NPR News Now: December 23, 2025 — 12PM EST

Host: Doualisai Kowtel
Duration: 5 minutes

Overview

This NPR News Now episode rapidly covers key national and world stories, focusing on U.S. military activity in drug interdiction, legal rulings on Venezuelan deportations, economic growth data, the mass release of Jeffrey Epstein investigation files, and systemic issues in mental health care in state institutions. The episode delivers concise insights into each topic, featuring expert commentary and notable quotes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. US Military Action Against Drug Smugglers

(Starts at 00:14)

• Incident Report:
  U.S. military destroyed a small boat in the Pacific, allegedly involved in drug smuggling; one casualty reported.

• Policy Background:
  The Trump administration classifies its fight with cartels as war, permitting lethal force even if suspects are unarmed.
  Over 100 fatalities since September from similar strikes; Congressional and legal critics call this approach “murder.”

• Regional Implications:
  Actions also aim to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, accused of narco-trafficking. The U.S. has imposed strict sanctions and begun seizing oil tankers carrying Venezuelan crude, with President Trump considering keeping or selling confiscated oil.

• Notable Quote:

  • Quill Lawrence (00:31):
    “The Trump administration says it is at war with drug cartels and can therefore kill suspected traffickers even if they are unarmed... Critics in Congress and experts on the laws of war say that's murder.”

2. Court Rules Venezuelan Deportations Illegal

(Starts at 01:16)

• Summary:
  A federal judge ruled that deporting over 100 Venezuelans to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act was illegal. The Trump administration had accused these men of gang affiliations without presenting evidence in court.

• Judicial Pushback:
  Fierce legal battles ensued, with Judge Boasberg one of the first to question the application of the law and threaten contempt if orders were ignored.

• Human Impact:
  Imprisoned Venezuelans reported dire conditions in Salvadoran prisons.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Jimena Bastillo (01:36):
    “The deportations prompted several legal fights over the use of this law, and it brought to the forefront also the administration's clashes with judges.”
  • Doualisai Kowtel (02:05):
    “Some of the imprisoned men described to NPR reporters unsanitary conditions, sexual abuse, and one man called it, quote, hell on earth.”

3. Surprising US Economic Growth

(Starts at 02:30)

• Report Highlights:
  U.S. economy grew at a 4.3% annual rate in Q3, outperforming expectations after previous quarters of contraction due to tariff-driven supply chain disruptions.

• Drivers of Growth:
  Consumer spending—especially on health care and technology for the AI boom—was key.
  Business and residential investments declined, but government spending rose.

• Notable Quote:

  • Perzalina Selyuk (02:30):
    “Consumers remain the key engine driving the growth, with higher spending, especially on health care... People also spent more on, quote, information processing equipment that could be computer hardware, presumably as part of the AI boom.”

4. DOJ Releases Epstein Investigation Files

(Starts at 03:09)

• Disclosure:
  Justice Department releases nearly 30,000 files from the Jeffrey Epstein case, many mentioning President Trump.

• Government Positions:
  DOJ claims the released files contain “untrue and sensationalist claims” against Trump.
  Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, requiring complete release by last Friday.

• Presidential Reaction:
  President Trump criticized the publicity, saying many pictured had “nothing to do with Epstein.”

• Notable Quote:

  • Doualisai Kowtel (03:09):
    “The DOJ released a statement this morning saying the latest files contain untrue and sensationalist claims against Trump.”

5. Mental Health System Strain in Ohio

(Starts at 04:08)

• Critical Shift:
  Over 90% of Ohio state psychiatric hospital patients have criminal charges, compared to 50% two decades ago.
  This shift has made it difficult for non-criminal mental health patients to access hospital care.

• Expert Opinions:
  Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton lamented the injustice to families seeking help outside the criminal system.

• Systemic Response:
  Ohio is expanding mental health support in jails.

• Notable Quote:

  • Evelyn Lundberg Stratton (04:26):
    “It hurts everybody who has someone who needs to get a hospital bed that's not in the criminal justice system.”

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On military strikes as policy:
  “Critics in Congress and experts on the laws of war say that's murder.”
  — Quill Lawrence (00:31)

• On deportation conditions:
  “One man called it, quote, hell on earth.”
  — Doualisai Kowtel (02:05)

• On economic drivers:
  “Consumers remain the key engine driving the growth... especially on health care.”
  — Perzalina Selyuk (02:30)

• On mental health and justice:
  “It hurts everybody who has someone who needs to get a hospital bed that's not in the criminal justice system.”
  — Evelyn Lundberg Stratton (04:26)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:14: Pacific drug interdiction & US military strike
• 01:16: Federal judge rules Venezuelan deportations illegal
• 02:30: US economic growth report
• 03:09: Release of Jeffrey Epstein investigation files
• 04:08: Mental health care crisis in state hospitals

This NPR News Now episode delivers a brisk, information-dense update with significant moments underscoring political, economic, and societal currents in the US as 2025 draws to a close. Each topic receives expert commentary and attention to both policy implications and human impact.