NPR News Now — December 13, 2025, 5PM EST
Host: Jeanine Herbst, NPR
Format: 5-minute hourly news update
Episode Overview
This episode delivers concise updates on major national and international news developments from December 13, 2025. Stories touch on:
- A deadly attack on U.S. personnel in Syria and President Trump’s response
- Health care policy debates in Congress
- Severe flooding in Washington state
- Major job cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs
- The death of actor Peter Greene and his legacy
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. U.S. Response to Fatal Attack in Syria
[00:24–01:10]
- Incident: Two U.S. service members and an American civilian killed, three injured in Syria.
- President Trump’s Statement: Expressed mourning and blamed ISIS for the attack.
- Quote: “We will retaliate.” — President Trump (via Sage Miller, [01:00])
- Notably, Trump didn’t detail specific response plans but confirmed the injured “seem to be doing pretty well.”
- Context: The attack occurred as Trump was en route to the Army-Navy football game. The gunman was killed at the scene.
2. Congressional Health Care Policy Battle
[01:10–02:11]
- Republican Health Care Package:
- Aims to reduce health care costs by allowing small businesses to band together to buy insurance and imposing new rules on pharmacy benefit managers to lower drug costs.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson: The proposal addresses “the real drivers of health care costs.” ([01:43])
- Democratic Criticism:
- Key complaint: The GOP plan does not extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, set to expire at year’s end, which could raise out-of-pocket costs for millions.
- Legislative Status:
- Both a Democratic bill to extend tax credits and the GOP health proposal have failed in the Senate.
- Quote: “Members of Congress are running out of time to address health care costs before the holiday recess at the end of the week.” — Jude Joffe-Block ([02:07])
3. Historic Skagit River Flooding in Washington State
[02:11–03:16]
- Flood Impact:
- Skagit River north of Seattle reached record-high levels.
- Hundreds who did not evacuate needed rescue from homes—some from rooftops and vehicles.
- Personal Stories:
- Jocelyn Alm’s home remains submerged: “All your couches are floating. All your stuff is just floating. He goes, your bananas are floating. And I said, oh, well, God, if we lost our bananas, we lost everything we had.” — Jocelyn Alm (reported by Scott Greenstone, [02:52])
- Her husband, Kenneth: “In this back bedroom, there was pictures that we had forever.” ([02:58])
- Ongoing Concerns:
- Water starting to recede, but many evacuees face days before returning home.
- Officials warn of more rain incoming; true damage statewide still unclear.
4. Major VA Health Care Job Cuts
[03:16–04:15]
- Department of Veterans Affairs:
- Plans to eliminate up to 35,000 mostly unfilled health care jobs this month.
- Follows an organizational reshuffling that already cut ~30,000 jobs this year.
- Assurances from Leadership:
- VA Secretary Doug Collins states, “no VA employees are being removed in this round and there will be zero impact on veterans care.” ([03:51])
- The cuts are intended to bring the VA workforce down to about 372,000—a 10% annual reduction.
5. Actor Peter Greene’s Death
[04:15–04:58]
- Career Overview:
- Peter Greene, age 60, acclaimed for roles as villains—most notably in “Pulp Fiction” and “The Mask.”
- “The tall, angular character actor excelled at playing bad guys, sometimes in comedies.” — Chloe Veltman ([04:16])
- Memorable Roles:
- Played Jim Carrey’s antagonist in “The Mask” ([04:26]) and appeared in “Pulp Fiction” as a ruthless security guard.
- Biography:
- Born in New Jersey in 1965; began acting in his twenties.
- Was narrating an upcoming documentary on the withdrawal of USAID.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Syria Attack Response:
- “We will retaliate.” — President Trump ([01:00])
- Flood Victim Perspective:
- “All your couches are floating. All your stuff is just floating. He goes, your bananas are floating…if we lost our bananas, we lost everything we had.” — Jocelyn Alm ([02:52])
- VA Job Cut Reassurance:
- “No VA employees are being removed in this round and there will be zero impact on veterans care.” — VA Secretary Doug Collins ([03:51])
- Peter Greene’s Acting Legacy:
- “The tall, angular character actor excelled at playing bad guys, sometimes in comedies.” — Chloe Veltman ([04:16])
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Syria Attack & Trump’s Response: [00:24–01:10]
- Congress and Health Care Policy: [01:10–02:11]
- Skagit River Flooding: [02:11–03:16]
- Veterans Affairs Job Cuts: [03:16–04:15]
- Actor Peter Greene’s Death: [04:15–04:58]
This summary preserves the brisk, factual tone of NPR’s reporting, offering a quick but comprehensive catch-up for those who missed the broadcast.
