NPR News: 11-17-2025 1AM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now – Episode Summary

Podcast: NPR News Now
Date: November 17, 2025
Host: Dale Willman
Episode: 1AM EST

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Overview

This episode provides a concise roundup of the major news stories shaping the U.S. and the world as of November 17, 2025. Key topics include political maneuvering in Washington over the Epstein files, troop movements in U.S. cities, severe weather in California, Chile's presidential election, developments in Israeli-Palestinian relations, President Trump’s calls for the firing of Seth Meyers, and the shooting of NFL player Chris Boyd.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Epstein Files and Republican Political Dynamics

• President Trump urges House Republicans to vote for releasing the Epstein files, labeling the controversy a “Democrat hoax.”
• Thomas Massie (Republican, Kentucky) played a major role in gathering signatures for the vote, warning party colleagues of future consequences:
  • “Ballot record will live on beyond President Trump in 2030. He's not going to be the president. And you will have voted to protect...pedophiles if you don't vote to release these files and the president can't protect you.” (00:49 - 00:57)
• Tension between Trump and Massie evident, as Trump referred to Massie as a “loser.”

2. National Guard Troop Reductions

• Hundreds of National Guard troops are set to leave Portland (Oregon) and Chicago (Illinois) after court battles blocked their deployment.
• Juliana Kim reports:
  • 200 Texas National Guard members leaving Illinois, 200 California Guard members leaving Oregon.
  • Oregon National Guard presence in Portland is being halved.
  • Initial deployments were to protect federal personnel, but courts restricted street operations.
  • The military’s Northern Command signals troop presence will be “constant, enduring and long term,” yet numbers will change.
    (01:13 - 01:52)

3. Southern California Weather Crisis

• Thunderstorms in Southern California are causing risk of floods and mudslides in Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara Counties.
• Ongoing search for a five-year-old girl swept into the ocean; her father died trying to rescue her.
  (01:52 - 02:27)

4. Chile’s Presidential Election: Runoff Ahead

• Janet Hadda (Communist) and José Antonio Kast (far-right) advance to runoff after first round.
• Hadda leads with 27%, closer than expected; Kast with about 24%, outperforming polls.
• Kast ran a “Trump-like campaign based on crime, border security and illegal immigration.”
• Runoff scheduled for December 14, voting is compulsory.
  • “Communist Hara and far right caste will face off in a second round…with caste widely expected to inherit the vote of the other right wing candidates and win the presidency.” (02:27 - 03:09)

5. Israeli Opposition to Palestinian State

• Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirms opposition to a Palestinian state, ahead of a UN Security Council vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution that leaves the door open to future Palestinian independence.
• Netanyahu claims such a move would “reward Hamas,” as international pressure for a two-state solution grows.
  (03:09 - 03:48)

6. President Trump Calls for Seth Meyers’ Firing

• Trump demands NBC fire late night host Seth Meyers after jokes about Trump’s comments on American labor.
  • Elizabeth Blair plays one quip by Meyers:
    • “Laura, Laura, listen, you can't expect me to make America great again with only Americans.” (03:58 - 04:00)
• Trump calls Meyers' show “a ratings disaster” and claims he “has no talent.”
• FCC chair Brendan Carr amplifies Trump’s call online.
• Justin Amash (former congressman) warns: “the government shouldn't be pressuring companies with respect to late night hosts, comedians or anyone else.”
  (03:48 - 04:32)

7. NFL Player Chris Boyd Critically Injured

• Chris Boyd, Jets cornerback, was shot in Midtown Manhattan early Sunday; no arrests so far.
• Boyd has been on injured reserve since August.
• NYC Mayor Eric Adams posts that he is “praying for both Boyd and his loved ones.”
  (04:32 - 04:53)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Thomas Massie (Republican KY):
  • “Ballot record will live on beyond President Trump in 2030. He's not going to be the president. And you will have voted to protect...pedophiles if you don't vote to release these files and the president can't protect you.” (00:49 - 00:57)
• Seth Meyers Joke (impersonating Trump):
  • “Laura, Laura, listen, you can't expect me to make America great again with only Americans.” (03:58 - 04:00)
• Justin Amash on free speech:
  • “The government shouldn't be pressuring companies with respect to late night hosts, comedians or anyone else.” (04:32)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:11] — President Trump & House GOP on Epstein Files
• [00:40] — Massie’s Warnings and Trump’s Pushback
• [01:13] — National Guard Withdrawal Updates
• [01:52] — Southern California Flooding and Missing Child
• [02:27] — Chile’s Presidential Runoff Set
• [03:09] — Netanyahu on Palestinian State; UN Vote
• [03:48] — Trump vs. Seth Meyers & Free Speech Debate
• [04:32] — Chris Boyd Shooting in Midtown Manhattan

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Tone: The reporting, as per NPR tradition, is factual, measured, and succinct, reflecting the urgency and gravity of the day’s leading headlines.

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Transcript

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[Dale Willman]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. President Trump now says that House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files because he says Republicans have nothing to hide. In a social media post Sunday night, he again called the issue a Democrat hoax intended to deflect from the great success of The Republic. As NPR's Luke Garrett reports, the president's announcement came after lawmakers gathered enough support to take steps to move forward with the release.

[Thomas Massie]

Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky helped gather the 218 signatures needed to force the vote on ABC News. Massie cautions his fellow Republicans that this.

[Capital One Announcer]

Ballot record will live on beyond President Trump in 2030.

[Thomas Massie]

He's not going to be the president.

[Dale Willman]

And you will have voted to protect.

[Thomas Massie]

Pedophiles if you don't vote to release these files and the president can't protect you. Trump called Massie a loser.

[Dale Willman]

That's NPR's Luke Garrett. Hundreds of National Guard troops will be leaving Portland and Chicago in the coming days. For weeks, court battles have been stalling the deployments. NPR's Juliana Kim reports.

[Juliana Kim]

A defense official not authorized to speak publicly told NPR that 200 members of the Texas National Guard will be leaving Illinois. Similarly, 200 members of the California National Guard will be leaving Oregon. The number of Oregon National Guard personnel in Portland will also be reduced by half, the official says. 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. On Friday, the military's Northern Command hinted that the size of deployments will change to ensure a constant, enduring and long term presence in each city. To Juliana Kim, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

Thunderstorms in Southern California Sunday continue to cause problems for residents. Flood advisories remain in place for La, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and the risk of possible mudslides in areas that were recently damaged by wildfires still remains. Authorities are also searching for a five year old girl who was swept into the ocean by 15 foot waves at a state beach in Monterey County. Her father died while trying to rescue her. A Communist Party politician and far right candidate will go through to a runoff next month after Sunday's first first round of voting in Chile. John Bartlett reports from Santiago.

[Thomas Massie]

Communist Janet Hadda is expected to take a first round victory in Chile with 27% of the vote, but by a much narrower margin than polls had predicted. Far right Jose Antonio Cast, who has run a Trump like campaign based on crime, border security and illegal immigration, shared the right wing votes with several other candidates but outstripped expectations by winning a projected 20th, 24% of the vote. Communist Hara and far right caste will face off in a second round on 14 December with caste widely expected to inherit the vote of the other right wing candidates and win the presidency. As was the case in Sunday's vote, voting will be compulsory in the run off. For NPR News, I'm John Bartlett in Santiago, Chile.

[Dale Willman]

And you're listening to NPR News. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will oppose any effort to establish a Palestinian state. He made his comments one day before the UN Security Council plans to vote on a U S drafted resolution that leaves the door open to Palestinian independence. Netanyahu says such a move would reward Hamas, but there's growing international pressure for a Palestinian state. President Trump is calling on NBC to fire late night host Seth Meyers. This follows Trump's tirades against other late night hosts who make fun of him. NPR's Elizabeth Blair has more.

[Elizabeth Blair]

One of Seth Meyers jokes last week was about President Trump's recent comment that there weren't enough skilled workers in the US for certain jobs. Myers did an impression of him.

[Dale Willman]

Laura, Laura, listen, you can't expect me.

[Elizabeth Blair]

To make America great again with only Americans. I mean, on Truth Social, Trump wrote that Myers NBC show is a ratings disaster, that Myers has no talent and that NBC should fire him. Then Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission, reposted Trump's post on X. Former congressman and free speech advocate Justin Amash posted on X the government shouldn't be pressuring companies with respect to late night hosts, comedians or anyone else. Elizabeth Blair, NPR News, Washington.

[Dale Willman]

New York jets cornerback Chris Boyd was critically injured in a shooting early Sunday. That shooting took place in midtown Manhattan. There have been no arrests. Boyd has been on the team's injured reserve list since being hurt in August. In a social media post, Mayor Eric Adams says that he's praying for both Boyd and his loved ones. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

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