NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-21-2025 4AM EST

Episode Date: November 21, 2025

NPR News: 11-21-2025 4AM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt is responding to outrage over President Trump's social media posts accusing some Democrats of sedition. At Thursday's daily briefing, Leavitt was asked if Trump is calling for the execution of lawmakers. No. Let's be clear about what the president is responding to, because many in this room want to talk about the president's response, but not what brought the president to responding in this way. Trump's response came after Democrats posted a video reminding military service members that they can and must refuse illegal commands.

In North Carolina, Charlotte's mayor and local police say federal agents are leaving the city after a week of immigration sweeps. But Homeland Security has not confirmed the departure, as WFAE's Eli Portillo reports. Mayor Vileile said in a statement Thursday, it appears Border Patrol's operation has ended. The County Sheriff and Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department confirmed agents are leaving. Masked agents driving unmarked SUVs arrested more than 370 people

against the wishes of Charlotte's leaders. Border Patrol has said it was focusing on those in the country illegally, but has not offered detailed charges against them and has only named a handful of those detained. Federal officials have not answered questions about where they've taken them. For NPR News, I'm Eli Portillo in Charlotte. Secretary of State Markle Rubio is giving new instructions on how U.S. embassies should write annual human rights reports. The changes will downplay the rights of minority groups and focus more on what the Trump administration sees as infringements on free speech in Europe.

More from NPR's Michelle Kellerman. Rubio State Department rewrote the Biden administration's country reports on human rights and now embassies have been given instructions on how to keep this year's report brief and focused. State Department officials says the Department will focus on what the administration describes as natural rights of individuals rather than on marginalized groups. The new instructions encourage embassies to write about affirmative action policies, which the Trump administration opposes, as well as abortion. Rather than focusing on trans rights, the State Department will report on what it calls the chemical or surgical mutilation of children in operations that attempt to modify their sex. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department. The House has voted to

repeal of provision of the funding bill that ended the government shutdown. At issue is a provision that would award a handful of Republican senators and allow them to collect at least a million dollars each from taxpayers if their electronic data is subpoenaed without proper notice. GOP phone records were seized during the Biden era probe by former special counsel, Jack Smith, into efforts to overturn the 2020 elections. It is unclear whether or not the repeal effort will get through the Senate. This is NPR. New York Congresswoman Nadia Velasquez says she will not seek re-election next year.

72-year-old Velasquez is the second veteran New York Democrat to announce retirement after the current term expires. She has served parts of Brooklyn and Queen since 1993. Walmart is praising its profit forecast for the year, noting that price, sensitive shoppers are searching for value. NPR's Alina Seljuk has more. Walmart has drawn more higher-income shoppers over the past year and continue to do so in the latest quarter. Executives say they're seeing lower-income shoppers pull back a bit more while middle-income spending is steady. Overall, Walmart's sales grew 4.5% between August and October, with the holiday season described as off to a strong start. Executives say the

company has had to raise some prices because of tariffs, especially on electronics, but Generally, the impact has been less than many expected. Walmart also announced it's moving its stock listing from the New York Stock Exchange to NASDAQ to reflect its growing digital operations. NASDAQ tends to have more tech companies and has rivals, Amazon, and Costco. Alina Seleuk, NPR News, Washington. President Trump says he'll meet with New York mayor-elect Zora Mamdani today in the Oval Office. Trump has criticized Mamdami over his declaration as a socialist Democrat.

Mandami has criticized Trump's policies, but promised to, to work with anyone if it would benefit New Yorkers. U.S. futures are slightly higher in after-hours trading on Wall Street following Thursday's losses. On Asia-Pacific markets, shares are lower, down 2%. This is NPR News.