Food Banks Brace for Growing Demand, and Putin’s New Missile Test

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Headlines — "Food Banks Brace for Growing Demand, and Putin’s New Missile Test"

Host: Tracy Mumford
Date: October 27, 2025
Produced by: The New York Times

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Headlines offers a succinct and insightful rundown of major national and global developments as of October 27, 2025. The main focuses are the ripple effects of a prolonged U.S. government shutdown—especially concerning food insecurity—and Russia's provocative new missile test. Additional coverage includes President Trump’s Asia trip and its diplomatic context, the looming threat of Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean, and the lighter side of Halloween costume trends for 2025.

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Key Stories, Insights, and Discussion Points

1. SNAP Benefits Threatened Amid Government Shutdown

[00:30 - 03:30]

• Critical Threat to Food Assistance:
  The ongoing government shutdown, nearly a month old, is about to impact tens of millions of Americans who rely on SNAP (food stamps). Benefits could run out imminently, affecting "as many as one in eight people in the country" (Tracy Mumford, 00:37).
• States’ Stopgap Actions:
  Some state governments are attempting to fill the gap, but many lack clear plans.
• No Emergency Federal Funds:
  The USDA, despite earlier signaling otherwise, announced it would not use emergency reserves to prolong benefits (00:57).
• Strained Food Banks:
  Food banks are already overtaxed due to inflation and an ongoing surge in need, with an Oregon network noting a "50% jump in visits in the past two years" (Tracy Mumford, 01:30). Cuts to anti-hunger programs earlier in the year have further reduced direct federal support.
  • “Food banks and pantries the Times spoke with...said they’ll only be able to provide a fraction of the assistance they used to.” (Tracy Mumford, 01:55)
• Federal Workers Suffer:
  In areas with many federal workers, lines for emergency food have gotten so long that distribution events are running out.
• Stunning Private Donation to Pentagon:
  The Trump administration accepted a $130 million donation from Timothy Mellon, a reclusive Trump backer, “to help the government pay troops during the shutdown.” This counters federal law, as agencies are not typically permitted to accept voluntary funds or spend unappropriated money.
  • “His donation...works out to just about $100 per service member, though it may be a violation of federal law.” (Tracy Mumford, 02:49)

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2. Trump’s Asia Visit and U.S. Foreign Relations

[03:30 - 05:08]

• Diplomatic Tensions:
  President Trump embarks on an extended visit to East and Southeast Asia, following “10 months of really difficult policies for Asia,” including fluctuating tariffs, trade policies, and security uncertainty (Damian Cave, 03:31).
• Regional Instability:
  Despite some trade deals and increased engagement, the dominant sentiment is instability and hesitancy among Asian nations regarding U.S. reliability.
  • “The uncertainty has created a real sense of instability and distrust...I think...we need to diversify away from the United States. I don’t know that we can ever trust the United States again the same way that we used to.” (Damian Cave, 04:32)
• Upcoming U.S.-China Summit:
  Trump’s meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping, set in South Korea, is expected to be the trip’s turning point.
  • “We’ve created a framework for the two leaders to discuss on Thursday in Korea.” (Treasury Secretary Scott Besant, 05:13)

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3. Russia's Nuclear-Powered Missile Test

[05:28 - 07:29]

• Missile Test Announcement:
  President Vladimir Putin declared the successful test of the Burevestnik—a nuclear-powered, potentially nuclear-armed missile capable of evading defense systems.
  • “The Kremlin says it can fly for much longer than other missiles and can evade defense systems.” (Tracy Mumford, 06:05)
• Expert Alarm:
  A nuclear nonproliferation expert called it “like a tiny flying Chernobyl,” underlining global security concerns (06:28).
• Arms Control in Jeopardy:
  The main U.S.-Russia arms control treaty will expire soon unless both sides renew, a prospect Trump called “sounds like a good idea to me.” (07:13)

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4. Hurricane Melissa Threatens the Caribbean

[07:29 - 08:08]

• Record-Strength Storm:
  Caribbean nations including Jamaica brace for the possibly "strongest storm in recorded history to ever make landfall there.” (Tracy Mumford, 07:44)
• Severe Impact Expected:
  Forecasters predict up to 3 feet of rain with catastrophic flooding. The storm’s slow movement could prolong damage.

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5. Halloween 2025: Costume Trends

[08:08 - 09:22]

• Top Pop Culture Costumes:
  The K-Pop demon hunter characters from the Netflix movie dominate sales (08:32).
• Classic & Creative Picks:
  • "Wicked" characters are a hit, with Tracy humorously noting: “If you’re deciding if you’re a Glinda or an Elphaba, one requires washing off a lot more green face paint. So choose accordingly.” (Tracy Mumford, 09:06)
  • DIY ideas, including dressing as the Louvre thieves with a “yellow safety vest and tiara.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the SNAP crisis:
  “Tens of millions of low-income Americans who rely on SNAP...could lose access as soon as this weekend. That’s as many as one in eight people in the country.”
  — Tracy Mumford [00:37]

• On Asia trip uncertainty:
  "You never know which version of Trump you’re gonna get...for a lot of countries, in the medium to long term...we need to diversify away from the United States."
  — Damian Cave [04:26]

• On Russia’s missile test:
  “An expert in nuclear non-proliferation called the development worrying, saying it was like a tiny flying Chernobyl.”
  — Tracy Mumford [06:28]

• On Hurricane Melissa:
  "Melissa could be the strongest storm in recorded history to ever make landfall [in Jamaica]...as much as 3 feet of rain could fall, which could trigger catastrophic flash flooding."
  — Tracy Mumford [07:44]

• On Halloween costumes:
  “With just a yellow safety vest and a tiara, you could be one of the thieves that hit the Louvre. Though there were some arrests...maybe add some handcuffs.”
  — Tracy Mumford [09:15]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:30] — SNAP Food Assistance Crisis and Food Bank Strain
• [03:30] — President Trump’s Asia Trip & Regional Analysis
• [05:28] — Russia’s Nuclear Missile Test & Arms Control Implications
• [07:29] — Caribbean Hurricane Update
• [08:08] — 2025 Halloween Costume Trends

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This episode delivers a clear and empathetic look at growing domestic hardships, global power plays, and even a dash of seasonal levity—making it a well-rounded must-listen for anyone wanting to catch up on the world’s most pressing issues.

Transcript

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[Tracy Mumford]

From the New York times, it's the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today's Monday, October 27th. Here's what we're covering. With the government shutdown nearing the one month mark, many Americans may soon be cut off from a crucial part of the social safety net, food stamps. Tens of millions of low income Americans who rely on snap, the federal food assistance program, could lose access as soon as this weekend. That's as many as one in eight people in the country. Some states have said they're going to try and step up to fill the gap. Others are still trying to figure out a plan. And while the Department of Agriculture had signaled that it would use emergency funds to keep the benefits flowing, it said in a memo on Friday that it will not tap into that reserve.

[Plan B Advertiser]

Good morning.

[Damian Cave]

Can I get you some potatoes?

[Tracy Mumford]

And across the country, food banks are bracing for a surge in demand. Many were stretched thin even before the shutdown. Food prices driven up by inflation have meant more and more Americans rely on food banks. One network in Oregon has seen a 50% jump in visits in the past two years alone. And earlier this year, the Trump administration slashed nearly a billion dollars in anti hunger programs, including one that provided food directly to food banks without federal support. Food banks and pantries the Times spoke with across the country said they'll only be able to provide a fraction of the assistance they used to. The need is greater in areas with lots of federal workers, many of whom aren't getting paychecks right now. In Maryland on Saturday, for example, cars lined up for blocks at an event for those federal workers. They ran out after passing out over 300 boxes of food and had to turn the rest of the people away. Meanwhile, the Trump administration says that it's accepted a $130 million donation to help the government pay troops during the shutdown. The White House wouldn't say who the money came from, but the Times has learned from two sources that the donor is Timothy Mellon, the heir to a banking and railroad fortune. Mellon, who is famously reclusive, is a longtime backer of President Trump. His donation to the Pentagon works out to just about $100 per service member. Though it may be a violation of federal law, government agencies are prohibited from spending money that Congress hasn't appropriated and are barred from accepting voluntary services. President Trump had already signed an executive order directing the Pentagon to use unspent R and D funds to pay military salaries. But lawmakers have warned that moving funds around like that is only a temporary fix. Yesterday, President Trump kicked off a nearly week long trip across east and Southeast Asia. He started in Malaysia. As of this morning, he's in Japan and he'll head to South Korea next.

[Damian Cave]

The most important thing to keep in mind is that this is a moment in which Trump is arriving after 10 months of really difficult policies for Asia, from tariffs and trade to distrust around security and whether or not the US Will be reliable in that realm. You know, a lot of these countries have really felt like they've been put on uncertain ground.

[Tracy Mumford]

Damian Cave is a global affairs correspondent for the Times. He's based in Vietnam.

[Damian Cave]

Coinciding with Trump's arrival in Asia, there's been a whole bunch of deals. Some of them have been slightly more specific trade deals with countries like Malaysia. There have also been some deals around critical minerals. So there is a bit of optimism. It's more engagement than the Trump administration has frankly had in the region, with more of a give and take than they've had in the past. But one of the things that I hear in the region all the time is it's not just the problem of tariffs and the economic approach to the United States. It's just the uncertainty. You never know which version of Trump you're gonna get. It's his impulsiveness, it's the lack of detail in a lot of these deals. And, and so that uncertainty has created a real sense of instability and distrust. And, you know, for a lot of countries, I think in the short term, they're going to say to the United States, this is great. We love you. We really want you to be here. But in the medium to long term, a lot of the people that I talk to in the region are saying we need to diversify away from the United States. I don't know that we can ever trust the United States again the same way that we used to.

[Tracy Mumford]

The most consequential part of Trump's Asia trip will likely come later this week at a summit in South Korea where he, he's scheduled to sit down for a face to face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

[Interviewer]

Mr. Secretary, do you believe that China is ready to make a trade deal.

[Kristen]

Kristen I can tell you they are because we just finished two days of negotiations and we've created a framework for the two leaders to discuss on Thursday in Korea.

[Interviewer]

So that's optimism.

[Tracy Mumford]

Ahead of the meeting, Treasury Secretary Scott Besant told NBC that American and Chinese officials have reached some preliminary agreements to defuse the economic tensions between China and the U.S. the two sides have been at odds over a wide range of issues, from export controls on rare earth minerals to stopping fentanyl trafficking to Trump's steep tariffs on Chinese goods. In Russia yesterday, President Vladimir Putin announced that his country has successfully tested a nuclear powered missile. It's capable of carrying a nuclear weapon. And because it runs on nuclear power itself, the Kremlin says it can fly for much longer than other missiles and can evade defense systems. The missile is called the Burevestnik, named after a seabird that some believe foreshadows a storm. In the test flight, a Russian official said it stayed airborne for 15 hours, traveling 8,700 miles. That's about a third of the circumference of the earth. Putin said no other country in the world has a missile like this. And an expert in nuclear non proliferation called the development worrying, saying it was like a tiny flying Chernobyl. The successful test wasn't unexpected. Analysts say the weapon's been in development in Russia for years. But this is the first time since President Trump returned to office that Putin has so openly discussed nuclear threats. At the moment, there's an arms control treaty between the US And Russia that puts limits on the number of long range nukes that can be deployed in the field. It's set to expire in February, though Putin has offered to extend it for another year as long as the US does the same. Trump has said that proposal, quote, sounds like a good idea to me.

[Kristen]

We are due to get a direct hit, Category four and possibly category five in the Caribbean.

[Tracy Mumford]

Authorities in at least five countries, including Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, are urging residents to evacuate from low lying areas ahead of Hurricane Melissa.

[Kristen]

Do not take this one lightly. This may be the one.

[Tracy Mumford]

At the moment, Jamaica seems poised to take the brunt of it. Melissa could be the strongest storm in recorded history to ever make landfall there. Forecasters are predicting that as much as 3ft of rain could fall, which could trigger catastrophic flash flooding and wash out roads. People in the region are already starting to feel the storm's effects. It's expected to move across Jamaica tomorrow, but because it's moving relatively slowly, it could linger over the island for as long as a day. And finally, it is Halloween week. You have until Friday to figure out your costume or your kid's costume, which can be stressful no matter if you're trying to hot glue and paper mache an armadillo outfit, or if you're just trying to figure out where the closest Spirit Halloween is. According to Spirit, the most popular costumes at the Halloween Megastore this year are. Drumroll, please. The K Pop demon hunter characters from the hit Netflix movie. They're a girl band who also slaughter monsters.

[Interviewer]

I hope you're happy. I hope you're happy.

[Tracy Mumford]

Now, wicked costumes are also flying off the shelves. Remember, if you're deciding if you're a Glinda or an Elphaba, one requires washing off a lot more green face paint. So choose accordingly.

[Interviewer]

And are you the protectors of this world? Yes, we are.

[Tracy Mumford]

The Fantastic Four costumes are also a top choice according to Spirit, because superheroes. There you go. Of course, this year, there's definitely some DIY options out there. With just a yellow safety vest and a tiara, you could be one of the thieves that hit the Louvre. Though there were some arrests in that case over the weekend, so maybe add some handcuffs. Those are the headlines today on the Daily an inside look at the federal gambling investigation that has shaken the NBA. You can listen to that in the New York Times app or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Tracy Mumford. We'll be back tomorrow.