NPR News Now: November 16, 2025, 7PM EST

Overview:
This five-minute NPR News Now update, hosted by Jeanine Herbst, touches on shifting National Guard deployments in U.S. cities, escalating U.S.–Venezuela tensions, a sharp split within the MAGA wing of the Republican party, skepticism over 50-year mortgage proposals, concerns about AI chatbots and youth, and ethics violations involving a former Federal Reserve official. Below, key stories are summarized with notable quotes and timestamps, capturing the urgent, matter-of-fact tone typical of NPR’s news bulletins.

1. National Guard Reductions in Portland and Chicago

[00:16 – 01:11]

• Key Points:

  • Hundreds of National Guard troops are set to leave Portland and Chicago in response to ongoing court challenges.
  • 200 Texas National Guard members leaving Illinois; 200 California Guard from Oregon; Oregon Guard in Portland halved.
  • Deployment reductions follow court blocks on Guard street operations.
  • The Trump administration had sent troops to protect federal personnel.
  • The military’s Northern Command aims for a “constant, enduring and long term presence” (01:10).

• Memorable Quote:

  • “The Trump administration initially ordered the Guard to Illinois and Portland to protect ICE and other federal personnel. But troops have been repeatedly blocked by the courts from conducting any operations in the streets.”
    —Juliana Kim, [00:50]

2. USS Gerald R. Ford in the Caribbean: U.S.–Venezuela Tensions

[01:11 – 01:46]

• Key Points:
  • The U.S. Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, arrives in the Caribbean.
  • Part of a show of force amid rising tensions with Venezuela.
  • Joins approximately 15,000 U.S. service members.
  • Officially framed as a “counter drug operation.”

3. Political Rift: Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene

[01:46 – 02:27]

• Key Points:

  • President Trump calls Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene a “traitor” after pulling support for her.
  • Greene expresses concerns for her safety following Trump’s statement.
  • She attributes Trump’s ire to her advocacy for releasing the “Epstein files,” and criticizes his foreign policy.
  • Trump claims the fallout is due to his lack of endorsement for her state-level ambitions, which she denies.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “Trump called Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene a traitor on Saturday after reneging his endorsement for the Georgia lawmaker.”
    —Luke Garrett, [01:46]

  • “Those are the types of words used that can radicalize people against me and put my life in danger.”
    —Marjorie Taylor Greene (audio clip), [01:55]

  • “I would love to see Air Force One be parked and stay home.”
    —Marjorie Taylor Greene, [02:11]

4. 50-Year Mortgages: Expert Skepticism

[02:27 – 03:10]

• Key Points:

  • The Trump administration proposes 50-year home mortgages to address affordability.
  • Industry experts doubt the benefit, highlighting long-term equity issues.
  • Bruce Marks (Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America) critiques the move, upholding the 30-year term as the “sweet spot.”
  • Chris Hendricks (NBKC Bank) notes rising first-time homebuyer age (now 40) and calls for policies focused on boosting housing supply.

• Memorable Quotes:

  • “The 30 year term has always been the sweet spot in this country, but the affordability crisis is real.”
    —Bruce Marks (via Jeanine Herbst), [02:46]

  • “What else is staggering is the median age for that first time home buyer is 40 years old right now.”
    —Chris Hendricks, [02:58]

5. AI Chatbot Safety for Teens

[03:10 – 04:12]

• Key Points:

  • Character AI will enforce a ban on chatbots for under-18s starting November 25th.
  • Experts, including UC Berkeley’s Jody Halpern, warn of self-harm or suicidal risks as teens lose “companion bots.”
  • Character AI claims it is rolling out the change gradually and communicating clearly to help youth adjust.

• Notable Quote:

  • “Parents do not realize that their kids love these bots and that they might feel like their best friend just died or their boyfriend just died.”
    —Jody Halpern, [03:49]

6. Ethics Rule Violations by Former Federal Reserve Governor

[04:12 – 04:53]

• Key Points:
  • Newly released disclosures reveal Adriana Gugler, a former Fed governor, broke ethics policies by buying and selling individual stocks.
  • Some trades occurred during regulated blackout periods surrounding Fed meetings.
  • Gugler resigned three months ago, before her term ended, and claims her husband made the trades without her knowledge.

This summary covers all main content from the episode. For ongoing updates, tune in to the next NPR News Now report.