NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-23-2024 2PM EST

Episode Date: November 23, 2024

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How much can one person change in four years? The answer comes down to who he puts in charge. Trump's Terms is a podcast where you can follow NPR's coverage of the people who will shape Donald Trump's first 100 days in office and what their goals are. We will track his cabinet picks, his political team, his top military leaders to understand who they are, what they believe, and how they'll govern. Listen to Trump's Terms from NPR. Noor Rahm Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor

Rahm. President-elect Trump plans to nominate hedge fund manager Scott Besant to serve as Treasury Secretary. NPR's Scott Horsley reports that would make Besant a key player in the incoming administration's economic team. Scott Horsley Besant, who runs the key square group hedge fund, has been one of Trump's biggest cheerleaders in the financial world. He'll be tasked with carrying out the President-elect's economic agenda, including an extension of the 2017 tax cuts.

Those cuts are expected to get a friendly reception in the Republican-controlled Congress, though they'll likely add to the federal debt, which has just surpassed $36 trillion. Besant is a protege of billionaire Democratic donor George Soros. He's also a longtime friend of Vice President-elect J.D. Vance. In a social media post, Trump called Besson one of the world's foremost international investors and geopolitical and economic strategist. Besson and his husband have two children and spend most of their time in South Carolina. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

Trump also has chosen former Texas state representative Scott Turner to serve as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Trump's pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who says the new administration will seek to remove fluoride from public drinking supplies, an addition that has been a common practice for decades to improve dental health. Florida's Surgeon General agrees. Stephanie Columbini from member station WUSF has more.

He talked about some recent studies that suggest exposure to high levels of fluoride is associated with lower IQ in kids. And there's a federal toxicology report and researchers said they have moderate confidence there is a link, but they say that's for fluoride levels twice as high as what the US recommends. And there's also decades of research that show water fluoridation cuts cavities in children and adults and saves billions in dental spending. Stephanie Columbini reporting. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is traveling

to Italy this weekend to attend a meeting of the group of seven major democracies. This comes as tensions rise in Russia's war against Ukraine and diplomats struggle to find a way to end conflicts in the Middle East. NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports. The State Department says Blinken will be discussing a range of issues with U.S. partners from the Middle East to Russia and the Indo-Pacific, as well as the ongoing crises in Haiti and Sudan. The secretary of state also plans to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican. Italy holds the rotating presidency of the G7 and has invited Arab foreign ministers

to take part in meetings on Gaza and Lebanon. The G7 is also talking about ways to support Ukraine going forward. Europeans are bracing for cutbacks in U.S. aid as President Trump prepares to reenter the White House in January. Michelle Kelliman, NPR News, the State Department. You're listening to NPR News in Washington. NATO released a statement today saying that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met yesterday in Palm Beach, Florida with President-elect Trump.

The statement said the two men discussed the range of global security issues facing the alliance but provided no details. The United Nations climate talks in Azerbaijan are in overtime. They were supposed to wrap up yesterday, but negotiators are still trying to reach an agreement. Nearly 200 countries are taking part. They're discussing how much richer countries should pay to help developing countries deal with climate change and the rising costs of storms, floods, and droughts. The championship match in the National Women's Soccer League is set for tonight in Kansas City between the Washington Spirit, a number two seed, and the top seeded Orlando Pride.

Greg Mechlin has a preview of the match in Kansas City. Orlando is riding its hopes on 38-year-old Marta, the Brazilian superstar who scored the Pride's game-winning goal in their semifinal match last weekend. Washington forward Ashley Hatch, who was around for the Spirit's only NWSL title in 2021, says her team is well aware of Marta's stature in the game. Obviously we respect her, but we also want to beat her. So I think it's a combination of all those things. But I think playing against an amazing player such as Marta, like it brings so much more excitement to the game. During the regular season, Washington played Orlando twice and lost both contests. For NPR News, I'm Greg Eklund in Kansas City. And I'm Nora Rahm.

NPR News in Washington.