NPR News: 12-17-2025 3PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now — December 17, 2025 (3PM EST)
Host: Windsor Johnston

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Overview

This episode delivers concise national and international updates including developments on National Guard deployments, U.S.–Venezuela tensions, changes in the FCC's status, healthcare legislation in Congress, a symbolic diplomatic gesture involving China and Japan’s pandas, and a quirky numismatic milestone. Each story is packed with breaking facts and context for unfolding news events.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. National Guard Troops Remain in Washington, D.C.

• [00:13–01:20]
• A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. ruled National Guard troops can continue their deployment in the city while legal questions about the deployment's legitimacy are reviewed.
• The ruling outlines D.C.’s unique federal status, which gives President Trump more direct control over troop deployment compared to other cities.
• Notably, this decision contrasts with an earlier ruling to withdraw troops from Los Angeles.
• Background includes the increase in troop numbers after a targeted attack last month on National Guard personnel, resulting in casualties.
• Quote:
  “Washington's unique federal status allows President Trump to largely control the deployment of troops in the city.”
  — Kat Lonsdorf [00:52]

2. President Trump Orders Blockade of Venezuelan Oil Tankers

• [01:20–02:21]
• President Trump made a public declaration on social media of a "total and complete blockage" of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
• The message hinted at bolstering U.S. naval presence off Venezuela's coast, referring to creating an “armada.”
• Trump’s statement accused Venezuela of stealing “oil, land and other assets from the US”, but specifics were unclear.
• NPR found that there are no details from the White House concerning operational plans.
• Chief of Staff Susie Wiles acknowledged any land attack would need Congressional approval.
• Quote:
  “Trump is planning to grow what he called an armada of US vessels off the Venezuelan coast.”
  — Danielle Kurtzleben [01:41]

3. FCC’s Formal Independence Contested in Senate Hearing

• [02:21–02:50]
• FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, under questioning by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, conceded that the FCC is “not formally independent”—despite prior claims.
• The FCC’s website quickly dropped references to its independence just after the exchange.
• Context: Carr’s controversial pressure on ABC to remove Jimmy Kimmel from the air added to the hearing’s intensity.
• Notable Exchange:
  “Just so you know, Brendan, on your website it just simply says, man, the FCC is independent. This isn’t a trick question, okay? The FCC is not okay. It’s not. So is your website wrong? Is your website lying? Possibly. The FCC is not an independent agency.”
  — Senator Ben Ray Lujan [02:35]

4. Congressional Vote on Affordable Care Act Subsidies

• [02:50–03:53]
• The House is considering a Republican-backed plan that would allow ACA subsidies to expire.
• This would have major implications for millions who depend on subsidized health insurance, with expected premium hikes starting January 1.

5. China Recalls Its Pandas from Japan Amid Strained Relations

• [03:53–04:40]
• China’s withdrawal of its last two pandas from Japan marks the end of a multi-decade cultural exchange, seen as a diplomatic cold shoulder.
• The pandas, Xiaoxiao and Lei Lei, will head back to China in late January.
• The move aligns with other Chinese retaliatory actions in response to Japan’s remarks regarding Taiwan and shifts in Japanese policy.
• Quote:
  “The pandas, Xiaoxiao and Lei Lei, will not have their stay in Japan extended and are leaving for China in late January.”
  — Emily Feng [04:16]

6. The Final Three Pennies Sell at Auction

• [04:40–04:56]
• The U.S. Mint confirmed that the last three one-cent coins produced have fetched $800,000 at auction, signaling the end of an era for the American penny.

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Timestamps for Noteworthy Segments

• 00:13 — Start of news; National Guard deployment ruling
• 01:20 — Trump’s Venezuela blockade announcement
• 02:21 — Senate hearing regarding the FCC
• 02:50 — Upcoming Congressional vote on health care subsidies
• 03:53 — China retrieves final pandas from Japan
• 04:40 — Final U.S. pennies auctioned

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Memorable Quotes

• “Washington's unique federal status allows President Trump to largely control the deployment of troops in the city.”
  — Kat Lonsdorf [00:52]
• “Trump is planning to grow what he called an armada of US vessels off the Venezuelan coast.”
  — Danielle Kurtzleben [01:41]
• “Just so you know, Brendan, on your website it just simply says, man, the FCC is independent...Is your website lying? Possibly.”
  — Senator Ben Ray Lujan [02:35]
• “The pandas, Xiaoxiao and Lei Lei, will not have their stay in Japan extended and are leaving for China in late January.”
  — Emily Feng [04:16]

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Tone

• Direct, Informative, Urgent: The reporting is succinct and clear, with a factual tone that conveys breaking news implications quickly and efficiently, characteristic of NPR’s news briefing style.

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This episode offers rapid-fire updates on legal, political, international, and cultural stories shaping the news cycle, packed into a comprehensive five-minute report.

Transcript

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[Windsor Johnston]

[e-mail] live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. has ruled that National Guard troops can remain in the city for now. The decision comes after a different federal appeals ruled that troops must leave Los Angeles earlier this week. NPR's Kat Lonsdorf reports.

[Kat Lonsdorf]

A three judge panel voted unanimously for Guard troops to remain in Washington while they examine the larger legality of the deployment. In a 30 page opinion, the judges write that Washington's unique federal status allows President Trump to largely control the deployment of troops in the city. They also say the Trump administration is likely to win the overall case. There have been more than 2,000 troops in Washington since August, both from the District and several Republican led states. Hundreds more were added after a targeted attack on National Guard troops killed one and wounded another last month. But the judges also raised serious doubts about the lawfulness of deployments in other cities, many of which have been stopped after orders by federal judges. Kat Lansdorf, NPR News, Washington.

[Windsor Johnston]

President Trump says he's ordering what he calls a total and complete blockage of all sanctioned oil tankers moving in and out of Venezuela. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reports. Trump provided few details on the move while escalating tensions with the country.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

Trump made the announcement in a social media post which also said that Trump is planning to grow what he called an armada of US vessels off the Venezuelan coast. The more than 200 word post accused Venezuela of stealing, quote, oil, land and other assets from the US but did not explain what he meant by that, nor did it give any details on the announced action. The White House did not immediately respond to NPR's questions about the post. Trump has in recent weeks suggested he would start strikes on Venezuelan soil soon. However, as White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles acknowledged to Vanity Fair in an article published this week, any land attacks would require congressional approval. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News.

[Windsor Johnston]

Federal Communication Commission Chairman Brendan Carr told his Senate committee today that the FCC is not formally independent. That came amid a tense exchange with Senator Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico.

[Senator Ben Ray Lujan]

Just so you know, Brendan, on your website it just simply says, man, the FCC is independent. This isn't a trick question, okay? The FCC is not okay. It's not. So is your website wrong? Is your website lying? Possibly. The FCC is not an independent agency.

[Windsor Johnston]

Shortly after the hearing, the FCC appeared to remove the word independent from a description of its work on its website. Carr's appearance before the Senate Commerce Committee was his first since sparking controversy by pressuring ABC to take comedian Jimmy Kimmel off the air. Stocks are trading lower on Wall street at this hour. The dow is down 163 points. This is NPR. The house is set to vote today on a Republican backed plan addressing health care costs. It's a bill that would allow Affordable Care act subsidies to expire. Those subsidies help millions of Americans afford health insurance. Premiums are expected to increase on January 1. China says it's taking back Japan's last two pandas amid a diplomatic chill between the two countries. Thousands of people are streaming to the Tokyo Zoo, where the two black and white twin pandas are living, to say goodbye. NPR's Emily Feng has more.

[Emily Feng]

China leases out its pandas to countries including the US where the host country pays China sometimes upwards of a million dollars an animal every year to have the pandas. Japan has rented pandas continuously for the last half century until now. The pandas, Xiaoxiao and Lei Lei, will not have their stay in Japan extended and are leaving for China in late January. China's been unhappy with Japan's new prime minister because she'd made remarks characterizing a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan nearby as a threat to Japan's survival. Since those remarks, China's warned its citizens not to travel to Japan, put import controls back on some Japanese seafood, and delayed Japanese films from being shown in China. Emily Fang, NPR News.

[Windsor Johnston]

The U.S. mint says the final three $0.01 coins ever produced have sold at auction. The three penny set went for $800,000. I'm Windsor Johnston and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.

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