NPR News: 12-17-2025 9AM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now: December 17, 2025, 9AM EST

Host: Korva Coleman
Duration: ~5 minutes

Episode Overview

This episode covers the latest major national and international news stories, focusing on the ongoing investigation into a mass shooting at Brown University, concerns over the Trump administration's new nuclear reactor program, pushback on a White House profile, President Trump's planned appearance at Dover AFB, changes to FIFA World Cup ticket pricing, and the soaring Powerball lottery jackpot.

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Key News Stories & Insights

1. Ongoing Investigation: Brown University Mass Shooting

• [00:13-01:23]
• Law enforcement is intensively reviewing surveillance footage to identify the suspect in the deadly shooting at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
• Details:
  • Authorities are compiling video from private security, Ring doorbells, and Tesla cameras.
  • The suspect is described as a "heavyset person in dark clothing," carrying a satchel, winter hat, and surgical mask.
  • Quote — Chief Oscar Perez [01:04]:

    "You want to focus on the body movements, the way the person moves their arms, the body posture."

  • Perez mentions the suspect arrived over five hours before the incident and investigators are still searching for a motive.
  • Reporter: Ben Berkey

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2. Trump Administration Pushes Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program

• [01:23-02:18]
• The administration is expediting a program to bring new nuclear reactors online by next summer.
• Details:
  • The "reactor pilot program" is aimed at new reactor designs, with Valor Atomics among the participants.
  • Isaiah Taylor, CEO of Valor Atomics [01:45]:

    "Private nuclear companies can do R&D again in real hardware with real neutrons and then get ready for commercialization."

  • Safety experts are concerned about the rapid timeline.
  • Allison McFarlane, former nuclear regulator [01:58]:

    "This is not okay, and this is not going to lead to success. This is how to have an accident."

  • The Department of Energy insists safety is a top priority and aims to have at least three reactors operational by July 4, 2026.
  • Reporter: Jeff Brumfield

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3. White House Chief of Staff Profile Sparks Pushback

• [02:18-03:05]
• White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles rejects a Vanity Fair profile characterizing her leadership and internal White House tensions.
• Details:
  • Wiles is quoted describing President Trump as having "an alcoholic's personality," despite Trump's teetotalism. This is connected to her experience with her father, Pat Summerall, and his recovery.
  • Chris Whipple, Vanity Fair reporter [02:46]:

    "She'd be the first to tell you, and she told me that she, you know, she makes a specialty of difficult men. It began with Pat Summerall. She managed Ron DeSantis' winning gubernatorial campaign in 2018 and now famously, of course, got Donald Trump elected in 2024."

  • The White House is publicly supporting Wiles, the first woman to hold the position.

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4. President Trump Visits Dover Air Force Base, Will Address Nation

• [03:05-03:30]
• President Trump is set to participate in the dignified transfer at Dover AFB for two Iowa National Guard troops and an American interpreter killed in Syria.
• A nationwide address is planned for later tonight, focusing on the accomplishments of the year and the outlook for the remainder of the term.

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5. FIFA Introduces Limited $60 World Cup Tickets

• [03:30-04:36]
• In response to fan backlash over high ticket prices for the 2026 Men's World Cup, FIFA will release a small allotment of $60 tickets.
• Details:
  • Current prices range from $140 for early matches to over $2,000 for the US opening game, with finals reaching over $4,000.
  • The $60 tickets:
    • Are reserved for fans of countries that qualified.
    • Make up fewer than 2% of tickets for any game.
    • Rafael Nam, NPR [04:10]:

      "In other words, they won't be easy to get."

  • The 2026 tournament will be jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

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6. Powerball Jackpot Reaches $1.25 Billion

• [04:36-04:56]
• The Powerball prize has grown to over $1.25 billion ahead of tonight's drawing.

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Notable Quotes

• Oscar Perez, Providence Police Chief [01:04]:

  "You want to focus on the body movements, the way the person moves their arms, the body posture."

• Isaiah Taylor, Valor Atomics CEO [01:45]:

  "Private nuclear companies can do R&D again in real hardware with real neutrons and then get ready for commercialization."

• Allison McFarlane, Former Nuclear Regulator [01:58]:

  "This is not okay, and this is not going to lead to success. This is how to have an accident."

• Chris Whipple, Vanity Fair Reporter [02:46]:

  "She'd be the first to tell you, and she told me that she, you know, she makes a specialty of difficult men. It began with Pat Summerall. She managed Ron DeSantis' winning gubernatorial campaign in 2018 and now famously, of course, got Donald Trump elected in 2024."

• Rafael Nam, NPR [04:10]:

  "In other words, they won't be easy to get."

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• Brown University Shooting Investigation: [00:13–01:23]
• Trump Nuclear Reactor Program Concerns: [01:23–02:18]
• Susie Wiles / White House Profile: [02:18–03:05]
• Trump at Dover AFB & Address Preview: [03:05–03:30]
• FIFA $60 World Cup Ticket Announcement: [03:30–04:36]
• Powerball Jackpot Update: [04:36–04:56]

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This concise yet comprehensive roundup delivers critical updates on breaking news, U.S. political dynamics, and worldwide sporting events, sharpened with expert and eyewitness commentary.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. The search continues for a suspect in the deadly mass shooting at Brown University. Officials say they're pulling together a growing body of surveillance footage. They hope it will help them identify the person of. From Ocean State Media in Providence, Rhode Island. Ben Berkey has more.

[Ben Berkey]

Investigators are cobbling together footage from private surveillance systems. Ring doorbells and Teslas in the neighborhood next to Brown's campus. When combined. Investigators say this footage is creating a clearer picture of their suspect, a heavyset person in dark clothing who carried a satchel and wore a winter hat and a surgical mask. Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez says he thinks even this limited footage is could help someone recognize the person of interest.

[Oscar Perez]

You want to focus on the body movements, the way the person moves their arms, the body posture.

[Ben Berkey]

Perez says the suspect arrived in the neighborhood over five hours before the shooting. He and other investigators said they still have no information about a possible motive. For NPR News, I'm Ben Burke in Providence.

[Korva Coleman]

The Trump administration is racing ahead with a program to build new nuclear reactors by next summer. NPR's Jeff Brumfield reports. That has some safety experts worried.

[Isaiah Taylor]

The reactor pilot program is for new reactor designs. A company called Valor Atomics is one of the participants. CEO Isaiah Taylor says it's just what the industry needs.

Private nuclear companies can do R and D again in real hardware with real neutrons and then get ready for commercialization.

But critics like former Nuclear regulator Allison McFarlane warn the program is moving too quickly.

[Allison McFarlane]

This is not okay, and this is not going to lead to success. This is how to have an accident.

[Isaiah Taylor]

The Department of Energy, which runs the program, says safety is a top priority. It hopes to have at least three reactors running by July 4th. Jeff Brumfiel, NPR News White House Chief.

[Korva Coleman]

Of Staff Susie Wiles is rejecting a Vanity Fair magazine profile of her as a, quote, hit piece one. Wiles spoke on the record and very frankly to reporter Chris Whipple about White House colleagues and internal tensions. She described President Trump as having an alcoholic's personality. Trump famously does not drink alcohol. Reporter Chris Whipple says that Wiles helped her father, famed sportscaster Pat Summerall, recover from alcoholism.

[Chris Whipple]

She'd be the first to tell you, and she told me that she, you know, she makes a specialty of difficult men. It began with Pat Summerall. She managed Ron DeSantis winning gubernatorial campaign in 2018 and now famously, of course, got Donald Trump elected in 2024.

[Korva Coleman]

He spoke to NPR's All Things Considered. White House officials has offered strong support for Wiles, the first female White House chief of staff. This is npr. President Trump will go to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware today. He will witness the dignified transfer of remains of the bodies of two Iowa National Guard Troo. They and an American interpreter were killed in Syria last weekend. Trump also says later tonight he'll give a nationally broadcast address. The White House spokeswoman says this will focus on his accomplishments this year and look ahead to the rest of his term. The global governing body for soccer, FIFA, says it will sell a limited number of $60 tickets for next year's Men's World cup soccer matches. The move is in response to a backlash from fans. And NPR's Rafael Nam explains FIFA introduced.

[Rafael Nam]

The cheaper tickets after fans blasted the high prices for the tournament next year. Currently, tickets range from at least $140 for some of the initial games to over $2,000 for the US opening game. And it gets even more expensive for the knockouts, including over 4,000 for the cheapest seats at the final. But the $60 tickets will only be available for fans of the countries that have qualified, and there will only be a limited amount, fewer than 2% of the available tickets for any particular game. In other words, they won't be easy to get. Rafael Nam, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

The 2026 Men's World cup soccer tournament is being played in the U.S. canada and Mexico. The latest Powerball lotto drawing is tonight. Powerball officials say the jackpot is now worth more than one and a quarter billion dollars. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News, in Washington.

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