Up First from NPR – Episode Summary

Episode: Comey and James Indictments Dismissed, New Ukraine Peace Plan, Pressure On Venezuela
Date: November 25, 2025
Hosts: Michelle Martin, Steve Inskeep
Reporters: Carrie Johnson, Eleanor Beardsley, Franco Ordonez

Overview

This episode covers three of the day's most consequential global news items:

1. The dismissal of indictments against two prominent critics of President Trump, raising questions about executive power and the U.S. justice system.
2. Europe's intervention in Ukraine peace negotiations, offering a plan distinct from the Trump administration’s proposal and receiving a cautious endorsement from Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
3. The Trump administration's escalation against Venezuela, including the designation of President Nicolás Maduro as a terrorist leader, and mounting concerns of potential military action in the region.

1. Indictments of Comey and James Dismissed (02:30–06:15)

Key Points

• Federal Judge Dismisses Cases: A federal judge threw out criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, which were pursued by a prosecutor appointed by President Trump.
• Improper Prosecutor Appointment: The charges were dismissed because prosecutor Lindsay Halligan was improperly installed as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, bypassing traditional Senate confirmation.
  • “This woman, Lindsay Halligan, has no prior experience as a prosecutor, but she was installed as U.S. attorney…on orders from President Trump.” – Carrie Johnson (03:16)
• Consequences: Both cases are now dismissed. The Department of Justice may appeal, but a statute of limitations may bar further action, particularly in the Comey case.
• Reactions:
  • Jim Comey: Called the case “based on malevolence and incompetence,” emphasizing the importance of the rule of law (05:08).
  • Letitia James: Declared she remains “fearless in the face of these baseless charges.”
• Broader Principle: Growing judicial scrutiny over presidential appointments of U.S. attorneys is setting precedent—recent court decisions have limited executive overreach in multiple states.

Notable Quotes

• “All actions flowing from Lindsey Halligan’s defective appointment are unlawful exercises of executive power. They must be set aside.” – Judge Cameron Curry (paraphrased by Carrie Johnson, 03:58)
• “The message has to be sent that the President of the United States cannot use the Department of Justice to target his political enemies…you have to see that as fundamentally un-American and a threat to the rule of law that keeps all of us free.” – Jim Comey (05:08)
• “Courts are finding that has some limits.” – Carrie Johnson on executive power over appointments (05:49)

2. New Ukraine Peace Proposal by Europe (06:23–10:07)

Key Points

• Europe’s Unified Intervention: Europeans collaborated with Ukraine to offer a new peace proposal, diverging from the Trump administration’s earlier 28-point plan, which had been criticized as favoring Russia.
  • “That 28-point plan as we knew it no longer exists…It was an absolute Kremlin wish list.” – Eleanor Beardsley (06:47)
• Details and Context:
  • German Chancellor Friedrich Merz: Asserted that peace must be lasting, and not a capitulation.
  • French President Emmanuel Macron: Warned against “a peace that’s a capitulation.”
  • The U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted progress in Geneva, with NATO membership for Ukraine still in discussion.
  • Key security guarantee: Preventing future Russian reinvasion is critical to any agreement.
• Ukrainian Response:
  • President Zelenskyy called the new plan “constructive,” resembling a 2022 plan but colored now by four years of conflict and exhaustion.
    • Willingness to freeze conflict lines but rejects permanently ceding territory to Russia.
  • “Ukraine is ready to freeze those lines, but rules out ceding this entire territory to Russia and having it internationally recognized, which was in the first plan.” – Eleanor Beardsley (07:52)
• On the Ground in Kyiv:
  • Continued Russian attacks, including a night raid on Kyiv with 22 missiles and 400 drones (six fatalities).
  • Local resident Anton Melnyk hopes for a better plan and calls for increased sanctions to “smother Russia’s war machine.”
• Russian Reaction:
  • Kremlin adviser dismisses the European plan.
  • Russia steadfast in its “maximalist goals,” with 35,000 Russian soldiers reported lost monthly (10:03).

Notable Quotes

• “We want peace, but not a peace that's a capitulation, you know, because European security is at stake here.” – French President Macron (quoted by Eleanor Beardsley, 06:47)
• “He said this new plan could only be better than the old plan, which was written by Russia…And he called on the international community to, quote, smother Russia with sanctions to squeeze and destroy its war machine.” – Anton Melnyk, recounted by Eleanor Beardsley (08:59)

3. US Escalates Pressure on Venezuela (10:14–13:45)

Key Points

• Venezuela Redesignated as Terrorist Threat:
  • Trump administration names Nicolás Maduro as the leader of a “foreign terrorist organization” (the so-called “Cartel de los Solas”), providing expanded U.S. authority for military action.
  • U.S. has stationed a naval flotilla off Venezuela and conducted operations against suspected drug boats.
  • “It gives the US Expanded authority to take military action against Maduro's government…More and more former officials and international experts…see the administration potentially gearing up for some type of military strike.” – Franco Ordonez (10:43)
• Expert and Official Analysis:
  • Political analyst Ian Bremmer frames the 'terrorist' designation as a high-stakes pressure tactic.
  • No signs of a ground invasion, but targeted strikes — as with Iran earlier in the year — are seen as plausible.
• Military Mobilization:
  • Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Dan Kane, leads a U.S. military build-up in the Caribbean (largest aircraft carrier, 15,000 troops).
  • Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: “The general was not going to the Caribbean just to thank the troops.” (12:11)
  • Discussion of broader geopolitical stakes (Russian, Cuban, and Chinese support for Maduro).
• Risks and Debates:
  • Doubts over whether U.S. escalation fits the “America First” doctrine, as military action could lead to long-term involvement.
  • “There are cases where regime change arguably worked…but there are other examples, including Iraq and Afghanistan, where regime change did not go so well.” – Franco Ordonez (13:05)
• Implications:
  • Tension grows over possibility of military conflict in the Western Hemisphere.
  • Debate continues over efficacy and risks of American intervention.

Notable Quotes

• “We're definitely closer to military intervention.” – Franco Ordonez (11:45)
• “Anything is better than Maduro can quickly fall apart.” – Ian Bremmer (summarized by Franco Ordonez, 13:05)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Dismissal of Indictments: 02:30–06:15
• Ukraine Peace Plan Shift: 06:23–10:07
• US Pressure on Venezuela: 10:14–13:45

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “The message has to be sent that the President of the United States cannot use the Department of Justice to target his political enemies…I don't care what your politics are. You have to see that as fundamentally un-American and a threat to the rule of law that keeps all of us free.” — Jim Comey (05:08)
• “That 28-point plan as we knew it no longer exists…It was an absolute Kremlin wish list.” — Eleanor Beardsley (06:47)
• “We're definitely closer to military intervention.” — Franco Ordonez (11:45)
• “Anything is better than Maduro can quickly fall apart.” — Ian Bremmer, via Franco Ordonez (13:05)

Tone and Language

The hosts and correspondents maintain NPR’s standard—measured, fact-focused, and incisive—while conveying the urgency of the day’s events. Interviewees’ and analysts' quotes bring emotion and directness, especially from Jim Comey and Ukrainian voices, while analysis of Venezuela is more cautious but laced with warnings.

This episode provides essential background for understanding the current state of American domestic legal controversy, the shifting landscape of European diplomacy around Ukraine, and the rapidly escalating U.S. posture toward Venezuela.