Letters from an American – November 23, 2025 (Published Nov 25, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this episode, historian Heather Cox Richardson delves into the latest political turmoil surrounding an alleged U.S.-Russia peace plan for Ukraine, infighting within the American administration, the surprising resignation of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, and a new scandal involving Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Richardson’s trademark contextualization pulls together scattered news threads, revealing how these events fit into ongoing patterns in American political history.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Chaos Over the U.S./Russia "Peace Plan" for Ukraine

• Confusion Over Authorship

  • Anne Applebaum, a foreign affairs journalist, raises alarm that there's now a dispute within the U.S. administration about "whether this peace plan was written by Russians or Americans." (00:03)
  • The 28-point plan for Ukraine, leaked via an ally of Vladimir Putin, sparks competing claims from officials.

• Administration Infighting

  • Vice President J.D. Vance comes out "strongly in support" of the plan.
  • Scholar Phillips P. O'Brien highlights that once the Russian authorship is outed, Secretary of State Marco Rubio "tries to back away," calling for ideas based on input from both sides. (00:40)
  • Despite this, Trump declares he expects Ukraine's President Zelensky to sign on "by Thanksgiving" (00:57).

• Public and Insider Reactions

  • Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warns that "rewarding Russian butchery would be disastrous to America's interests." (01:12)

  • Senators at the Halifax International Security Forum state Rubio told them the plan is "not the administration's position but rather a wish list of the Russians." (01:38)

  • State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott calls this account "blatantly false," then Rubio reverses position again, claiming the U.S. wrote the plan.

  • Notable Quote:

    • Anton LaGuardia of The Economist:

      "If for a moment you thought the grownups were back in charge, think again. We're still in the circus." (02:20)

• Revelations of Secretive Negotiations

  • Reuters reports the plan originated from a Miami meeting between Trump associates and a sanctioned Russian financier.
  • Senior U.S. officials were "not briefed" on the proposal. (02:52)
  • Rumors swirl, per Bill Kristol, that VP Vance was the main driver, with Rubio and Trump "out of the loop."
  • Yaroslav Trofimov, WSJ, notes:

    "Foreign nations now have to deal with rival factions of the US Government who keep major policy initiatives secret from each other..." (03:20)

• Election Implications

  • The succession battle for 2028 and approaching 2026 elections overshadow all, with Trump's policies polling poorly.

2. Trump's Shift with NYC Mayor-Elect Zoran Mamdani

• Despite calling Mamdani a "communist lunatic" and "a stupid person" previously, Trump holds a friendly White House meeting, seemingly acknowledging voter frustration with the economy. (04:03)
• Trump’s Remark:

  "We agree on a lot more than I thought. I want him to do a great job and we'll help him do a great job." (04:23)

• The episode highlights MAGA confusion over this surprising embrace.

3. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene Resigns

• Greene announces her resignation, set for January 5, six days after securing her congressional pension. (05:12)
• She claims frustration with the "political industrial complex" and blames Trump for forcing her out.
• Greene’s Statement:

  "I have too much self-respect and dignity... do not want my sweet district to have to endure a hurtful and hateful primary against me by the President we all fought for, only to fight and win my election." (05:46)

  • She positions herself for a "post-Trump future," promising to "be by their side to rebuild" when "the common American people" reclaim power.

4. Scandal Involving HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

• The former fiancé of a journalist linked to Kennedy releases a graphic, pornographic poem, escalating public scandal. (06:44)

• This comes after Kennedy admitted to ordering the CDC to alter language on vaccines and autism, undermining settled science.

• CDC Contradiction:

  • A statement that “vaccines do not cause autism” remains but with a new asterisk due to a Kennedy promise made to Senator Bill Cassidy. (07:26)
  • The CDC site now claims that studies supporting a link have been ignored by health authorities.

• Jake Tapper and Senator Cassidy Exchange

  • Tapper presses Cassidy on confirming Kennedy despite his actions.
  • Cassidy responds:

    "Vaccines are safe. As has been pointed out, it is actually not disputed... There's a fringe out there that thinks so, but they're quite a fringe. President Trump agrees that vaccines are safe." (08:09)

  • Tapper retorts:

    "This isn't about titillation. This is about the fact that you are the chairman of the health committee and you voted to confirm somebody that by all accounts... is actually making America less healthy." (08:38)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Anton LaGuardia (The Economist):
  "If for a moment you thought the grownups were back in charge, think again. We're still in the circus." (02:20)

• Yaroslav Trofimov (WSJ):
  "Foreign nations now have to deal with rival factions of the US Government who keep major policy initiatives secret from each other and some of which work with foreign powers as the succession battle for 2028 begins..." (03:20)

• Trump on Zoran Mamdani:
  "We agree on a lot more than I thought. I want him to do a great job and we'll help him do a great job." (04:23)

• Marjorie Taylor Greene:
  "Not one elected leader like me is able to stop Washington's machine from gradually destroying our country... instead the reality is that they, common Americans, the people, possess the real power over Washington." (06:03)

• Sen. Bill Cassidy:
  "Vaccines are safe. As has been pointed out, it is actually not disputed... There's a fringe out there that thinks so, but they're quite a fringe. President Trump agrees that vaccines are safe." (08:09)

• Jake Tapper:
  "This isn't about titillation. This is about the fact that you are the chairman of the health committee and you voted to confirm somebody ... actually making America less healthy." (08:38)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment/Topic | |--------|------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Dispute over the Ukraine peace plan's origins | | 01:12 | Mitch McConnell’s reaction to the plan | | 01:38 | Senators discuss the plan’s true origins | | 02:20 | Anton LaGuardia’s "circus" comment | | 02:52 | Reuters report on Miami meeting | | 03:20 | Yaroslav Trofimov on U.S. government infighting | | 04:23 | Trump and Zoran Mamdani's White House meeting | | 05:12 | Marjorie Taylor Greene announces resignation | | 07:26 | Kennedy’s CDC intervention and website changes | | 08:09 | Sen. Cassidy asserts vaccine safety | | 08:38 | Jake Tapper’s challenge on health committee leadership|

Episode Tone & Style

Heather Cox Richardson’s narration is measured and deeply informed, skillfully connecting current headlines to their broader historical context. The episode maintains a tone of concern about the deep dysfunction and spectacle of current American politics, while inviting listeners to consider the long sweep of history behind the day’s news.

This summary captures the key dynamics and memorable exchanges from the November 23, 2025, episode of "Letters from an American," offering both a broad overview and granular detail for those seeking a full understanding of its content.