NPR News: 11-26-2025 1AM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now — November 26, 2025, 1AM EST

Host: Jael Snyder | Duration: ~5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This NPR News Now episode provides a concise roundup of key national news developments on November 26, 2025. Major stories include controversy over military justice involving Sen. Mark Kelly and President Trump, a record federal deficit, the annual presidential turkey pardon, a bipartisan stand on AI regulation, D.C. Mayor Bowser’s decision not to seek reelection, and severe winter weather impacting holiday travel.

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1. Military Justice Controversy — Sen. Mark Kelly vs. Trump Administration

Timestamps: [00:11] – [00:49]

• Senator Mark Kelly criticizes President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over their lack of understanding of the Constitution and military justice.
• Kelly is threatened with court martial after a video surfaced of him and five other Democratic lawmakers urging U.S. troops to defy illegal orders.
• The FBI is contacting the six Democrats for interviews; all have national security backgrounds and accuse the Trump administration of attempting to silence dissent.

Notable Quotes:

• “I don’t think he understands the Constitution. I’m not so sure Pete Hegseth does either. Neither of them seem to understand the Uniform Code of Military justice...”
  — Sen. Mark Kelly [00:27]
• “Now he wants to court martial me under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It just doesn’t make any sense.”
  — Sen. Mark Kelly [00:44]

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2. Federal Deficit Hits $284 Billion in October

Timestamps: [00:49] – [02:05]

• Scott Horsley reports the U.S. government ran a $284 billion deficit in October 2025.
• Higher tax collections compared to last year (in part due to delayed tax deadlines after the Los Angeles wildfire), but rising government spending and interest on federal debt ($100 billion) outpaced revenue—even surpassing military spending.
• Tariff collections exceed $33 billion, up significantly from last year, but insufficient to reduce the deficit.
• Lower corporate tax collections attributed to Republican tax cuts and summer spending bills.

Notable Quotes:

• “One of the government’s biggest expenses was interest on the federal debt, which topped $100 billion in October, more than the government spent on the military.”
  — Scott Horsley [01:40]

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3. Trump Pardons Thanksgiving Turkeys

Timestamps: [02:05] – [02:54]

• President Trump continues the White House Thanksgiving tradition by pardoning two turkeys, “Waddle” and “Gobble,” in the Rose Garden.
• Trump’s remarks include light-hearted banter, noting the turkeys’ behavior.
• The pardoned turkeys are sent to live at North Carolina State University.

Notable Quotes:

• “Boy, that’s a well trained turkey. See how happy he is.”
  — President Trump [02:38]
• “In a few moments, I will grant a full, absolute, and unconditional presidential pardon to two handsome Thanksgiving turkeys.”
  — President Trump [02:44]

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4. Markets & Legislative Updates

Timestamps: [03:03] – [03:48]

• Stock markets rally in early Wednesday trading; Japan’s Nikkei up 1.8%.
• Attorneys general from 35 states and D.C. urge Congress not to preempt state AI regulations, warning of “disastrous consequences” if AI is left unregulated. Their letter sets up a policy clash with the Trump administration.

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5. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser Declines Re-Election

Timestamps: [03:48] – [04:27]

• Muriel Bowser announces she will not seek a new term after high-profile clashes with President Trump, notably his federal intervention in the city’s affairs and control of the police force.
• Bowser cites personal and professional fulfillment: new stadium deal, increased housing, and guiding D.C. through the pandemic.
• Advisers attribute decision in part to “weariness” from ongoing conflict with the Trump administration.

Notable Quotes:

• “Summoned our collective strength to stand tall against bullies who threaten our very autonomy.”
  — Muriel Bowser's video (featured by narrator), [04:08]

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6. Holiday Weather Disruptions

Timestamps: [04:27] – [04:54]

• Thanksgiving travelers face hazardous conditions:
  • Heavy snow closes parts of Interstates 94 and 29 in the Dakotas.
  • Tornadoes damage over 100 homes in the Houston area.

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Key Takeaways

• Democratic senators and military justice: Rising tension regarding civilian oversight of the military and accusations of political retaliation.
• Soaring federal deficit: Interest payments surpassing military spending highlight financial pressures.
• AI regulation debate: Growing state-level activism in technology policy.
• D.C. mayoral politics: Federal-local clashes impacting major urban leadership.
• Travel disruptions: Early severe winter weather affecting holiday plans nationwide.

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Reported by:

• Jael Snyder (Host)
• Scott Horsley (Deficit report, Washington)
• Deepa Shivaram (White House turkey pardon)
• Alex Koma (D.C. mayoral update)

For further information, visit npr.org.

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Transcript

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[Jael Snyder]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News, I'm Jael Snyder. Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly says he does not think President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hagseth have a good understanding of military justice.

[Senator Mark Kelly]

He certainly has. Outrageous and unpredictable. I don't think he understands the Constitution. I'm not so sure Pete Hegseth does either. Neither of them seem to understand the Uniform Code of Military justice because we recited what is in the Uniform Code of Military justice and now he wants to court martial me under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It just doesn't make any sense.

[Jael Snyder]

Kelly is facing a court martial threat from the Pentagon over that video that Featured Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers calling on U.S. troops to defy illegal orders. Also, the FBI has begun contacting those six Democrats seeking to interview them. All six have national security backgrounds. They say the Trump administration is trying to silence them. A month into a new fiscal year, the federal government already deep in the red. NPR's Scott Horsley reports. The government ran a deficit of $284 billion in October.

[Scott Horsley]

Tax collections were higher in October than they were a year ago, partly because that was the due date for taxpayers who got an extension last April as a result of the Los Angeles wildf. Government spending, however, grew even more despite the federal shutdown, which delayed some payments last month. One of the government's biggest expenses was interest on the federal debt, which topped $100 billion in October, more than the government spent on the military. Tariff collections have more than quadrupled from a year ago as importers paid $33 billion in tariffs last month. But that didn't begin to narrow the deficit. Corporate tax collections were lower than they would have been without the Republican tax cut and spending bill passed during the summer. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

[Jael Snyder]

Ahead of Thanksgiving, President Trump utilized a power only he has, a presidential pardon. On Tuesday, he took part in the time honored White House tradition and pardoned two Thanksgiving turkeys. NPR's Deepeshivaram has more.

[Deepa Shivaram]

The two turkeys, Waddle and Gobble, were spared a future of being eaten at a ceremony in the Rose Garden. President Trump said the turkeys weighed about 50 pounds each. His remarks were interrupted a few times by a gobble from Gobble.

[President Trump]

Today, we continue a time honored American tradition. Boy, that's a well trained turkey. See how happy he is. In a few moments, I will grant a full, absolute and unconditional presidential pardon to two handsome Thanksgiving turkeys.

[Deepa Shivaram]

The turkeys will spend the rest of their lives at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. The president, for his part, will spend his holiday in Florida. Deepa Shivaram, NPR News.

[Jael Snyder]

The White House stocks are rising, rising in Wednesday trading. Japan's benchmark Nikkei, up 1.8% in early trading. This is NPR News. A bipartisan group of attorneys general from 35 states and the District of Columbia urging congressional leaders not to block state laws governing artificial intelligence. They've signed off on a letter warning of disastrous consequences if AI is left unregulated. The letter sets up a clash with the Trump administration. Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser says she will not run for re election. Her announcement Tuesday follows months of high profile clashes with President Trump. Alex Koma of member station WAMU 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.

[Jael Snyder]

Washington, D.C. thanksgiving travelers are keeping an eye on the weather. The official start of winter is nearly a away, but heavy snow has been falling in the Dakotas, where Interstates 94 and 29 were closed Tuesday because of low visibility and multiple accidents. On Tuesday, the National Weather Service confirmed at least two tornadoes tore through the Houston area, damaging more than 100 homes. I'm Jahiel Snyder. This is NPR News.

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