NPR News Now: October 31, 2025, 2AM EDT

Host: Shea Stevens (NPR)
Date: October 31, 2025

Episode Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now episode delivers concise updates on major national and international news stories, including partisan disputes in Congress over military briefings, President Trump’s nuclear weapons testing order, deadly New York flooding, international soybean trade impacts, and rare parliamentary scrutiny of the British royal family.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Congressional Tensions Over Military Briefings

• Democratic Accusations: Congressional Democrats allege the Trump administration is restricting their access to classified information on U.S. military strikes targeting alleged drug traffickers, instead holding briefings exclusively for Republicans.
• Security Concerns:
  • [00:21] Mark Warner (Virginia Senator): “The partisan information sharing endangers national security.”
  • [00:28] Mark Warner: “When you politicize decision making about putting our service members in harm's way, you make them less safe.”
• Legality and Justification:
  • Democrats claim the actions may be illegal and that Trump’s reasoning—linking the strikes to fentanyl—may be misleading, as only cocaine was found.

2. President Trump Orders Nuclear Weapons Testing

• Historic Move: President Trump has directed the testing of U.S. nuclear weapons for the first time since 1992.
• Testing Site Details:
  • [01:24] Jeff Brumfield (NPR): Describes the Nevada National Security Site, emphasizing its scale ("bigger than the state of Rhode Island") and current lack of readiness for full-scale scientific testing.
  • Key Insight: Reviving testing requires years of preparation due to decades-long hiatus; current infrastructure and experiment designs are lacking.

3. Deadly Flooding in New York City

• Deaths and Damage: At least two fatalities after basement apartments flood as a major storm dumps record-setting rainfall.
• Extent of the Flooding:
  • [02:09] Bruce Konfiser (NPR): Central Park logged almost 2 inches of rain; areas like Boonton, NJ, received 3.5 inches.
  • Subways and city blocks inundated; significant power outages affecting thousands.
  • Storm wind alerts in effect for Friday, with gusts up to 50 mph expected.

4. U.S.-China Soybean Trade Deal

• New Trade Pledge: China commits to purchasing at least 25 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans annually for three years, stemming from a deal between Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping in South Korea.
• International Impact: Brazil, previously a key supplier due to U.S.-China tensions and tariffs, downplays the deal as a seasonal adjustment.

5. UK Parliament Scrutinizes Prince Andrew

• Financial Accountability:
  • Parliament’s spending watchdog questions why Prince Andrew still resides rent-free in a “30 room Royal Lodge” at Windsor Castle and demands justification for taxpayers by end of November.
  • Investigation prompted by ongoing controversy over Andrew’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
• New Allegations and Fallout:
  • [03:40] Lauren Frayer (NPR): Reports recent claims in a memoir about underage sex with Andrew, which he denies.
  • Recent photos show Andrew hosting Epstein and Harvey Weinstein at his daughter’s birthday.
• Royal Repercussions:
  • Prince Andrew has relinquished titles and stepped back from royal duties; now referred to as "Mr. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mark Warner, on the dangers of partisanship in intelligence sharing:

  “The partisan information sharing endangers national security.” (00:21)
  “When you politicize decision making about putting our service members in harm's way, you make them less safe.” (00:28–00:34)

• Jeff Brumfield, on nuclear test site readiness:

  “[Nevada National Security Site is] bigger than the state of Rhode Island… but the test site is not ready to do a really scientific test. They don’t have the experiment design. They don’t have the instrumentation.” (01:24–01:55)

• Lauren Frayer, on parliamentary scrutiny of Prince Andrew:

  “The watchdog is giving them till the end of November to explain how the prince’s living arrangements are, quote, achieving the best value for money for UK Taxpayers.” (03:40)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Classified Briefings & Military Actions: 00:02 – 01:07
• Nuclear Weapons Testing Announcement: 01:07 – 01:55
• New York City Flooding: 01:55 – 02:51
• U.S.-China Soybean Trade Deal: 02:51 – 03:40
• Prince Andrew & Parliament Scrutiny: 03:40 – 04:25

This summary covers the essential developments and exchanges in this NPR News Now episode, providing context and key takeaways for listeners who missed the broadcast.