Podcast Summary: The Headlines

Podcast: The New York Times
Episode: How Hurricane Melissa Got So Intense, and a ‘Plan’ for a Third Trump Term
Date: October 28, 2025
Host: Tracy Mumford

Overview

This episode covers several major current events:

• The catastrophic approach of Hurricane Melissa to Jamaica and its record-setting intensity
• Former President Donald Trump and advisor Steve Bannon’s open discussion about a “plan” for a third Trump term, circumventing constitutional limits
• The shifting stance of the largest federal workers’ union during the ongoing government shutdown and the critical debate over health care subsidies
• A new UN report implicating Russia in systematic war crimes in southern Ukraine
• Recap of a historic MLB World Series game

Each story is accompanied by reporting, analysis, and notable perspectives, including direct quotes and statistics, to contextualize these headline events.

1. Hurricane Melissa: Unprecedented Threat to Jamaica

[00:34 – 03:04]

• Storm Details:

  • Hurricane Melissa is currently the strongest storm in the Atlantic for 2025, with winds up to 170 mph.
  • The National Hurricane Center warns of “total structural failure” and that rain “could be measured not in inches but in feet—up to three feet in some places.”
  • The government’s concern: Only 1,700 people have entered shelters as of last night, despite evacuation orders.

• On the Ground:

  • Widespread panic as residents scramble for supplies and tourists become stranded with airports closed.
  • Creative attempts at protection: “People have shut themselves into their hotel rooms and upended the beds to barricade the windows and protect themselves from shattering glass.” (Tracy Mumford, 01:50)
  • The unusually hot Caribbean sea (2.5°F above normal) contributed to the rapid intensification.
  • Melissa has stalled to just 1 mph, threatening Jamaica with prolonged devastation.

• Expert Insight:

  • “Tropical storms typically move across the Caribbean at an average speed of 10-12 mph. But in recent days, Melissa stalled to 1 mph. At that crawl, it will likely linger over Jamaica for much of today, bringing more rain and higher winds for longer, with the potential for more damage.” (Tracy Mumford, 02:34)

2. A ‘Plan’ for a Third Trump Term

[03:04 – 04:13]

• Trump’s Comments:

  • Speaking from Air Force One, Trump repeats his openness to a third term:

    “I would, I would, I would love to do it. I have my best numbers ever.” (Donald Trump, 03:04)
    “Am I not ruling it out? You'll have to tell me all I can tell you.” (Donald Trump, 03:14)

  • This would directly violate the 22nd Amendment’s two-term limit.

• Political Context:

  • Trump and his circle, including Steve Bannon, have increasingly floated the idea publicly.
  • Visual signals: “Recently, there were hats on his desk in the Oval Office that said Trump 2028.” (Tracy Mumford, 03:28)

• Bannon’s Remarks:

  • On The Economist’s podcast, Bannon claims:

    “Well, he’s going to get a third term, so Trump 28. Trump is going to be President 28. And people just ought to get accommodated with that.” (Steve Bannon, 03:44) “There’s many different alternatives. At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is. But there’s a plan, and President Trump will be the president in 28.” (Steve Bannon, 03:59)

3. Government Shutdown and Health Care Subsidies Debate

[04:13 – 05:39]

• Union’s Shift:

  • The largest federal workers’ union, long aligned with Democrats, now urges Congress to pass a spending bill to end the shutdown—even if it means tabling disagreements on health care for later:

    “The priority is getting the government reopened and that policy debates in Congress should happen, ‘without punishing the people who keep our nation running.’” (Tracy Mumford, 04:59)

• Democratic Lawmakers’ Argument:

  • Point out that most ACA premium tax credit users live in Republican-controlled states; failure to renew subsidies would hit these areas hardest:

    “The majority of people who rely on the premium tax credits are in red states and the states where those families will see premiums jump the most. Again, all red states.” (Democratic Lawmaker, 05:04) “These are your voters and you are not listening to them. Instead, what is the Republican response? Silence. What is the Republican solution? Wait.” (Democratic Lawmaker, 05:28)

• Impact if Subsidies Lapse:

  • In Florida, premiums for some could rise from a few hundred dollars to over $1,000 a month, risking coverage for 1.5 million Floridians.

4. UN Charges Russia with Systematic War Crimes in Ukraine

[05:39 – 08:13]

• Findings:

  • UN Human Rights Commission finds Russia has targeted civilians in Kherson using drones to drop grenades—often while people are out on the street or first responders are attending fires.
  • City response: Miles of netting have been installed to block drones.

• Evidence:

  • Russian units post drone footage online, and UN investigators reviewed over 500 videos.
  • Drones’ live-streaming left “no doubt about the knowledge and intent of the perpetrators,” concluding it was a coordinated campaign to terrorize and displace civilians.

• Context:

  • Kherson, occupied early in the war, was reclaimed by Ukraine. The front now runs along the city limits, prolonging its peril.

5. World Series Game 3: Record-Breaking Showdown

[08:13 – 09:38]

• The Game:

  • Dodgers vs. Blue Jays, Game 3 lasted 18 innings—tying the record for longest World Series game.
  • Almost seven hours of play, ending with a walk-off home run for the Dodgers and a 2–1 series lead.

• Fun Fact:

  • MLB’s actual longest game lasted over eight hours between the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers in 1984.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the Storm’s Power:

  “Its winds of up to 170 miles per hour could cause, quote, total structural failure and cut off power and communications.”
  — Tracy Mumford (00:34)

• On Trump’s Ambitions:

  "There’s a plan, and President Trump will be the president in 28."
  — Steve Bannon (03:59)

• Union Urges Reopening:

  “…getting the government reopened… should happen 'without punishing the people who keep our nation running.'”
  — Tracy Mumford (04:59, paraphrasing union president)

• On Health Subsidies Impact:

  “For example, someone in their early 60s in the state who earns about $65,000 a year could see their premiums jump from a few hundred dollars a month to $1,000 or more.”
  — Tracy Mumford (05:39)

Timestamps Overview

• [00:34] — Start of news coverage: Hurricane Melissa
• [03:04] — Trump’s comments about a third term
• [03:44] — Steve Bannon’s “plan” statement
• [04:13] — Union shift on government shutdown
• [05:39] — UN report on Russian war crimes
• [08:13] — World Series marathon game

This episode delivers urgent updates on climate-driven disaster, U.S. politics and constitutional questions, healthcare and labor disputes, wartime atrocities, and a baseball feat, each furnished with context and direct accounts from those involved.