NPR News Now – 12-18-2025 4AM EST

Host: Shay Stevens
Date: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This five-minute NPR News update covers key overnight political, legal, and scientific developments in the United States. Major stories include President Trump’s remarks on the economy, legal battles over National Guard deployments, CDC updates on childhood immunization guidelines, a high-profile criminal case in Los Angeles, responsibility for a deadly aviation crash, and the Senate confirmation of a new NASA administrator.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump on the U.S. Economy

• Theme: President Trump addresses the nation, focusing on economic optimism amid persistent public anxiety about the cost of living.
• Trump asserts strong recovery, portraying the U.S. as a global economic leader.
• Notable Quote:

  “One year ago, our country was dead. We were absolutely dead. Our country was ready to fail, totally failed. Now we're the hottest country anywhere in the world, and that's said by every single leader that I've spoken to over the last five months.”
  — President Donald Trump [00:36]

2. Trade and Tariffs Update

• Theme: U.S. trading partners seek to avoid newly-imposed steep tariffs by forging new business relationships.
• Brief mention without elaboration, indicating ongoing trade tensions.

3. National Guard Deployments in U.S. Cities

• Theme: Legal wrangling over federal troop deployments in Washington, D.C.
• Details:
  • DC National Guard can remain for now, per unanimous appeals court panel.
  • Washington’s unique federal status gives the president significant authority.
  • Ongoing legal questions about the deployment’s lawfulness in other U.S. cities.
• Correspondent: Kat Lonsdorf [01:12]
• Notable Moment:
  • Hundreds more National Guard arrived after a recent attack that killed and wounded troops.

4. CDC Childhood Immunization Recommendations

• Theme: CDC accepts new immunization recommendations, with guidance for pregnant women.
• Acting Director Jim O’Neill advises pregnant women who test negative for hepatitis B to consult their providers before vaccination.
• Historical Context:
  • Hepatitis B vaccine has long been standard within 24 hours of birth.

5. High-Profile Legal News: Nick Reiner Case

• Theme: Brief initial court appearance for Nick Reiner, accused of killing his parents, Rob and Michelle Reiner.
• Details:
  • Scheduled arraignment postponed to January 7.
  • Reiner appears in court in a suicide-prevention smock, waives speedy arraignment.
• Attorney Alan Jackson’s Statement:

  “There are very, very complex and serious issues that are associated with this case. They need to be thoroughly but very carefully dealt with.”
  — Alan Jackson [02:51]

6. Aviation: Reagan National Airport Midair Collision

• Theme: NTSB to issue a report on a January midair collision that killed 67; culpability admitted by government attorneys.
• Key Points:
  • Air traffic controller and Army helicopter pilot blamed for contributing to the accident.
  • Lawsuit filed by a victim’s family; American Airlines and PSA Airlines request case dismissal.

7. NASA Leadership: Jared Isaacman Confirmed as Administrator

• Theme: Billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman assumes NASA leadership at a pivotal moment.
• Correspondent: Nell Greenfield Boyce [04:03]
• Details:
  • Isaacman has flown twice into space with SpaceX, including the first private spacewalk.
  • Nomination process was turbulent before confirmation.
  • NASA aims to send astronauts around the moon for the first time in over 50 years; urgency stressed to precede Chinese lunar landing.
• Notable Context:
  • Moon landing hardware still under development; timeline tight.

8. Financial Markets & Asia-Pacific Update

• Theme: U.S. and Asia-Pacific markets were “flat” or mixed in after-hours trading.
• [03:12, 04:51]

Memorable Quotes

• President Trump, on Economic Recovery:

  “Now we're the hottest country anywhere in the world, and that's said by every single leader that I've spoken to over the last five months.” [00:36]

• Alan Jackson, Nick Reiner’s Attorney:

  “There are very, very complex and serious issues that are associated with this case. They need to be thoroughly but very carefully dealt with.” [02:51]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:18 – President Trump’s remarks on the economy
• 00:53 – National Guard deployments legal update (Kat Lonsdorf)
• 01:55 – CDC immunization recommendations
• 02:27 – Nick Reiner court appearance and attorney statement (Steve Futterman, Alan Jackson)
• 03:12 – Updates on financial markets
• 03:20 – NTSB Reagan National collision report
• 04:03 – NASA: Jared Isaacman’s confirmation and vision (Nell Greenfield Boyce)
• 04:51 – Asia-Pacific financial markets update

Conclusion

This NPR News Now bulletin provides a concise but wide-ranging rundown of major overnight stories—from presidential economic messaging and legal battles over troop deployments, to headline-making criminal cases, aviation accountability, and leadership changes at NASA. It offers essential updates for listeners wanting to stay informed on top U.S. news developments as of December 18, 2025.