NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-21-2025 12AM EST

Episode Date: November 21, 2025

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The Internet made it possible for anyone to turn creativity into income, and millions are trying. But what happens when our ideas, our language, even our culture, are shaped by what's monetizable? This week, TED Radio Hour explores the rise of the creator economy and how new tech, like AI, could define what we value next. Listen on the NPR app or wherever you get your pie. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shay Stevens. Democratic leaders are condemning President Trump's social media posts, suggesting that members of their party are traitors who should be executed. House Democratic leader Hakim Jeffries is also criticizing Republicans for not calling out Trump's threat. We had patriotic members of the House and the Senate have their lives threatened by Donald Trump in the most unhinged, unacceptable, unconscionable, and un-American way.

Speaker Mike Johnson says Trump was only expressing frustration over comments that military service members should not follow orders that are illegal. The words that the president chose are not the ones that I would use, okay? Obviously, I don't think that this is some, these are crimes punishable by death or any of that. Johnson says that Trump was trying to make a point when he called social media posts by some Democrats seditious behavior punishable by death. The Trump administration is expected to direct the Justice Department to challenge articles. official intelligence laws in dozens of states. As NPR's Bobby Allen reports, it is a part of a push to undo laws that the tech industry doesn't like. A draft White House executive order viewed by NPR

aims to override state AI regulations that have passed around the country. States have enacted more than 100 laws reigning in various aspects of AI, while Congress has not passed any. According to the Trump administration's proposed order, not enforcing those state laws would be a condition of receiving federal funding for broadband investments, and the Justice Department would be instructed to sue states over the laws. The push is being led by AI and Crypto-Zar David Sachs, a billionaire tech investor who was leading the White House's policy on AI. Legal observers say, if it is signed, the order would likely face a legal challenge for interfering with the democratic process of state legislators. Bobby Allen, NPR News. Ukraine has received a Trump administration proposal

to end the war in Ukraine by meeting Russia's demands. As NPR's Joanna Kikis reports, Ukraine's leader says he hopes to discuss the proposal with President Trump within the coming days. News media say the proposal drafted by Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Whitkoff, along with Kremlin negotiator Kittil Dmitriev, would amount to a capitulation by Ukraine if adopted. Media reports say the plan includes demands that Ukraine surrender territory, cut its military, give up some weapons, and drop its bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. These demands give Russia far more than was discussed in earlier rounds of negotiations. Writing on social media, Zelensky's office, confirmed receiving a, quote, draft plan that according to the American side, could activate diplomacy, but did not comment on the details of the plan. Joanna Kikisis, NPR News.

U.S. futures are lower in after-hours trading on Wall Street. This is NPR. For the first time in decades, the federal government may allow oil drilling off the coasts of California and Florida. President Trump's plan to expand U.S. oil production in federal waters has drawn sharp opposition from officials in both states. California and Florida both rely on tourism and clean beaches as key to their economies. Washington State has declared an emergency after the Northwest's primary oil pipeline shut down twice in. one week. Governor Bob Ferguson says Seattle Tacoma International Airport could run low on jet fuel by Saturday. John Ryan from member station KUOW as details from Seattle. The governor's emergency proclamation lets truck drivers hauling jet fuel to the airport work longer hours than safety rules

allow. Airport officials say no flights have been affected so far, but airlines are making contingency plans to save fuel. The Olympic pipeline carries jet fuel and other products. to customers in Oregon and Washington. A spill of jet fuel on a farm near Everett led energy giant BP to shut down its pipeline. Then a spill of diesel at the same spot led to a second shutdown. A BP spokesperson says there is no timeline

for restarting the pipeline. For NPR News, I'm John Ryan in Seattle. The CDC website has been revised to suggest that public health officials cannot rule out a link between vaccines and autism. The update has outraged public health and autism experts who've debunked that theory and fear that such messages will lead to a drop in childhood vaccinations. This is NPR News. This message comes from Wise, the app for using money

around the globe. When you manage your money with Wise, you'll always get the mid-market exchange rate with no hidden fees. Join millions of customers and visit Wise.com. T's and Cs apply.