NPR News: 12-22-2025 8PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now – 12-22-2025 8PM EST

Host: Louise Schiavone (NPR)
Date: December 23, 2025
Episode Overview:
This five-minute episode delivers rapid-fire updates on domestic and international headlines, featuring breaking defense news, an unusual diplomatic appointment involving Greenland, a complicated deportation case, developments in weight loss drugs, ballet company finances, and changes in the bourbon industry.

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Main Stories & Key Insights

1. U.S. Announces Return to Battleship Production

• [00:17–01:19]
• President Trump announced that the U.S. will begin producing battleships for the first time since WWII, aiming to build the most advanced and powerful vessels yet.
  • New ships will be larger than current destroyers and cruisers.
  • Planned armaments include sea-based nuclear weapons, lasers, and classic 16-inch guns.
  • The initiative is currently in the design phase; construction could begin in the early 2030s.
  • Notes the last battleship's combat use was during the 1991 Gulf War, indicating a significant shift in naval strategy.

President Trump [00:51]: “These are the best in the world. They'll be the fastest, the biggest and by far 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built.”

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2. Louisiana Governor Appointed as Special Envoy to Greenland

• [01:19–02:29]
• President Trump’s move to appoint Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy to Greenland stirs controversy both internationally (Denmark and Greenland) and at home.
  • Legal analysis suggests the role does not violate Louisiana’s constitution, as the position lacks rulemaking or enforcement powers.
  • The appointment is characterized as “voluntary” and non-official.
  • Governor Landry responds to concerns via social media, affirming it won’t affect his gubernatorial duties.

Professor Dane Cialino [02:03]: “He's not going to be a, quote, officer of the United States. And the position likely would not violate the Louisiana Constitution.”

Governor Jeff Landry (quoted by Brooke Thorington) [02:12]:
“It’s an honor to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland part of the US. This in no way affects my position as governor of Louisiana.”

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3. Update on Kilmar Abrego Garcia Deportation Case

• [02:29–03:34]
• Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national, remains free by court order after multiple wrongful detentions and deportation attempts.
  • Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported in March, returned in June, and then was arrested again.
  • U.S. District Judge Paul Azinis rules the government lacked grounds for removal and that Abrego Garcia should stay free while legal reviews continue.

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4. FDA Approves First Oral GLP-1 Weight Loss Drug

• [03:34]
• FDA has approved the Wegovy pill from Novo Nordisk, the first orally administered GLP-1 drug for weight loss.
  • This represents a significant milestone for obesity treatments.

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5. The Economic Importance of "The Nutcracker" for Ballet Companies

• [03:34–04:24]
• “The Nutcracker” remains a financial lifeline for American dance companies, whose dependence increased significantly after the pandemic.
  • Nationwide, revenue from “The Nutcracker” jumped from $57 million to $84 million (2022–2024); attendance up 18%.
  • There is underlying concern over companies’ reliance on this single production.

Anastasia Tsukas [03:51]: “It's enough to keep any dance company on its toes.”

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6. Bourbon Industry Adjusts to Oversupply

• [04:24–04:56]
• Jim Beam, America’s largest bourbon producer, will pause operations at its main Kentucky distillery from January 1, 2026.
  • This is a response to a bourbon glut and declining alcohol consumption.
  • Operations will continue at other Kentucky locations owned by parent company Suntory Holdings.

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Notable Quotes

• President Trump [00:51]: “These are the best in the world. They'll be the fastest, the biggest and by far 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built.”
• Prof. Dane Cialino [02:03] (on legality of envoy appointment): “He's not going to be a, quote, officer of the United States. And the position likely would not violate the Louisiana Constitution.”
• Brooke Thorington quoting Gov. Landry [02:12]: “It’s an honor to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland part of the US. This in no way affects my position as governor of Louisiana.”
• Anastasia Tsukas [03:51] (Nutcracker): “It's enough to keep any dance company on its toes.”

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Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:17 – Battleship Production Announcement (President Trump, naval strategy)
• 01:19 – Greenland Special Envoy Controversy (legal, diplomatic, Governor Landry)
• 02:29 – Abrego Garcia Immigration Update
• 03:34 – Wegovy Pill Weight Loss Drug FDA Approval
• 03:34 – The Nutcracker’s Economic Role in Ballet (Anastasia Tsukas)
• 04:24 – Bourbon Industry Troubles (Jim Beam production pause)

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Episode Tone and Language

• Concise, fact-driven, and urgent, with moments of color commentary (e.g., “It’s enough to keep any dance company on its toes”).
• Balanced reporting, with legal, cultural, and economic perspectives.
• Offers direct quotations from newsmakers and analysts for clarity and authority.

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This summary provides the essential news and flavor of the episode, making it useful for those who want the highlights and context without listening to the full segment.

Transcript

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[Louise Schiavone]

Live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone. President Trump says the US Will begin producing battleships for the first time since World War II. The announcement made at the president's Mar a Lago Resort in Florida. From member station in Norfolk, Steve Walsh has more on the newest warships in the pipeline.

[Steve Walsh]

The new ships would be larger than the current generation of destroyers and cruisers. They would be armed with everything from sea based nuclear weapons and lasers to the 16 inch guns used by battleships of the Second World War.

[President Trump]

These are the best in the world. They'll be the fastest, the biggest and by far 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built.

[Steve Walsh]

A Navy official says the vessel is in the design phase and could be under construction by the early 2000s. Battleships were supplanted by aircraft carriers. The last one appeared in combat during the first Gulf War in 1991. For NPR News, I'm Steve Walsh.

[Louise Schiavone]

President Trump is raising the ire of officials in Denmark and Greenland with his new special envoy to Greenland and and he's also raising a tricky question domestically with the appointment of a sitting governor to serve in that post. Brooke Thorington of member station WRKF has more on the appointment of Louisiana's Governor Jeff Landry to the so called voluntary position.

[Brooke Thorington]

According to the Louisiana Constitution, a statewide elected official shall hold no other public office except by the virtue of their elected office. However, Loyola University law professor Dane Cialino says he doesn't think the special envoy position qualifies as a public office because, among other things, it doesn't include rulemaking or enforcement powers.

[Steve Walsh]

He's not going to be a, quote, officer of the United States. And the position likely would not violate the Louisiana Constitution.

[Brooke Thorington]

For his part, Landry posted a response to Trump on social media. It's an honor to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland part of the US this in no way affects my position as governor of Louisiana. For npr, I'm Brooke Thorrington in Baton Rouge.

[Louise Schiavone]

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national living in Maryland, remains free after a federal judge ordered his release earlier in the month. He'd been mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March and after returning in June, was arrested, charged with human smuggling, then held in Tennessee before being freed once more. Now U.S. district Judge Paul Azinis noting the government had no final removal order to deport him, is ruling that Abrego Garcia should continue to remain free, at least for now, while she reviews the government's latest arguments. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the Wegovy Pill, a drug designed to assist in weight loss. Novo Nordisk says the bill is the first approved oral GLP1 therapy. The Dow closed up 2:27 this is NPR. For audiences everywhere, the Nutcracker is synonymous with the pageantry of winter. And as NPR's Anastasia Tsukas reports, it's the production that helps many American ballet companies stay in business.

[Anastasia Tsukas]

Generations of fans and aspiring dancers have grown up with visions of the Sugar Plum Fairy dancing in their heads. Many major dance companies now depend on the Nutcracker, and even more so after the pandemic. The organization Dance USA tells NPR that between 2022 and 2024 large American dance companies reported that Nutcracker revenue has been zooming up from $57 million to $84 million. Attendance is also up by 18%. The trick is getting Nutcracker fans to return for other performances and not to become so reliant on Nutcracker that it endangers their other work throughout the year. It's enough to keep any dance company on its toes. Anastasia Tsiolkis, NPR News, New York.

[Louise Schiavone]

The nation's largest bourbon distiller is pausing production at one of its facilities as of January 1st. Jim Beach Jim Beam's flagship distillery in Clermont, Kentucky, is halting operations to let the market catch up with an oversupply of bourbon. Jim Beam is owned by Japan based Suntory Holdings. The company's larger distilling operation elsewhere in Kentucky will continue percolating the Beam bourbon stills. The wine and spirits business has been struggling with declining alcohol consumption. I'm Louise Schiavone and PR News.

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