NPR News: 11-25-2025 6PM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now — November 25, 2025, 6PM EST

Host: Dan Ronan
Duration: 5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This NPR News Now episode delivers concise updates on key national and international stories for the evening of November 25, 2025. Topics include U.S.-led negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war, Thanksgiving travel forecasts, the U.S. military’s break from Scouting, local developments in Virginia and Washington, D.C., and an ICE-related arrest involving a White House official’s relative.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. U.S. Push for Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal

[00:15-01:10]

• President Trump has directed senior administration members to engage directly with Russian and Ukrainian leaders in pursuit of a peace agreement.
• Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with Putin in Moscow.
• Secretary of the Army Dan Driskal will meet with Ukrainian officials.
• Trump stated he would only meet with Putin or President Zelensky if a deal is close to finalization.
• Last month’s anticipated Trump-Putin meeting in Hungary was canceled amid new sanctions.
• Trump has expressed frustration over the prolonged war, insisting, “the war between Ukraine and Russia should have been easier to end.”

Quote:

"Trump was supposed to meet with Putin last month in Hungary, but the meeting was scrapped, with Trump announcing new sanctions on Russia."
— Deepa Shivaram, [00:31]

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2. Thanksgiving Travel Forecasts

[01:10-01:53]

• AAA projects 82 million Americans will travel for Thanksgiving—a 1.6 million increase from 2024—with 90% traveling by car.

• Despite economic fluctuation and job losses, gasoline prices are low and not discouraging travel.

• Patrick DeHaan (GasBuddy): “74% of respondents to our survey said gas prices are not impacting their travel plans this year. But still, there's a lot of jitter within consumers.” [01:33]

• FAA expects the busiest Thanksgiving air travel in 15 years, scheduling 360,000 flights.

• Secretary Sean Duffy notes air traffic control staffing is back to normal.

Quote:

"Gas prices relatively low. For their part, 74% of respondents to our survey said gas prices are not impacting their travel plans this year. But still, there's a lot of jitter within consumers."
— Patrick DeHaan, [01:33]

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3. U.S. Military Ends Partnership with Scouting

[01:53–03:11]

• Defense Secretary Hegseth is moving to end the 102-year partnership with the organization formerly known as the Boy Scouts.
• Claims involve concerns over national security and resource allocation, specifically related to border security.
• Hegseth criticizes the Scouts' shift toward DEI and gender inclusivity.
• Draft orders bar Scout troops from military bases and eliminate rank advantages for Eagle Scouts enlisting.
• Pentagon declined to comment on the still-unverified documents.

Quote:

“He also condemns scouting for promoting DEI, saying it rebranded to be genderless and attack boy-friendly spaces.”
— Graham Smith, [02:23]

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4. Virginia High School Football Coach Missing Amid Charges

[03:11–03:56]

• Police in southwest Virginia are searching for missing coach Travis Turner, who is wanted on multiple counts of child pornography and soliciting a minor.
• Turner disappeared before law enforcement could arrest him; his undefeated team continues to play in state playoffs without him.
• The school district is cooperating with authorities.

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5. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser Not Seeking Reelection

[03:56–04:34]

• Mayor Bowser announced she will not seek reelection after serving since 2014.
• Cites accomplishments such as securing a new stadium deal and leading post-pandemic recovery.
• Her tenure has been marked by clashes with President Trump, including his takeover of the city's police force.
• Advisers say fatigue from dealing with federal interventions influenced her decision.

Quote:

“We also brought our city back from the ravages of a global pandemic and summoned our collective strength to stand tall against bullies who threaten our very autonomy.”
— Muriel Bowser (via announcement video), [04:15]

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6. ICE Arrest Related to White House Press Secretary

[04:34–04:54]

• A relative of White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt was arrested by ICE in Boston.
• The woman is currently in custody in Louisiana.
• Michael Levitt, the Press Secretary’s brother, reportedly had a relationship with the detained woman.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Patrick DeHaan on consumer sentiment:
  “But still, there's a lot of jitter within consumers.” [01:33]

• Graham Smith describing military withdrawal from Scouting:
  “…stop offering advanced rank to Eagle Scouts who enlisted.” [02:23]

• Bowser’s message on D.C. resilience:
  “We also brought our city back from the ravages of a global pandemic…” [04:15]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:15] Russia-Ukraine peace initiative news
• [01:10] Thanksgiving travel forecast starts
• [01:53] Scouting and military partnership breakdown
• [03:11] Virginia high school football coach investigation
• [03:56] Bowser re-election announcement
• [04:34] ICE arrest related to White House official

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This episode provides critical updates on pressing political, security, and social stories as Americans prepare for Thanksgiving week 2025.

Transcript

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[Dan Ronan]

In Washington, I'm Dan Ronan. President Trump says he's directed members of his administration to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainians this in hopes of finalizing a peace deal between the two nations. NPR's Deepa Shivaram reports.

[Deepa Shivaram]

Trump said in a post on social media that special envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with Putin in Moscow and Secretary of the Army Dan Driskal will meet with the Ukrainians. The president says he won't meet with Putin or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky until a peace deal is in its final stages. Trump was supposed to meet with Putin last month in Hungary, but the meeting was scrapped, with Trump announcing new sanctions on Russia. The ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia has been a point of frustration for Trump, who claims he's ended several other wars this year. He repeatedly says the war between Ukraine and Russia should have been easier to end. Deepa Shivaram, NPR News, the White House.

[Dan Ronan]

Tens of millions of Americans are beginning their Thanksgiving travel today, with highways, airports and train stations expected to be packed. Aaa is forecasting 82 million people will travel, an increase of 1.6 million from last year's holiday. 90% of the travel will be by car. Patrick DeHaan with GasBudd says gasoline prices are not a factor.

[Patrick DeHaan]

We're seeing the stock market fluctuate. Job losses have amounted this year to the Most significant since 2022. But it's not all bad news. Gas prices relatively low. For their part, 74% of respondents to our survey said gas prices are not impacting their travel plans this year. But still, there's a lot of jitter within consumers.

[Dan Ronan]

The FAA says when it comes to air travel, this will be the busiest Thanksgiving in 15 years, with 360,000 flights scheduled between yesterday and dot. Secretary Sean Duffy says air traffic control staffing levels are returning to normal. The 102 year old partnership between the U.S. military and Scouting could be coming to an end. NPR's Graham Smith reports. Defense Secretary Hegseth is moving to withdraw support from the organization formerly known as the Boy Scouts.

[Graham Smith]

In a draft report to Congress reviewed by npr, Hegseth says supporting the Scout Jamboree next summer would harm national security, that scarce resources can't be diverted from border security work. He also condemns scouting for promoting dei, saying it rebranded to be genderless and attack boyfriendly spaces. Another draft memo obtained by NPR orders the branches to bar scout troops from meeting on military bases worldwide and says that DoD will stop offering advanced rank to Eagle Scouts who enlisted. The Pentagon refused to offer comment on what they called, quote, leaked documents that they cannot authenticate and which may not have been finalized. Graham Smith, NPR News.

[Dan Ronan]

This is npr. Police in southwestern Virginia are searching for a missing high school football coach who they say is wanted on five counts of child pornography possession and other charges related to soliciting a minor. Last week, police went to the home of Travis Turner from Wise County, Virginia, and discovered he was missing before he disappeared from the team. The team that he was coaching was undefeated and advanced deep into the state playoffs. The team played its latest playoff game without him. The school district says it's cooperating with law enforcement. D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser says she will not run for reelection following months of high profile clashes with President Trump. WAMU's Alex Koma has more.

[Alex Koma]

Bowser said Tuesday she felt she'd accomplished everything she set out to do since winning the job back in 2014. That includes securing a new stadium deal for the Washington Commanders and overseeing a surge in housing construction in the city. But her tenure was also dogged by President Trump's frequent interventions in the city's affairs, which she referenced in a video announcing her decision.

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We also brought our city back from the ravages of a global pandemic and summoned our collective strength to stand tall against bullies who threaten our very autonomy.

[Alex Koma]

Advisers say Bowser's weariness with dealing with Trump, who took over the city's police force this summer, contributed to her decision to decline a reelection bid. For NPR News, I'm Alex Koma in.

[Dan Ronan]

Washington, D.C. a relative of White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt has been arrested by ICE agents just outside of Boston earlier this month. Member station WBUR is reporting. The woman is now in ICE custody in Louisiana. Michael Levitt, Carolyn Levitt's older brother, had a relationship with the woman. This is npr.

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