NPR News Now: December 13, 2025, 5AM EST

Host: Giles Snyder | Produced by: NPR News

Episode Overview

This five-minute newscast delivers top headlines from the U.S. and around the world. Today’s major stories include a lawsuit against President Trump’s White House ballroom project, congressional rebuttals concerning leaked Epstein photos, U.S. diplomatic pressure on Ukraine over territorial concessions, severe flooding in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, and updates on the weather and college football.

Key Stories & Discussion Points

1. Lawsuit Against President Trump’s White House Ballroom Project

[00:12–01:20]

• Story:

  • The National Trust for Historic Preservation is suing President Trump and his administration over the ongoing White House ballroom project, claiming proper legal approvals have not been obtained.
  • The east wing of the White House was demolished to make room, but oversight bodies have not received project plans.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Carol Quillen (President, National Trust):
    “We need to speak on behalf of the American public, and we need to make the case that these processes are important and that respecting them matters because our history matters.” [00:55]
  • White House Response (Davis Engel):
    “President Trump has full legal authority to beautify the White House just as his predecessors did.” [01:10]

2. House Oversight and Epstein Photo Release

[01:20–01:50]

• Story:

  • House Democrats deny White House accusations that photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate were selectively released to embarrass President Trump. Congressman Stephen Lynch says the committee is simply reviewing what was provided.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA):
    “The ones that we released obviously were the top of the batch that was sent by the estate that they thought would be helpful to the committee. And so we're going through that process, but we didn't cherry pick anything. We just took the top of the batch.” [01:35]

• Follow-Up:

  • President Trump dismissed the photos, stating “they are not a big deal.” [01:50]

3. Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks and US/European Pressure

[01:50–03:02]

• Story:

  • Ukrainian and European representatives are meeting in Paris to discuss the war. The U.S. is pressuring Ukraine to consider ceding the Donbas region to Russia, against the backdrop of strong domestic opposition within Ukraine.
  • President Zelensky is contemplating a public referendum on territorial compromise, though wartime elections are currently unconstitutional.
  • European financial support for Ukraine has diminished.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Ivana Klimpushtinsata (Ukrainian Lawmaker):
    “But just to give in to the aggressor, that is not something that we can agree upon after what we have gone through.” [02:44]

• Additional Note:

  • U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will join related peace talks in Berlin. [03:02]

4. Record Flooding in the Pacific Northwest and Canada

[03:02–04:22]

• Story:

  • Washington State faces ongoing flooding due to heavy storms, prompting evacuations and rescues.
  • The Nooksack River overflow has impacted British Columbia’s Fraser Valley, cutting off Vancouver’s main connection to Canada and causing extensive evacuations and school closures.
  • Officials criticize a lack of federal flood mitigation support and warn the crisis is ongoing.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Dan Karpenschuk (NPR Correspondent):
    “Flooding has taken over the main route from Vancouver to the rest of Canada, the Trans Canada Highway. Some officials are describing it as chaos. With the highway gone in about half an hour, police have moved thousands of vehicles off the highway.” [03:44]

5. Other Headlines

[04:22–04:57]

• Further Weather Alerts:

  • The National Weather Service warns of near-record cold in Minnesota and North Dakota as snowfall approaches the Ohio Valley.

• Upcoming Events:

  • President Trump is expected to attend the Army-Navy football game in Baltimore this afternoon.
  • The Heisman Trophy ceremony will be held tonight in New York City.

Memorable Moments & Timestamps

• The importance of historic preservation:

  • Carol Quillen, “...our history matters.” [00:55]

• Direct rebuttal to ‘cherry-picking’ accusation:

  • Stephen Lynch, “...we didn't cherry pick anything. We just took the top of the batch.” [01:35]

• Ukrainian Lawmaker on not caving to Russia:

  • Ivana Klimpushtinsata, “...just to give in to the aggressor, that is not something that we can agree upon...” [02:44]

• Flood described as ‘chaos’:

  • Dan Karpenschuk, “Some officials are describing it as chaos. With the highway gone in about half an hour...” [03:44]

Tone & Style

• Direct, concise, and reportorial.
• Emphasis on balanced reporting, featuring quotes from involved parties.
• Urgent yet measured delivery typical of breaking news segments.

This episode delivers brisk, essential updates for listeners seeking a well-rounded picture of national and international news in under five minutes.