Transcript
Economist Narrator (0:00)
This message comes from the Economist introducing the Economist Insider, a new video offering with twice weekly shows featuring in depth analysis and expertise to make sense of an increasingly complex and dangerous world. More@exter.com Insider Live from NPR News in.
Ryland Barton (0:19)
Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. President Trump says he's commuted the sentence of former Congressman George Santos. He's serving more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges. The New York Republican was sentenced in April after admitting to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of 11 people, including his own family members, to make donations to his campaign. Admiral Alvin Horsley is leaving US Southern Command because of concerns about deadly US Strikes against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean. That's according to a U.S. official not authorized to speak publicly. As NPR's Quill Lawrence reports, Secretary of.
Quill Lawrence (0:57)
Defense Pete Hegseth announced that Admiral Alvin Halsey would retire after 37 years in the military. But it's almost unheard of for an officer not to finish the full three years of a command like this, especially in the middle of a military buildup. Thousands of US Troops have moved into position off the Venezuelan coast and the US has destroyed several vessels the White House claims were carrying narcotics. Critics say those strikes amount to execution without trial. A U.S. official told NPR that Halsey recently met with Hegseth at the Pentagon to express his concerns about these strikes and that his resignation was announced by Hegseth shortly after. Quill Lawrence, NPR News.
Ryland Barton (1:32)
President Trump appears to be walking back plans to sell long range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine that would allow it to strike deep into Russia. Trump mentioned the possibility of providing the powerful weapon to Ukraine earlier this week, but has been more reticent since a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. As NPR's Deepa Shivaram explains, Trump says.
Economist Narrator (1:52)
It could be a point of leverage to help end the war. He said that yesterday on the phone. He asked Putin, would you mind if I gave a couple thousand Tomahawks to your opposition? And he said said Putin did not like that idea. Zelensky, though, has been asking for these weapons and he suggested that if the US Were to give Ukraine these Tomahawk missiles, then Ukraine could provide more drones to the US And Trump seemed to be maybe a little bit open to that idea, but he said he'd rather the war be over entirely.
Ryland Barton (2:22)