NPR News Now – October 17, 2025, 1PM EDT

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Podcast: NPR News Now
Date: October 17, 2025
Episode Length: ~5 minutes

Overview

This episode delivers a rapid-fire rundown of the latest national and international news, focusing on U.S. diplomacy amid the Russia-Ukraine war, legal proceedings involving former national security adviser John Bolton, heightened U.S.-Venezuela tensions, the resignation of a top U.S. admiral, and planned nationwide protests defending U.S. democracy under President Trump. The update also features a brief check-in on Wall Street.

Key Discussion Points

1. Diplomatic Negotiations on the Russia-Ukraine War

[00:17–01:22]

• President Trump welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House.
• Trump recently had a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, discussing prospects for ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
• A meeting between Trump and Putin in Hungary is planned within two weeks, pending talks between top U.S. and Russian advisers.
• Trump plans to brief Zelenskyy on his call with Putin.
• Trump characterizes the relationship between Putin and Zelenskyy as extremely strained.
  • Memorable quote:

    "I mean, we have a problem. They don't get along too well, those two, and it's sometimes tough to have meetings. So we may do something where we're separate but separate but equal."
    — Donald Trump, [00:57]

• Background: A Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska earlier this summer yielded no progress on ending the war and did not facilitate direct discussions between Putin and Zelenskyy.

2. John Bolton Pleads Not Guilty in Classified Information Case

[01:22–02:13]

• Former national security adviser John Bolton pleads not guilty to 18 counts related to alleged mishandling of classified information.
• Bolton claims to be the latest target in what he terms President Trump’s 'retaliation campaign' against critics.
• Legal analyst and former deputy assistant attorney general Elliot Williams weighs in:
  • Suggests both that the prosecution may contain credible allegations and that presidential interference could undermine the indictment’s legitimacy.
  • Notable quote:

    "Two things can be true at the same time. Prosecutors could have put together an indictment that raises some damning allegations about John Bolton and his conduct. And and at the same time, the president of the United States has impermissibly injected himself into a number of matters, including John Bolton's."
    — Elliot Williams, [01:47]

3. U.S. Military Strikes and Escalating Venezuela Tensions

[02:13–03:12]

• Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro responds defiantly after the U.S. executes a sixth airstrike on a vessel in the Caribbean.
• U.S. officials confirm American military operations have increased, with covert CIA actions in Venezuela green-lit by Trump.
• Survivors found following the latest airstrike; details unclear regarding their situation or U.S. troop involvement in aid.
• Maduro labels American actions as an 'open conspiracy,' asserting Venezuelan readiness to resist:
  • Quote:

    "We have millions of years, he said, and millions of eyes. We have the means... to defeat this open conspiracy against the peace and stability of Venezuela."
    — Ada Peralta reporting Maduro's statement, [02:47]

4. Military Resignation Over U.S. Strategy in Caribbean

[03:12–03:32]

• Admiral Alvin Halsey, head of U.S. Southern Command, resigns due to reservations about U.S. military actions in the Caribbean and escalating efforts against Venezuela.
• Halsey met with Defense Secretary Pete Hackseth at the Pentagon to express concerns just prior to stepping down, as confirmed by a U.S. official to NPR.

5. ‘No Kings’ Day Protests and Government Response

[03:32–04:49]

• Hundreds of “No Kings Day” protests are planned, intended as demonstrations in defense of U.S. democracy and against the perceived overreach of President Trump.
• The protests occur amid litigation over controversial immigration enforcement and National Guard deployments to Democratic-led cities.
• Texas Governor Greg Abbott, without evidence, describes the Austin protest as “antifa-linked” and is sending National Guard troops to the state Capitol for security.
• Context: Recent deployments of National Guard to Chicago to address protests outside immigration facilities.
• Quote:

  "The Republican governor says National Guard troops will be stationed at the state Capitol building to protect Texans and nearby property."
  — Lucio Vasquez, [04:22]

• Several thousand protests anticipated nationwide over the weekend.

6. Brief Market Update

[04:49–04:56]

• The Dow Jones is up more than 120 points in the latest check.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On diplomatic tension:

  "They don't get along too well, those two, and it's sometimes tough to have meetings."
  — Donald Trump, [00:57]

• On political prosecutions:

  "...the president's repeated statements about John Bolton do cast at least some doubt on the indictment."
  — Elliot Williams, [02:06]

• On Venezuela’s resistance:

  "We have millions of years, he said, and millions of eyes. We have the means... to defeat this open conspiracy against the peace and stability of Venezuela."
  — Nicolás Maduro, via Ada Peralta, [02:47]

• State-level protest response:

  "The Republican governor says National Guard troops will be stationed at the state Capitol building to protect Texans and nearby property."
  — Lucio Vasquez, [04:22]

Segment Timeline

• [00:17] – US-Russia-Ukraine diplomatic dynamics and Trump-Zelensky meeting
• [01:22] – John Bolton indictment, legal context
• [02:13] – Venezuela-US conflict escalation, airstrikes, Maduro’s speech
• [03:12] – Admiral Halsey's resignation over military strategy
• [03:32] – ‘No Kings Day’ protests, National Guard deployments, Texas response
• [04:49] – Wall Street update: Dow up 120+ points

Conclusion

This tightly packed episode covers the evolving dynamics of U.S. foreign policy and domestic unrest, highlighting pivotal meetings, legal controversies, escalating international tensions, and signs of popular resistance across the country. Each segment is marked by striking statements from leaders and analysts, offering listeners a snapshot of a turbulent political moment.