17:21

Timestamps of Key Segments

• Controversial U.S. Boat Strike: 02:14 – 10:00
• Potential Venezuela Strikes: 08:50 – 10:00
• Russia/Ukraine Negotiations: 13:04 – 19:13
  • Keir Simmonds from Moscow: 13:04 – 16:56
  • Richard Engel from Ukraine: 16:56 – 19:13
• Rapid Headlines: 19:26 – end

Tone and Style

The episode weaves between urgent, sober reporting on military and diplomatic crises, and brisk, occasionally wry delivery on headlines and current events—striking a balance between gravity and accessibility for listeners winding down their day.

Summary by: “Here’s the Scoop” Podcast Summarizer