NPR News: 03-25-2025 1PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – March 25, 2025, 1PM EDT

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Producer: NPR
Episode Release Date: March 25, 2025

---

1. White House Endorsement of National Security Adviser Mike Waltz

Timestamp: 00:13

NPR’s Lakshmi Singh opens the episode with a focus on the White House's unwavering support for National Security Adviser Mike Waltz amidst growing scrutiny. The administration emphasizes President Trump's continued confidence in Waltz, despite recent controversies.

Franco Ordonez reports that the White House is minimizing the impact of a significant revelation: a journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg, was inadvertently added to a private group chat concerning U.S. military strike plans against the Houthis in Yemen.

Quote (00:32):
President Trump described the situation as, "the only glitch in two months. And it turned out not to be a serious one. He added, Michael Waltz has learned a lesson and he's a good man."

This incident has placed Waltz under increasing pressure, especially after he raised national security concerns regarding the mishandling of sensitive information.

---

2. Congressional Scrutiny Over Handling of Military Strike Information

Timestamp: 01:09

In a closed-door session on Capitol Hill, intelligence chiefs face intense questioning from lawmakers over the alleged mishandling of U.S. military strike data.

During NPR's "Here and Now," John Bolton, former National Security Adviser to President Trump, expressed his astonishment at the situation.

Quote (01:25):
"It's hard to grasp why any of these people at some point up to and including the vice president of the United States didn't say, by the way, why are we on Signal instead of doing a civic-secure video telecommunication system capability that most of those people, if not all of them, have on their desktops."

Bolton criticized the use of the Signal messenger app for official communications, questioning the security protocols in place. This commentary is particularly noteworthy given that Kathryn Mayer, NPR’s CEO, is the chair of the board for the Signal Foundation, which supports the app.

---

3. Venezuela’s Efforts to Free Deported Citizens from El Salvador

Timestamp: 01:43

Venezuela is actively seeking the release of over two Venezuelan citizens currently detained in El Salvador's maximum-security prisons following their deportation by the United States.

Carrie Conn reports that Venezuelan lawyers have filed a petition with El Salvador’s high court, representing 30 deportees, to challenge their imprisonment.

Quote (02:11):
"Lawyers are asking the Supreme Court's Constitutional Chamber to compel the Salvadoran government to justify their imprisonment."

The U.S. government maintains that the deported individuals are members of violent gangs, justifying their swift deportation under wartime laws. However, Venezuelan officials, led by President Nicolas Maduro, argue that none of the deportees possess criminal records and accuse the U.S. of kidnapping.

---

4. U.S. Stock Market Trends

Timestamp: 02:54

U.S. stocks are experiencing an upward trend during this reporting hour.

• Nasdaq Composite: Up 6.72 points (~0.5%) to 18,259
• S&P 500: Increased by 8 points
• Dow Jones Industrial Average: Rose by 8 points

These movements suggest a positive market sentiment at the time of the report.

---

5. White House's Diplomatic Efforts with Russia

Timestamp: 02:54

In a significant diplomatic development, the White House has announced an agreement aimed at restoring Russia’s access to agricultural and fertilizer exports. This deal also seeks to reduce maritime security costs and enhance access to ports and payment systems for these transactions.

Franco Ordonez explains that these negotiations, conducted in Riyadh, are part of broader efforts to broker an end to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.

The agreement includes provisions to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the utilization of commercial vessels for military purposes, fostering a more stable and secure maritime environment.

---

6. Impact of Audio Quality on Virtual Meeting Impressions

Timestamp: 04:02

NPR’s Nell Greenfield Boyce discusses a recent study from Yale University that explores how audio quality in virtual meetings influences participants' perceptions.

Researchers recorded individuals in various speaking scenarios, including a job interview setting. Participants first listened to high-quality audio recordings and later to degraded versions of the same recordings.

Quote (04:24):
"People who heard the high-quality audio were consistently more likely to have favorable impressions of the speaker, seeing them as more intelligent, attractive, and convincing."

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlights the significance of audio clarity in virtual communications, suggesting that investment in better audio technology can enhance personal and professional interactions.

---

7. Recap of Stock Market Performance

Timestamp: 04:42

The episode concludes with a quick recap of the stock market's positive performance:

• Nasdaq: Up 72 points
• S&P 500: Up 8 points
• Dow Jones: Up 6 points

Lakshmi Singh signs off, reaffirming the continued positive trend in the U.S. stock markets.

---

Note: Advertisements and non-content segments from Carvana and Insperity were omitted as per the summary guidelines.

Transcript

[Carvana Ad]

This message comes from Carvana. Sell your car the convenient way, enter your license plate or vin, answer a few questions and get a real offer in seconds. Go to Carvana.com today.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. The White House says President Trump retains confidence in his national security adviser, Mike Waltz. NPR's Franco Ordonez reports. The White House is downplaying a revelation that a journalist was was included in a group chat discussing US Military strike plans.

[Franco Ordonez]

The national security advisor has been under increasing pressure since raising national security concerns over the incident. According to a report in the Atlantic, Waltz accidentally invited the media outlet's editor in chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, into a private group chat of top officials discussing US Strikes on the Houthis in Yemen. In a phone interview Tuesday with NBC News, President Trump described the situation as, quote, the only glitch in two months. And it turned out not to be a serious one. He added, michael Walsh has learned a lesson and he's a good man. Franco Ordonez, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

In a closed door session on Capitol Hill, the nation's intelligence chiefs are being grilled by lawmakers about the alleged mishandling of U.S. military strike information. Addressing the group chat controversy on NPR's Here and Now, President Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton says he's dumbfounded.

[John Bolton]

It's hard to grasp why any of these people at some point up to and including the vice president of the United States didn't say, by the way, why are we on Signal instead of doing a civics, a secure video telecommunication system capability that most of those people, if not all of them, have on their desktops?

[Lakshmi Singh]

NPR CEO Kathryn Mayer is chair of the board of directors for the Signal Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the Signal messenger app. Venezuela's government says it is working with lawyers in El Salvador to free more than two of its citizens sent to a maximum security prison by the United States. Lawyers filed a petition with the Central American country's high court to secure the deportee's release. Here's NPR's Carrie Venezuela's lawyers say they.

[Carrie Conn]

Represent 30 of the men deported from the U.S. and held in Salvadoran prisons. Lawyers are asking the Supreme Court's Constitutional Chamber to compel the Salvadoran government to justify their imprisonment. In their filing, the lawyers say they effectively represent all detained. The US deported 238 Venezuelans more than a week ago and sent them to El Salvador. The White House says the men are all members of a violent gang and invoked a wartime law to quickly deport many of them. Venezuela's lawyers say none of their clients have criminal records. Venezuela's leader, Nicolas Maduro, has been rallying support, defending the deportees who he says were kidnapped. Carrie Conn, NPR News, Rio de Janeiro.

[Lakshmi Singh]

US Stocks are trading higher this hour. The Nasdaq composite, The NASDAQ is up6.72 points, or nearly half a percent, at 18,259. The S&P has risen 8 and the Dow is now up 8 points. You're listening to NPR News. The White House says that it agreed to help restore Russian access to agricultural and fertilizer exports, lower maritime security costs and better access to ports and payment systems for those transactions. The development comes as a result of talks in Riyadh this week aimed at brokering an end to Russia's war in Ukraine. The White House says it secured an agreement with both Russia and Ukraine on the Black Sea to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes. If you pay attention to how you look in virtual meetings, but not how you sound, you might want to think again. NPR's Nell Greenfield Boyce reports on a new study showing that higher quality audio can create better impressions.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

Cognitive scientists at Yale University made recordings of people speaking in a variety of contexts. Here's one from a job interview scenario.

[Lakshmi Singh]

My tenacious and proactive approach resulted in numerous important contract wins.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

Then the researchers altered the recordings to create lower quality versions.

[Lakshmi Singh]

My tenacious and proactive approach resulted in numerous important contract wins.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

People who heard the high quality audio were consistently more likely to have favorable impressions of the speaker, seeing them as more intelligent, attractive and convincing. A report on this research appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Nell Greenfield Boyce, NPR news.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Nasdaq's up 72 points, the S&P is up 8, and the Dow is up 6 points. I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News, in Washington.

[Carvana Ad]

This message comes from Insperity providing HR services and technology, from payroll benefits and HR compliance to talent development. Learn [e-mail] hrmatters.