Loading summary
Capital One Announcer
This message comes from Capital One with the Quicksilver card. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capital1.com for details.
Dan Ronan
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronan. The Justice Department has released another batch of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. These contain hundreds of references to President Trump. The DOJ says the nearly 30,000 documents contain untrue or sensationalist claims about Trump. More from NPR's Luke Garrett.
Luke Garrett
In a 2020 email, an unidentified federal prosecutor said flight logs show Trump had flown on Epstein's private jet, quote, many more times than previously reported between 1993 and 1996. Another file shows a 2021 subpoena to Mar A Lago for employment records during the investigation into Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's co conspirator and a convicted sex offender. Other documents include a 2019 letter supposedly sent by Epstein to convicted sex offender Larry Nasser, the US Gymnast. The letter mentions, quote, our president, though it's unclear whether the DOJ verified whether this was in fact written by Epstein. These documents continue a piecemeal release by the DOJ despite Congress requiring them to make all the files public last Friday. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington.
Dan Ronan
Two people are reported dead as Pennsylvania's governor says as many as 21 were injured. This after a suspected gas explosion at a nursing home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia. An unknown number of people were trapped inside the ro. Governor Josh Shapiro spoke with reporters.
Josh Shapiro
We believe preliminarily that it was a gas leak that led to that. The explosion was really quite catastrophic.
Dan Ronan
Crews say they are still in a rescue mode, searching for victims, using dogs, earth moving equipment and sonar to locate potential victims. A local fire official says at least five people still may be missing. The explosion took place Tuesday afternoon shortly after crews responded to a report of a gas leak. An Ohio Democrat is suing President Trump for adding his name to the Kennedy center in Washington, D.C. the lawsuit also names Trump appointees to the Kennedy center board. NPR's Chloe Vettman reports on Representative Joyce Beatty's lawsuit alleging the new Trump Kennedy center name is unlawful.
Norm Eisens
Joyce Beatty's federal lawsuit argues that rechristening the Kennedy center requires an act of Congress. One of Beatty's counsels, Norm Eisens, says the former name was established through legislation in 1964.
The law is very clear. The Kennedy center is to be named after John F. Kennedy and only John F. Kennedy.
New signage bearing Trump's name appeared on the center's website and facade. Late last week, in a written statement to npr, the center's vice president of public relations, Roma Dharavi, blamed critics like Congresswoman Beatty for having, quote, sat idly by while America's cultural center slowly crumbled and justified the change of name by pointing to the millions of doll she says Trump has raised to Rep.
Dan Ronan
This is npr. Israeli airstrikes killed three men in southern Lebanon, among them a Lebanese soldier, according to statements from both Israel and Lebanon. From Beirut, NPR's Jawad Rizkalo reports.
Jawad Rizkalo
The Israeli military says the three men were members of Hezbollah and attempting to re establish the group's infrastructure and that a review found one of those killed, quote, simultaneously served as a Lebanese army soldier in an intelligence unit. The Lebanese army mourned the fallen soldier as a first sergeant in the military's anti tank regiment. Hezbollah confirmed only the two others as members of the group. Lebanon's defense minister said any claim of ties between soldiers and armed groups is slander that undermines the military. And despite the ceasefire reached last year, Israel continues to strike areas of southern Lebanon as it and the US Seek Hezbollah's disarmament. Joad Rizkhalla, NPR News, Beirut.
Dan Ronan
CBS and management at 60 minutes are now trying to get copies of the canceled story about the Trump administration immigration policies taken off numerous Internet sites. The story went viral after the Canadian television network Global TV, which broadcast 60 Minutes in Canada, received a copy of the story before it was to air in the US the new leadership at CBS pulled the story just hours before it was to air on the network's flagship news program, saying it was not ready for broadcast. However, the correspondent on the piece, Sharon Alfonsi, in an email to colleagues insists the story was cleared by CBS management, and she says it was canceled for political and not editorial reasons. I'm Dan Ronan, NPR News, Washington.
Capital One Announcer
Support for NPR this message comes from Capital One. With the Venture X card. Earn unlimited double miles, a $300 annual capital one travel credit and access to airport lounges. Capital One what's in your wallet? Terms apply. Details at Capital One.
Episode: NPR News: 12-24-2025 2AM EST
Host: Dan Ronan (NPR News)
Broadcast Date: December 24, 2025
Duration: 5 minutes
Format: Rapid-fire top news updates
This episode delivers concise updates on several significant U.S. and international news developments from December 23–24, 2025. Topics include a new release of Department of Justice (DOJ) files related to Jeffrey Epstein and former President Trump, a deadly gas explosion in Pennsylvania, controversy over renaming the Kennedy Center, Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, and a CBS News segment pulled before its planned broadcast.
Timestamp: 00:14–01:20
Notable Quote:
“These contain hundreds of references to President Trump. The DOJ says the nearly 30,000 documents contain untrue or sensationalist claims about Trump.”
— Dan Ronan [00:17]
Timestamp: 01:20–02:26
Notable Quote:
“We believe preliminarily that it was a gas leak that led to that. The explosion was really quite catastrophic.”
— Governor Josh Shapiro [01:39]
Timestamp: 02:26–03:11
Notable Quote:
“The law is very clear. The Kennedy center is to be named after John F. Kennedy and only John F. Kennedy.”
— Norm Eisens, legal counsel to Joyce Beatty [02:38]
Timestamp: 03:11–04:06
Notable Quote:
“Any claim of ties between soldiers and armed groups is slander that undermines the military.”
— Jawad Rizkalo, reporting on Lebanese Defense Minister’s response [03:49]
Timestamp: 04:06–04:52
Notable Quote:
“She says it was canceled for political and not editorial reasons.”
— Dan Ronan [04:50]
This rapid roundup offers a snapshot of significant U.S. politics, legal developments, international conflict updates, and media transparency debates, reflecting the concise, direct reporting style NPR is known for.