NPR News: 11-25-2025 3AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: November 25, 2025, 3AM EST — Episode Summary

Overview

This episode of NPR News Now delivers concise coverage of major national and international headlines as of early morning, November 25, 2025. Key topics include a political firestorm over Senator Mark Kelly’s video to U.S. troops, accusations and legal actions involving high-profile officials, ongoing violence in Ukraine, press freedom in Gaza, updates to NASA’s Starliner program, and a lighter moment with the White House Christmas tradition.

---

Major Stories and Key Insights

---

1. Senator Mark Kelly Responds to Pentagon Probe

[00:11–01:08]

• Background: Arizona Senator Mark Kelly faces scrutiny from the Pentagon after he and several Congressional Democrats appeared in a video urging U.S. troops not to follow illegal orders.
• Key Developments:
  • Kelly states he learned of the Pentagon’s investigation via social media, notably a tweet from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and a post from President Trump.
  • President Trump publicly suggested that Kelly and others should be arrested and face the death penalty for “sedition.”
  • Kelly defiantly asserts that attempts to intimidate him or others will “not work.”
  • In what’s interpreted as a jab at Secretary Hegseth, Kelly posted a photo of himself in full dress uniform, highlighting his military accolades compared to Hegseth.

Notable Quote:

“…If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won’t work.”
— Sen. Mark Kelly, read by Quill Lawrence [00:36]

---

2. Legal Dismissal of High-Profile Cases

[01:08–01:42]

• Key Points:
  • A federal judge dismissed criminal cases against ex-FBI Director James Comey and NY Attorney General Letitia James, indicating the prosecutor was illegally appointed following pressure from President Trump.
• Significance: This ruling underscores ongoing tensions between the judiciary and executive branches regarding attempts to prosecute political adversaries.

---

3. Ukraine Endures Intensified Russian Attacks

[01:42–02:16]

• Context: Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, sustains extensive rocket and drone assaults; at least two apartment buildings are struck.
• Details:
  • Attacks involve drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles from various launch sites.
  • Ukraine responds with attacks in Russian border regions (Krasnodar and Rostov).
  • Recent violence follows diplomatic efforts by the U.S. to broker peace, but Russia’s actions signal continued military pressure.

Notable Quote:

“Large explosions were reported in Kyiv as air defence systems tried to protect the capital.”
— James Reid, BBC [01:42]

---

4. Israeli Press Access Restrictions in Gaza Challenged

[02:16–03:09]

• Background: Israel’s Supreme Court extends a deadline for the state to explain ongoing restrictions on independent press access to Gaza.
• Key Insights:
  • The Foreign Press Association (FPA), including NPR, asserts this ban violates free press principles, especially given changed conditions due to a ceasefire.
  • Israel maintains security concerns over journalist safety.
  • Most war reporting from inside Gaza has been by Palestinian journalists, many of whom have been killed.
• Implications: Ongoing limitations highlight issues of transparency and journalistic risk in war zones.

---

5. NASA Scales Back Boeing Starliner Contract

[03:09–04:18]

• Story Highlights:
  • NASA reduces its contract with Boeing for Starliner missions with crew—from six to four flights.
  • The shift follows technical failures during Starliner’s first crewed mission, which left astronauts stranded on the ISS for months (eventually returning via SpaceX).
  • Next Starliner flight will carry only cargo (earliest April), with possible crewed flights to follow if improvements succeed.

Notable Quote:

“Since then, Boeing and NASA have been working on system upgrades. NASA now says the next Starliner flight to the station will carry only cargo.”
— Nell Greenfield Boyce, NPR [03:32]

---

6. Festive Tradition: The White House Christmas Tree

[04:18–04:54]

• Event: First Lady Melania Trump welcomes an 18.5-foot white fir from Michigan, delivered in classic style to the North Portico.
• Details: The tree, adorned by traditional fanfare (green carriage, Clydesdales, top hats), is set for display in the Blue Room.

---

Memorable Quotes

• Sen. Mark Kelly via Quill Lawrence [00:36]:
  “…If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won’t work.”
• James Reid, BBC [01:42]:
  “Large explosions were reported in Kyiv as air defence systems tried to protect the capital.”
• Kat Lansdorf, NPR [02:25]:
  “…nearly all of the on the ground reporting from Gaza for the past two years has fallen to Palestinian journalists there living through the conflict themselves, many of whom have been killed by Israeli fire.”
• Nell Greenfield Boyce, NPR [03:32]:
  “NASA now says the next Starliner flight to the station will carry only cargo. That flight is scheduled for no earlier than April.”

---

Timeline of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------| | 00:11 | Sen. Mark Kelly responds to Pentagon probe | | 01:08 | Judge dismisses cases against Comey & James | | 01:42 | Massive Russian attack on Kyiv | | 02:16 | Israel's Supreme Court, Gaza press dilemma | | 03:09 | NASA scales back Boeing Starliner crew missions | | 04:18 | White House Christmas tree arrival |

---

This summary provides a clear and comprehensive outline of the episode’s main stories, with direct speaker attributions, quotes, and timestamps for easy reference.

Transcript

[Capital One Advertiser]

This message comes from Capital One with the Capital One Saver card. Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining and entertainment. Capital One what's in your wallet? Terms apply.

[NPR News Anchor]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly is pushing back against Pentagon investigation into his appearance in that video urging U.S. troops not to follow illegal orders. Kelly joined a handful of other congressional Democrats with military and intelligence backgrounds in the video. NPR's Quill Lawrence reports on Kelly's response.

[NPR Reporter Quill Lawrence]

He put out a statement, I'll quote it partially, he said. Secretary Hegseth's tweet is the first I heard of this. I also saw the president's post saying I should be arrested, hanged and put to death. If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. He also posted a photo on social media of his dress uniform with a chest full of medals, which I think largely is seen as a trolling of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who doesn't have any of the sort of combat medals that usually would be expected for someone of his position.

[NPR News Anchor]

President Trump has accused the group of Democrats in the video of sedition, saying that's punishable by death. A federal judge has dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General letitia James. Yeah. U.S. district Judge Cameron McGowan Curry says the prosecutor who brought the charges at the urging of President Trump was illegally appointed by the Justice Department. Overseas, the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, has come under another massive Russian missile and drone attack. Officials say at least two apartment blocks were hit. The BBC's James Reid reports.

[BBC Reporter James Reid]

Ukraine's air force said the Russian attack involved swarms of drones as well as cruise and ballistic missiles launched from the land, sea and air. Large explosions were reported in Kyiv as air defence systems tried to protect the capital. Ukraine has also been striking Russia with attacks reported in the border regions of Krasnodar and Rostov. The upsurge in violence follows days of intense diplomacy aimed at ending the war. Russia appears determined to maintain the military pressure as both sides seek to influence U s led efforts to achieve a peace deal.

[NPR News Anchor]

Israel's Supreme Court has given the state another extension to explain the exclusion of independent press access to Gaza. NPR's Kat Lansdorf has more.

[NPR Reporter Kat Lansdorf]

Israel's Foreign Press association, of which NPR is a member, petitioned the court back in 2024, asserting that the ban on independent press access to Gaza violated democratic principles of freedom of the press. The state has argued that entry of journalists into Gaza would pose security risks for both Israeli troops and the journalists themselves. The FPA now argues that conditions have changed with implementation of a ceasefire. Israel has allowed a select few journalists to enter Gaza under highly controlled embeds with Israeli forces. But nearly all of the on the ground reporting from Gaza for the past two years has fallen to Palestinian journalists there living through the conflict themselves, many of whom have been killed by Israeli fire. Kat Lansdorf, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

[NPR News Anchor]

And you're listening to NPR News. NASA says it has scaled back the contract it has with Boeing for missions flown on its troubled starliner. NPR's Nell Greenfield Boyce reports. The contract now calls for only four Starliner flights with a crew instead of six.

[NPR Reporter Nell Greenfield Boyce]

During its first flight with astronauts on board last year, Starliner had problems with its propulsion system. The glitches worried NASA so much that officials decided not to use Starliner for the crew's return trip. Instead, the astronauts had to stay on the International Space Station for months until they could catch a ride back in a SpaceX capsule. Since then, Boeing and NASA have been working on system upgrades. NASA now says the next Starliner flight to the station will carry only cargo. That flight is scheduled for no earlier than April. If that goes well, the agency says Starliner will be used to fly up to three crew rotations to the station. Nell Greenfield Boyce, NPR News.

[NPR News Anchor]

At the White House Monday, First lady Melania Trump welcomed the arrival of this year's Christmas tree. It's a white fir from a tree farm in Michigan, and it was delivered on the North Portico in a green carriage drawn by two Clydesdales and three men wearing top hats. The tree stands 18 and a half feet tall and will be displayed in the White House Blue Room. This is NPR News.

[BetterHelp Advertiser]

This message comes from BetterHelp. BetterHelp is making it easy to reach out and find support with its therapist Match commitment. Go to betterhelp.com NPR for 10% off your first month of online therapy.