Trump's National Security Picks, STI Rates Drop, COP29 Latest

Summary

Up First from NPR: Detailed Summary of Episode "Trump's National Security Picks, STI Rates Drop, COP29 Latest"

NPR's Up First episode titled "Trump's National Security Picks, STI Rates Drop, COP29 Latest" delves into three significant news stories shaping the current landscape: President-elect Donald Trump's selections for his national security team, the recent decline in sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates in the United States, and the ongoing developments at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29).

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1. Trump's National Security Picks

Overview

The episode opens with a critical examination of President-elect Donald Trump's announced nominees for his national security team. Hosts Ayesha Rascoe and Scott Simon highlight a common thread among these selections: a pronounced emphasis on loyalty to Trump over traditional experience in national security roles.

Analysis and Reactions

NPR's national security correspondent, Greg Myhrey, alongside analyst Will Stone, provides an in-depth analysis of the implications of these appointments. Notably, Tulsi Gabbard has been nominated for the position of Director of National Intelligence despite lacking prior experience in the intelligence community. Stone remarks:

“She’s never worked in the intelligence community and has taken a number of very controversial foreign policy positions...” (02:36)

John Ratcliffe's nomination to head the CIA echoes similar criticisms, harkening back to his brief and contentious tenure as Director of National Intelligence during Trump's first term.

The discussion shifts to the appointment of Fox News host Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense. Stone critiques Hegseth's qualifications, pointing out his limited military experience and controversial stances on issues like diversity in the military:

“He'd be in charge of a Defense Department that has about 3 million employees worldwide.” (05:36)

Strategic Shifts in Approach

Stone explains the shift from traditional security figures to loyalists, attributing it to Trump's frustration with the national security apparatus during his first term, particularly concerning the Russia investigations:

“Trump felt he was being undermined in his first term by security officials with the Russia investigations...” (03:43)

Jeff Brady from the Eurasia Group adds that while the new appointees may lack extensive experience, their alignment and loyalty to Trump are prioritized:

“Lighter experience generally would be perceived as less capable on the national security, defense, and foreign policy space, but clearly more alignment, more loyalty personally to Trump.” (04:25)

Impact on U.S. Foreign Policy

The episode further explores potential ramifications of Trump's appointments on ongoing international issues, notably the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Stone anticipates a transactional approach from Trump, which may yield short-term victories but could undermine long-term alliances:

“Trump is likely to do a lot of damage to those institutions long term.” (06:13)

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2. Drop in Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Rates

Latest Statistics

Shifting focus, the hosts report encouraging news from public health: rates of syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea in the United States have observed a slight decline. Bradley Stoner from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides the data, noting a 2% decrease compared to the previous year:

“Overall, infections had climbed in recent years to historically high levels. Overall, they're up about 90% over the last two decades, which means the fact that cases seem to be slowing down now is actually quite promising.” (07:13)

Causes and Prevention Efforts

The episode delves into the factors contributing to this decline. Stoner attributes the improvement to effective community-level prevention strategies, including education, increased access to testing and treatment, and the efforts of disease intervention specialists. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining this momentum:

“I think that we're seeing a prevention impact of work that's going on in communities all over the country, and it's really starting to show some benefit.” (08:08)

However, Stoner warns of potential reversals without sustained investment:

“Without more investment, he expects the numbers will go up again.” (09:27)

Addressing Disparities

Significant attention is given to the disparities in STI rates, with young individuals and men who have sex with men being disproportionately affected. Racial disparities are also highlighted, particularly the impact on black Americans. Stoner underscores the critical need for continued and enhanced public health initiatives to address these inequities.

Future Outlook

David Harvey from the National Coalition of STD Directors concurs, noting that funding allocated in response to COVID-19 has inadvertently bolstered STI prevention efforts. Despite optimism, the sustainability of these programs remains uncertain amid changing political priorities:

“There are questions about funding priorities with the new Congress and administration...” (09:51)

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3. COP29: Progress and Challenges at the UN Climate Change Conference

Negotiations and Progress

The episode transitions to environmental news, focusing on the halfway point of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Prime Minister Philip Davis of the Bahamas articulates the urgent need for wealthy nations to support developing countries facing the brunt of climate change:

“The fires that devour your forests, the hurricanes that shatter our homes are not distant misfortunes, but shared tragedies.” (11:12)

While visible progress may seem limited externally, substantial technical work is underway to forge financial agreements critical for climate action.

Challenges in Meeting Agreements

The Paris Climate Agreement’s ambition to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is under scrutiny, with current trajectories falling short. Davis highlights the gap between pledged and actual efforts:

“We're on track for about 40% now, but, you know, scientists say every little bit of warming we avoid will make a big difference in the future.” (11:56)

Impact of U.S. Policy Shifts

A significant concern is the stance of the newly elected U.S. administration under Trump, who has signaled intentions to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. Davis notes that although the formal withdrawal takes a year, uncertainty looms over U.S. leadership in climate initiatives:

“There’s talk about who will step up to fill the US Leadership gap in the meantime. Maybe China, maybe the European Union...” (13:30)

The business community, represented by Exxon Mobil's CEO, expresses concern over the lack of clarity, advocating for the U.S. to remain committed to international climate goals.

Prospects for COP29

Despite political uncertainties, there remains cautious optimism about reaching a financial agreement to aid developing nations. The hope is that the collective pressure from nations and stakeholders will drive progress in the coming weeks.

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Conclusion

This episode of Up First encapsulates a blend of domestic and international issues with significant implications. Trump's national security appointments signal a shift towards loyalty over expertise, which may reshape U.S. foreign policy and alliances. Concurrently, public health advancements offer a silver lining amid ongoing challenges, while the climate conference underscores the urgent need for global cooperation in mitigating environmental crises. The discussions and insights presented provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of these pivotal developments.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Ayesha Rascoe (00:21): "Loyalty seems to be a common factor in Trump's choices to lead defense, national intelligence and the CIA."

• Will Stone (02:36): “She’s never worked in the intelligence community and has taken a number of very controversial foreign policy positions...”

• Jeff Brady (04:25): “Lighter experience generally would be perceived as less capable on the national security, defense, and foreign policy space, but clearly more alignment, more loyalty personally to Trump.”

• Bradley Stoner (07:13): “Overall, infections had climbed in recent years to historically high levels. Overall, they're up about 90% over the last two decades, which means the fact that cases seem to be slowing down now is actually quite promising.”

• Bradley Stoner (08:08): “I think that we're seeing a prevention impact of work that's going on in communities all over the country, and it's really starting to show some benefit.”

• Philip Davis (11:12): “The fires that devour your forests, the hurricanes that shatter our homes are not distant misfortunes, but shared tragedies.”

• Philip Davis (13:30): “There’s talk about who will step up to fill the US Leadership gap in the meantime. Maybe China, maybe the European Union...”

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This comprehensive summary captures the essence of the episode, providing a clear and informative overview for listeners seeking to stay informed on these critical issues.

Transcript

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Experience necessary. What kind of experience?

[Scott Simon]

President elect Donald Trump announces his picks for his national security team.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

What signals is he sending about his second term priorities? I'm Ayesha Rascoe.

[Scott Simon]

And I'm Scott Simon. And this is up first from NPR News.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Loyalty seems to be a common factor in Trump's choices to lead defense, national intelligence and the CIA. More on that in a moment.

[Scott Simon]

And some good public health news. Rates of syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea have dropped. We'll hear the reasons why.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Also, the United Nations Climate Change Conference is underway. Is a deal for wealthy countries to help developing ones getting closer to reality.

[Scott Simon]

So please stay with us. We have the news you need to start your weekend.

[Greg Myhrey]

This message comes from HubSpot. Growing a business means a lot of audience, attracting, lead scoring and long days. But with HubSpot, it's easier than ever for marketers to remix content, boost leads and score customers fast. Learn [e-mail] marketers this message comes from BetterHelp. It's important to take time to show gratitude towards others, but it's equally important to thank yourself. Life throws a lot of curveballs, and being grateful isn't always easy. Therapy can help remind you of all that you're worthy of and all that you do have. Let the gratitude flow with BetterHelp. [e-mail] NPRtoday to get 10% off your first month.

[Ian Bremmer]

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[Scott Simon]

There's been a lot of buzz over who President Elect Trump wants in his new administration.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Several nominees for his national security team are better known for their enthusiastic support for Trump than their experience.

[Scott Simon]

NPR national security correspondent Greg Myhrey joins us now. Greg, thanks for being with us.

[Will Stone]

Hi, Scott.

[Scott Simon]

Help us put some of these selections into perspective. Tulsi Gabbard, nominated for director of National Intelligence. She is a veteran and a former Democratic lawmaker.

[Will Stone]

Yeah, she would be responsible for overseeing all 18 intelligence agencies. And, you know, just four years ago, Scott, she was a congresswoman from Hawaii, ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, but then she quit the party and became this huge Trump supporter. She's never worked in the intelligence community and has taken a number of very controversial foreign policy positions. You know, just days after Russia's massive 2022 invasion of Ukraine, she took to social media and called the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. to, quote, embrace the spirit of aloha, respect and love. Now, if confirmed, she'll be one of the president's top advisors on this war. And, Scott, I just want to quickly mention another nominee, John Ratcliffe, to head the C. He served briefly as Director of National Intelligence in Trump's first term, but only after a big battle with Democrats who said he lacked experience. We're hearing that same criticism again.

[Scott Simon]

In his first term, Donald Trump chose more traditional, experienced figures who were sometimes described as the adults in the room. Why the different approach now?

[Will Stone]

Yeah, Trump felt he was being undermined in his first term by security officials with the Russia investigations into the 2016 presidential election. He openly quarreled with them. One really memorable moment was when Trump stood next to Vladimir Putin at a summit in Finland and said he believed the Russian leader and not the U.S. intelligence agency. When Putin said he hadn't interfered in the US Election. Trump just cycled through multiple national security officials, and he increasingly chose loyalists at the end of his first term. And that's where we're starting the second term. I asked Ian Bremmer, the global affairs analyst who runs the Eurasia Group, how he sees Trump's new national security team.

[Jeff Brady]

Lighter experience generally would be perceived as less capable on the national security, defense, and foreign policy space, but clearly more alignment, more loyalty personally to Trump.

[Scott Simon]

Greg, what might have inspired Donald Trump's nomination of someone we have seen on our monitors here in the studio, Fox News host Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense.

[Will Stone]

Well, Scott, you know, I think you've probably seen him using that perch to criticize the Pentagon brass. He says American troops are poorly served by what he calls woke generals. He says they're more concerned about diversity, gender, and cultural issues than the ability to fight wars. He's an outspoken opponent of women in many combat roles. He's aggressively defended U.S. troops convicted of war crimes. And Trump has actually responded by pardoning some of them. He's just 44. He was a major in the Army National Guard, served in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he's never held a senior position in national security or managed a large organization. He'd be in charge of a Defense Department that has about 3 million employees worldwide.

[Scott Simon]

National security issues, don't take a break. And President Trump, from the moment he takes the oath of office, is going to face some tough issues, including Russia's war in Ukraine what should we expect?

[Will Stone]

Yeah, Trump on the campaign trail said he could end this war, the Russia, Ukraine war in a day, but he hasn't said how he could do this. He could cut military assistance to Ukraine or pressure that country to make territorial concessions. Now, Ian Bremmer says Trump will take a very transactional approach and he may get some short term victories here. But he says Trump is unlikely to worry about the broader consequences.

[Jeff Brady]

The question is, what does that mean long term for America's system of alliances that it's built up over many decades that comes from mutual trust and consistent commitments that the Americans uphold over time? I mean, Trump is likely to do a lot of damage to those institutions long term.

[Will Stone]

So we've discussed Trump's more controversial picks, but we should note he has had some more experienced nominees that he's chosen that do have broad support. They include Florida Senator Marco Rubio, chosen to be secretary of state, and Florida Congressman Mike Waltz, tapped to be the national security advisor.

[Scott Simon]

NPR's Greg My thanks so much.

[Philip Davis]

Sure.

[Will Stone]

Thanks, Scott.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

New data from the federal government shows that cases of sexually transmitted infections are coming down.

[Scott Simon]

NPR's Will Stone joins us now. Will, thanks for being with us.

[Bradley Stoner]

Sure thing.

[Scott Simon]

Scott, what can you tell us about these latest numbers?

[Bradley Stoner]

So this report focused on syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea cases from last year. Overall, there were over 2.4 million of these three sexually transmitted infections in the US and that represents a slight decrease of about 2% compared to 2022. So we're not talking about a massive change year to year. But just to put this in context, Scott, infections had climbed in recent years to historically high levels. Overall, they're up about 90% over the last two decades, which means the fact that cases seem to be slowing down now is actually quite promising.

[Scott Simon]

Do we have any sense of why things are improving?

[Bradley Stoner]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still sorting through the data, trying to figure that out. A few things do stand out. Gonorrhea cases are down for the second year. Also, syphilis appears to be slowing down after years of significant increases. Here's what Dr. Bradley Stoner from the CDC told me.

[Scott Simon]

I think that we're seeing a prevention impact of work that's going on in communities all over the country, and it's really starting to show some benefit. But also there's tremendous amount of work left to do. So we just can't, can't waste the momentum.

[Bradley Stoner]

When you look at who is being most affected, a couple trends are clear. People in their teens to mid-20s account for about half of the cases. Men who have sex with men are disproportionately affected. There are also racial disparities with new cases affecting black Americans in particular.

[Scott Simon]

Dr. Stoner mentioned prevention efforts. What do those look like exactly?

[Bradley Stoner]

So this is the work that happens on the local level with health departments. There's education and awareness, access to testing and treatment, and having more people who do the frontline line public health work. They're known as disease intervention specialists. Basically, they investigate outbreaks and help patients navigate the health care system. David Harvey thinks they had a big part to play in this improvement. He leads the National Coalition of STD Directors, which The CDC calls STIs now, and says there was funding from Congress in response to Covid several years ago that supported this workforce that ended up benefiting STI prevention work, too.

[Will Stone]

We think it's a meaningful outcome from.

[Scott Simon]

This investment of additional dollars, and we don't think this will be sustained.

[Bradley Stoner]

In other words, without more investment, he expects the numbers will go up again. And he points out the base funding for the CDC on STI prevention is half of what they think it should be. He said there are some really troubling trends, notably around congenital syphilis, literally thousands of babies being born with syphilis in a year.

[Scott Simon]

Well, what are the prospects for this work continuing given the changes in Washington.

[Bradley Stoner]

D.C. yeah, obviously, Scott, there are questions about funding priorities with the new Congress and administration, especially in the realm of public health. That said, the first Trump administration took interest in this issue. It actually started the ending HIV initiative and came up with the first federal STI action plan, which is due for an update. So there will certainly be wrangling over the budget, but Harvey is cautiously optimistic that this should be a bipartisan work.

[Scott Simon]

NPR's Will Stone, thanks so much.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Thank you.

[Scott Simon]

The annual UN climate meeting, COP 29, is at the halfway point in Baku, Azerbaijan.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Negotiators are working out details for how wealthy countries will help developing nations in a warming world.

[Scott Simon]

Jeff Brady from NPR's Climate Desk joins us. Jeff, thanks for being with us.

[Philip Davis]

Good morning, Scott.

[Scott Simon]

What have negotiators accomplished so far this week?

[Philip Davis]

You know, from outside, it doesn't look like much. There's a lot of technical work going on behind the scenes right now to get to a financial agreement in the next week. But some of the most compelling moments have been speeches from leaders of developing nations. Here's the Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis reminding that global warming is everyone's problem.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

The fires that devour your forests, the hurricanes that Shatter our homes are not distant misfortunes, but shared tragedies. What we endure, you endure. What we lose, you lose. And if we fail to act, it will be our children and grandchildren who bear the burden.

[Philip Davis]

And that underscores the goal of these negotiations, which is getting wealthier countries to commit many billions of dollars to help developing nations. These are countries like the Bahamas, that did little to cause global warming, you know, burning fossil fuels. But they're suffering the consequences.

[Scott Simon]

Countries signed the Paris Climate Agreement almost a decade ago that aims to limit how warm the planet will get. How's the world doing so far?

[Philip Davis]

The Paris goal is to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. That's 2.7 Fahrenheit over pre industrial temperatures. And scientists tell us that's what's needed to avoid some really bad climate effects. We're already experiencing some of them more severe storms, you know, flooding, extreme heat. Wealthy countries agreed to cut greenhouse gases first. But the world is not on track to meet that Paris Agreement goal and will likely push past that goal. The U.S. for example, is supposed to cut climate pollution in half by 2030. We're on track for about 40% now, but, you know, scientists say every little bit of warming we avoid will make a big difference in the future.

[Scott Simon]

Jeff, do countries face any penalties if they don't meet those commitments? And if not, what are these COP meetings trying to do?

[Philip Davis]

There aren't penalties. This process is more about countries agreeing to do things and then holding each other accountable. For example, at last year's UN Climate meeting in Dubai, countries pledged to triple renewable energy by the end of this decade. This year, the International Renewable Energy Agency came back with a report showing countries are not on track to meet that pledge. So now there's pressure for countries to step up construction of things like wind power and hydropower and geothermal energy.

[Scott Simon]

And, of course, America just elected a president now, President elect, who's called climate change a hoax. Donald Trump says he'll pull the US out of the Paris Agreement again. How does that affect the talks in Baku?

[Philip Davis]

You know, it's part of the discussion, but not as big a topic as I expected. One reason is that it takes a year to withdraw from that agreement. So the US Is expected to be back at COP in Brazil next year. There's talk about who will step up to fill the US Leadership gap in the meantime. Maybe China, maybe the European Union, but there are some unknowns here. The CEO of Exxon Mobil, he recently asked Trump not to pull out of the Paris Agreement. He says business needs certainty, and we're going to see what President Elect Trump decides there. Meantime, at the UN Climate meeting, there's still some optimism there will be some sort of finance agreement announced in the next week or so.

[Scott Simon]

Jeff Brady from NPR's Climate Desk, thanks so much for being with us.

[Philip Davis]

Thanks for having me.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

And that's up first for Saturday, November 16th. I'm Ayesha Raska.

[Scott Simon]

And I'm Scott Simon. Cast of dozens makes this podcast possible.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Our producer is Michael Radcliffe, with help from Lauren Migaki, Fernando Narrow and Ryan Bank.

[Scott Simon]

Our director is Danny Hensel, and he's taking a maiden voyage with a new cake pan today as he bakes a chocolate hazelnut crostata. We wish him the best of luck.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Our editors are Andrew Sussman, Scott Hensley, Sadie Babbitts, plus Dee Parvaz, Matthew Sherman, Melissa Gray, who would be a great co host for up first, and Shannon Rhodes. She'd like a piece of that crostada.

[Scott Simon]

Hannah Glovnes, our technical director, with engineering support from Andy Huether, Arthur Halliday Laurent and Ted Mebane. He's Cristado curious, but says chocolate chip cookies are the thing.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Evie Stone is our senior supervising editor. Sarah Lucy Oliver is our executive producer.

[Scott Simon]

And Jim Cain is our deputy managing editor. We've all been wondering what he does here.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Tomorrow on the Sunday story, Mining companies have long had their eyes on the world's ocean floor, and now they have the technology to get to it. The race to mine the seafloor is about to take off.

[Scott Simon]

And for more news, interviews, sports and music, you can tune into WEEKEND EDITION on your radio. Go to stations.NPR.org to find your local.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

NPR station and to learn about Cristadas.

[Scott Simon]

I'm not sure what a Cristada is.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Okay, Chris.

[Scott Simon]

Fancy Brownie. All right.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Okay, okay, okay.

[Greg Myhrey]

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